This Reddit ads case study demonstrates how a B2B SaaS company transformed their lead generation by targeting niche communities on Reddit. The results—218% higher conversion rates, 25% more MQLs, and lower cost per lead—challenge assumptions about where B2B buyers spend their time.
If you've dismissed Reddit as a platform for consumer products and memes, this reddit advertising case study will change your perspective.
Company type: B2B SaaS (productivity software)
Target audience: Operations managers, department heads, and team leads at mid-market companies (200-2,000 employees)
Sales cycle: 30-60 days average, with multiple stakeholders involved in purchase decisions
Previous marketing mix: Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, content marketing, webinars
Monthly ad budget: $25,000 across all platforms
The company had reached a plateau with their existing channels. LinkedIn delivered qualified leads but at increasingly high costs ($150+ per MQL). Google Ads captured demand but couldn't create it. They needed a channel that could reach buyers earlier in their research process at sustainable costs.
The client faced three interconnected problems:
Cost per MQL had increased 40% year-over-year on LinkedIn. Competition for their target keywords on Google was driving CPC up while conversion rates remained flat. Their CAC was approaching levels that threatened unit economics.
Their ideal customers conducted extensive research before engaging with vendors. By the time prospects reached LinkedIn or Google ads, they often had shortlists already formed. The company needed to influence earlier in the journey—during the "what tool should I use?" phase.
Standard B2B content (whitepapers, webinars, case studies) saw declining engagement. Prospects were overwhelmed with similar content from competitors. The company needed channels where their expertise could stand out.
After analyzing where their target audience discussed productivity tools, we identified Reddit as an underutilized opportunity. Subreddits like r/productivity, r/SaaS, r/Entrepreneur, and several industry-specific communities had active discussions about tool selection—exactly the research-stage conversations the company wanted to join.
Before spending a dollar on ads, we mapped the Reddit landscape:
Subreddit analysis: Identified 23 potentially relevant subreddits, evaluated subscriber counts, engagement rates, and content quality. Narrowed to 8 high-priority targets.
Conversation mining: Analyzed 500+ threads discussing productivity tools to understand:
Community culture assessment: Each subreddit had distinct norms. Some welcomed vendor participation; others were hostile to any commercial presence. We categorized communities by receptivity and adjusted strategy accordingly.
Before running paid campaigns, we established organic credibility:
Value-first participation: Team members joined relevant discussions with helpful, non-promotional contributions. When users asked about productivity challenges, we shared genuine advice—sometimes even recommending competitors when appropriate.
Educational content: Published several high-value posts answering common questions identified in research. These performed well organically and established the brand voice.
Community relationship building: Engaged with moderators and power users to understand community expectations and build goodwill before any promotional activity.
With organic foundation established, we launched paid campaigns:
Campaign structure:
Targeting approach:
Creative strategy:
Budget allocation:
Based on performance data, we refined the approach:
Subreddit optimization: Two communities underperformed; we reallocated budget to top performers.
Creative refresh: Introduced new creative every 2-3 weeks to prevent fatigue.
Landing page testing: A/B tested landing pages; native-feeling designs outperformed standard SaaS pages.
Attribution window extension: Shifted from 7-day to 30-day attribution window, capturing Reddit's influence on longer B2B cycles.
| Metric | Before Reddit | After Reddit | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conversion rate | 2.3% | 7.3% | +218% |
| Monthly MQLs | 120 | 150 | +25% |
| Cost per MQL | $152 | $144 | -5% |
| Cost per click | $3.50 (LinkedIn) | $0.85 (Reddit) | -76% |
Brand search volume: +34% increase in branded searches during campaign period
Content engagement: Reddit-sourced visitors spent 2.4x longer on site than LinkedIn-sourced
Lead quality: Reddit leads showed 18% higher SQL conversion rate than LinkedIn leads
Community sentiment: Brand perception in target subreddits shifted from neutral to positive
Reddit didn't replace existing channels—it complemented them. The full-funnel impact:
Reddit (research stage): Built awareness and consideration among early-stage researchers Content (evaluation stage): Provided depth for shortlist comparison LinkedIn (conversion stage): Captured high-intent leads ready for sales engagement Google (decision stage): Converted branded searches and comparison queries
Reddit's lower costs allowed the company to reallocate $3,000/month from LinkedIn to Reddit while maintaining LinkedIn's conversion volume and improving overall CAC by 12%.
B2B buyers research extensively before engaging vendors. Reddit reaches them during this phase at costs 75% lower than intent-based channels. The leads may not convert immediately, but they convert at higher rates when they do.
Organic participation before paid campaigns dramatically improved ad performance. Communities that recognized the brand from helpful contributions engaged more positively with ads.
Standard 7-day attribution missed most Reddit-influenced conversions. Extending to 30 days captured the true impact on B2B sales cycles.
Generic B2B creative underperformed. Ads tailored to each subreddit's culture and vocabulary saw 3x higher engagement than broad campaigns.
The campaign's strongest results came after 8 weeks. Reddit advertising rewards sustained presence and genuine community participation over quick wins.
For more on B2B Reddit advertising strategies, see our complete Reddit Ads for B2B guide. To learn more about whether Reddit ads are worth the investment, check out our analysis: Are Reddit Ads Worth It?
Based on this case study and industry benchmarks, B2B companies can start testing Reddit with $3,000-5,000/month. This allows for meaningful subreddit testing and creative optimization. Scale to $8,000-15,000/month once you've identified winning combinations. Reddit's lower CPCs mean smaller budgets go further than on LinkedIn.
Expect 4-6 weeks before meaningful performance data emerges. B2B Reddit campaigns require time for community trust-building, creative optimization, and longer attribution windows. This case study saw strongest results after week 8. Plan for a 12-week initial test period.
Yes, but strategy differs. Focus on brand awareness and thought leadership rather than direct conversion. Enterprise buyers use Reddit for research; influencing that research phase pays dividends even if conversion happens months later through other channels.
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