Reddit’s test places advertising near the top of search results.
Reddit will test ads within search results as it targets users seeking buying advice and prepares tighter login requirements.
Reddit search ads will soon enter testing as the platform faces declining traffic from Google. The company aims to reach users who turn to its communities for buying advice.
In a blog post, Reddit said the initial trial would involve a limited group of advertisers. Meanwhile, it is preparing to restrict access to most content for people without a logged-in account.
How Reddit search ads will work
Reddit said contextual relevance and other factors would determine which ads appear alongside search results. For example, a search for an espresso station could bring up promotions for mugs, coffee beans or espresso machines.
Screenshots shared by the company placed ads near the top of search results. The format aims to connect advertisers with users whose searches suggest a strong interest in making purchases.
However, access will remain limited during the first phase of testing. Reddit said it would assess users’ responses and use those findings to improve the experience for both users and advertisers.
The company also indicated that the format could reach more advertisers beyond the initial trial. Its immediate focus is testing how search advertising works within the platform.
Google traffic decline drives broader changes
The advertising trial comes alongside wider changes to how people access Reddit. The company said last week that Google’s AI mode had caused a significant decline in search traffic.
Meanwhile, chief executive Steve Huffman said a logged-in-only model would help Reddit improve its advertising targeting. The planned restrictions would block people without an active login from most of the platform’s content.
Reddit has also tightened access to its developer platform and Old Reddit to combat scraping. Those measures form part of its response to the effects of artificial intelligence on its business.
During last week’s earnings call, Huffman argued that login requirements reflected how much Reddit had evolved. He also described the platform as an exception among services that already require users to sign in.
