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Ad Review Process

Reddit's ad review process is transparent and human because that's how we operate. Our ads review team checks that your ad complies with our policies. Reviews are typically completed within one day but may take longer. We recommend submitting your ad for review at least 48 hours before your planned start date for a smoother, timely launch.

In most cases, any time you change your ad, it'll be sent for review. This includes changes like:

  • Editing your post (change the copy, destination URL, budget, or creative)
  • Updating its ad group's targeting

However, changes like updating your ad group's bid or schedule won't send your ad to re-review.

Here's a closer look at how the ad review process works and what you can do to ensure your ad is approved.

The ad review process​

When you edit your ad, it'll be sent through the review process again.

After you submit an ad, its status will be set to pending. During this period, we'll check your ad follows our ad policy, including:

  • Post copy and messaging 
  • Media (including images, videos, and thumbnails)
  • Landing page 
  • Targeting criteria

You can view your ad's status at any time in the Ads tab on the dashboard. 

After the team has reviewed your ad, we'll send a status update via email. Based on the review's outcome:

  • Active: Your ad has been approved and is running.
  • Not approved: Your ad has been rejected. Check your rejection email for the specific reason and resolution steps. You can also contact your Reddit Ads specialist for assistance. If you don't have one, you can speak with a Reddit ads expert or contact our support team for help.

Tips to ensure ad approval​

To avoid getting your ad unapproved, we recommend checking these guidelines before hitting submit:

Content​

  • Abide by our policies and terms. All ads must follow our ad policy and services agreement. Learn about prohibited ads.
  • Have your certifications handy. Some ads, like those involving healthcare products or financial services, require certifications before going live.
  • Get approval from your sales representative. Some ads, like those involving alcohol, gambling, and pharmaceuticals, must be pre-approved and managed by your Reddit sales representative.
  • Keep your audience in mind. Your ad should only target appropriate subreddits or interest groups. You also need to use the right language for them if your ad is not in English. Learn more about our targeting guidelines.

Style​

  • Check your grammar and spelling. Ensure your spelling is accurate. Your punctuation should also be correct and not excessive. We recommend running your ad copy through a spell checker and proofreading for accuracy.
  • Use appropriate capitalization. Avoid using excessive or random capitalization, especially with nouns. Only capitalize proper nouns when that's the expected thing to do (like Baltimore or Beethoven).
  • Limit symbols and emojis. All parts of your copy should contribute to your ad's message. Don't use emojis or symbols only to draw attention to your ad.
  • Remove all personal information. Unless directed by law or regulatory authority, don't include telephone numbers, social security numbers, or dates of birth in your ad.

Media​

Check out our ad unit specifications for more details.

  • Use relevant media. Images and videos should accurately represent your brand, product, or service. 
  • Use high-quality visuals. Images and videos should be clear, properly oriented, and appropriately cropped to avoid cutting off important elements or text.
  • Review text in your media. Here are our copy tips.
  • Hide mature content. If you're running an ad with a mature-rated video, we require you to use the spoiler tag by adding [SPOILER] before your ad copy. Learn about our video ad guidelines.

Landing page​

  • Avoid gatekeeping content. Blocking them from viewing your content isn't cool. Unless you're giving access to more info, you can't demand personal information like email addresses.
  • Secure your site with an SSL certificate. This is required if you're collecting visitor information or payment details. It also helps prevent security warnings saying your website is unsecured.
  • Be transparent. Include clear links to your Website User Terms of Service Agreement, Privacy Policy, and a Contact Us or About Us section. You must also properly disclose all fees if you're providing financial services. This helps build trust and ensure legal compliance.
  • Optimize for user experience. Ensure your landing page is fully functional, user-friendly, and free from intrusive advertisements or features that restrict navigation.
  • Make your page relevant to your ad. 
  • Disclose direct download links. Clearly state in your ad copy if clicking a link will start a direct download.
  • Use appropriate URL naming. Avoid using terms prohibited in our Prohibited Ads Policy within your URLs
  • Exclude links from ad headlines. Don't include URLs in your ad's headline unless legally required.