Reddit has unveiled new tools designed to help marketers better understand the platform and boost user engagement.
New Tools for Trend Tracking and AMA Ads
Reddit’s first new feature, Reddit Pro Trends, is a free tool that allows marketers to track trends and communities in real time by analyzing keywords and phrases in discussions.
Additionally, Reddit introduced AMA Ads, a new ad format that leverages the platform’s popular “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) sessions, enabling advertisers to reach targeted audiences effectively.
Unveiled at CES, these tools help marketers track relevant real-time mentions of brands, topics, and categories. Pro Trends uses AI-powered tools like natural language processing to differentiate between similar terms (e.g., “apple” as a fruit versus “Apple” as a company).
Impact on Large and Small Advertisers
Brands like NBA and Wayfair have tested Pro Trends for both real-time insights and long-term data analysis. Reddit sees small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) as a priority for 2025, highlighting how brands like Yes Milady used Reddit to target vegan communities interested in their products.
According to Jim Squires, Reddit’s EVP of marketing, the platform’s strength lies in its unique and in-depth community discussions.
Comparison with Other Platforms
While platforms like Google Trends, Pinterest, and TikTok offer similar features, Reddit’s text-focused discussions set it apart. This makes it an attractive platform for analyzing user interests, improving ad targeting, and ensuring brand safety.
Reddit has also acquired AI startups — Memorable AI, MeaningCloud, and Spiketrap — to enhance its analytics tools. Rob Gaige, Reddit’s insights lead, emphasized that Pro Trends not only shows where brands currently are but also where they need to be.
How Advertisers Can Use Pro Trends
According to Jack Johnston, Tinuiti’s senior director of social innovation, advertisers can use Pro Trends to:
- Target audiences before launching ads.
- Analyze conversations to renew interest in older products or identify outdated mentions.
Despite having a smaller user base than other platforms, Reddit remains a trusted source for text-based insights. Erik Hamilton, VP at Good Apple, sees the tool as a valuable way to explore real-time user discussions.
Future Outlook
Reddit’s updates align with recent AI-powered innovations, including a conversational search tool launched last month. Deals with Google and OpenAI will also allow Reddit content to train AI models.
According to Jeremy Goldman, an eMarketer analyst, these updates signal Reddit’s push to attract more ad dollars. The AMA Ads format and Pro Trends tool can help marketers tap into Reddit’s unique culture without appearing intrusive.
Goldman believes Reddit must balance authenticity with corporate expectations. If successful, it could become a digital marketing powerhouse rather than just another platform focused on engagement metrics.
Source: Digiday
