Reddit launches AMA Ads and Pro Trends to boost ad capabilities

The news: Reddit has launched AMA Ads and Pro Trends, marking another significant push to transform its advertising infrastructure and attract mainstream brand marketers.

• AMA Ads enable brands to promote scheduled Q&As with built-in RSVP and reminder functionality.
• The platform's Pro Trends tab enables real-time monitoring of over 100,000 preprogrammed keywords, allowing businesses to track brand mentions, product discussions, and viral trends while providing visualization of conversation volumes.
• Early adopters like Sephora, Wayfair, and the NBA have successfully used the new tools for targeted campaigns.

In addition, Reddit announced that Integral Ad Science’s integration into its limited inventory safety tier achieved 99% brand safety scores across 500 million North American impressions in Q4 2024. The IAS partnership was announced last June.

Why it matters: Reddit's evolution from an ad-resistant community platform to a sophisticated marketing channel not even a year after its IPO signals a pivotal shift in how it wants to be seen by advertisers.

Reddit's user base continues to drive high engagement, with AMAs generating substantial organic participation. AMAs remain a native content format that users actively seek out.

Our take: Reddit's advertising transformation represents a delicate balancing act between monetization and maintaining its distinctive community culture.

The platform's evolution in 2025 will be driven by three key factors:

• Continued refinement of ad products and measurement capabilities to match mainstream platforms like TikTok.
• Enhanced brand safety features and Pro Trends tools that make Reddit less intimidating for advertisers who are “on the fence.”
• Balancing authentic engagement with monetization remains a key priority.

Early adoption by major brands suggests the strategy is working, but sustained success hinges on Reddit's ability to:

• Bridge the gap between advertiser demands and community expectations.
• Help brands navigate its unique ecosystem without compromising the user experience.

Ultimately, the platform's transition from experimental channel to core marketing strategy component appears promising, with Pro Trends and enhanced safety features addressing long-standing marketer concerns while preserving Reddit's distinctive character.

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