Reddit is testing a new advertising placement within its search function, giving advertisers another way to reach users as they look for recommendations, products and information across the platform.
The test will see ads appear within Reddit search results, with placements determined by a range of factors, including contextual relevance to a user’s search query.
For example, a search for “espresso station” could surface ads for espresso machines, coffee beans or mugs, while a search for “home office setup” could bring up advertisements for monitors, desks or office chairs.
The initial test is being rolled out to a select group of eligible advertisers, with Reddit saying it will use the trial to understand how users respond before refining the experience for both users and advertisers.
In a blog post announcing the test, Reddit said users increasingly turn to the platform to find human perspectives and experiences, with half of Reddit users saying the platform helps them discover something new.
“As we continue improving the user search experience on Reddit, we’re also beginning to test ad placements in search,” the company said. “These placements leverage existing ad targeting in search results pages on Reddit, which have high purchase and search intent.”
The move comes just one day after Reddit reported its Q3 2026 results, which revealed a significant decline in search engine referral traffic. Reddit attributed this drop in traffic to changes in Google’s search experience, including the growing prominence of AI Overviews and AI Mode.
It also follows a recent conversation B&T had with Reddit’s VP of global agency and partnerships, Sharb Farjami, during his visit to Sydney, where he discussed the platform’s approach to advertising frequency.
At the time, Farjami said Reddit was “very, very cautious” about increasing its ad load, emphasising the importance of keeping advertising relevant to the platform’s communities.
“Our users don’t dislike advertising; they dislike bad advertising,” he said. “We want our ads to be as contextually relevant, be it through formats or native interaction, as possible.”
The search test gives advertisers another opportunity to reach users in moments of potentially high purchase intent, while allowing Reddit to explore additional advertising inventory without necessarily increasing the frequency of ads appearing in users’ feeds.
The announcement is among several changes Reddit has been making to its platform in recent months.
The company has introduced new Following and For You feeds, while also announcing plans to limit access to its Old Reddit experience.
Reddit has also outlined plans to make the platform a more “logged-in-only experience” as it looks to tackle unauthorised data scraping, particularly from companies using its content to train AI systems.
This week Reddit also kicked off a legal fight against Australia’s under-16 social media ban, arguing the legislation unfairly restricts young Australians’ ability to participate in political conversations online.
