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Reddit communities like r/PPC, r/DigitalMarketing, and r/PartneredYoutube host thousands of discussions about YouTube advertising. Unlike sanitized case studies, these conversations reveal honest experiences—the good, the bad, and the frustrating.
This article compiles insights from Reddit discussions to help you understand what real advertisers and creators think about YouTube ads.
Reddit's advertising communities offer unfiltered opinions about YouTube advertising. Here's what dominates the discussions.
Massive reach potential: Reddit users consistently acknowledge YouTube's scale. With over 2 billion logged-in users monthly, the platform offers reach that few alternatives match. Discussions in r/DigitalMarketing frequently cite YouTube as essential for brand awareness campaigns.
Strong intent signals: Users actively searching for content related to your product show higher intent. Redditors in r/PPC note that in-stream ads before relevant videos often outperform display advertising.
Visual storytelling: Video format allows for emotional connection and product demonstration. Threads in r/marketing regularly highlight how YouTube ads work well for products that benefit from visual explanation.
Retargeting capabilities: Integration with Google's ecosystem enables sophisticated remarketing. Users praise the ability to target people who've visited their site, watched previous videos, or engaged with their channel.
Rising costs: A recurring theme across r/PPC discussions is increasing CPV (cost per view) and CPM rates. Advertisers report needing larger budgets to achieve results that were possible with less spend previously.
Ad fatigue from viewers: Discussions in r/youtube frequently mention viewer frustration with ad volume. Users complain about multiple back-to-back ads and ads louder than video content—creating potential negative brand association.
Skippable ad challenges: Many Redditors note that skippable ads get skipped before the message lands. The 5-second skip window forces advertisers to front-load their hook, which isn't always natural.
Attribution complexity: Tracking YouTube ad impact on conversions remains challenging. Reddit threads regularly discuss difficulty connecting video views to actual sales, especially for longer customer journeys.
Based on aggregated Reddit discussions, experienced advertisers suggest:
Synthesizing hundreds of Reddit threads reveals consistent themes.
| Business Size | Suggested Daily Budget | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Small business | $50-100/day | Enough to gather data while limiting risk |
| Mid-market | $200-500/day | Scale what works from initial testing |
| Enterprise | $1000+/day | Full funnel coverage with retargeting |
Redditors consistently advise starting smaller and scaling based on performance rather than launching with large budgets.
Reddit discussions highlight content types that work:
Content that underperforms according to Reddit:
Reddit discussions suggest these industries report strong YouTube ad performance:
Reddit users frequently compare platforms. Here's how they stack up based on community discussions.
| Factor | YouTube | |
|---|---|---|
| User mindset | Passive consumption | Active discussion |
| Content format | Video-first | Text and image-first |
| Targeting | Demographics + interests | Community-based |
| Brand tolerance | Moderate (ads expected) | Lower (authenticity valued) |
| Discovery mode | Recommended/search | Curated feeds |
Based on Reddit discussions:
| Metric | YouTube (typical) | Reddit (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| CPM | $10-30 | $5-15 |
| CPC | $0.10-0.50 | $0.50-2.00 |
| CPV | $0.05-0.20 | N/A |
| Minimum spend | None | None |
Note: These are general ranges from Reddit discussions—actual costs vary significantly by targeting and competition.
Choose YouTube when:
Choose Reddit when:
Use both when:
Reddit opinion is mixed but leans positive for well-executed campaigns. Success depends heavily on creative quality, targeting precision, and realistic expectations. Users who treat YouTube as part of a broader strategy rather than a standalone solution report better results.
Failing to capture attention in the first 5 seconds is the most cited mistake. Skippable ads that save the hook for later lose most viewers before delivering any message.
According to Reddit discussions, YouTube typically has lower CPM than LinkedIn and comparable or slightly higher CPM than Facebook. However, video production costs must be factored in—something text and image-based platforms don't require.
Yes, but Redditors recommend starting with retargeting campaigns (targeting website visitors or channel subscribers) rather than cold prospecting. This approach maximizes limited budgets by reaching already-interested audiences.
In-feed video ads (formerly Discovery ads) receive the most consistent praise for driving engaged views. For awareness, non-skippable 15-second bumpers are recommended. Skippable in-stream ads work but require exceptional creative.
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