Reddit launches 15 second video ad optimisation globally

MUMBAI: On Reddit, a quick scroll may no longer be enough to count as a view. The platform is expanding its video advertising toolkit with a new 15-second Engaged Video Views option, allowing advertisers to optimise campaigns for users who spend meaningful time watching an ad rather than simply starting it.

The feature has entered public beta globally, introducing both a new campaign optimisation objective and a billing model built around longer video engagement.

For videos lasting 15 seconds or less, Reddit counts a view as engaged when the creative is watched to completion. For longer videos, an engaged view is recorded when a user watches for at least 15 seconds.

The new option is aimed at advertisers whose messages need more than a few seconds to land. That includes film and television trailers, product demonstrations, feature explainers, customer testimonials and brand narratives, where the story or proposition unfolds over time.

Reddit said advertisers involved in its earlier testing recorded an average 51 per cent improvement in 15-second view-through rates and a 71 per cent increase in video completion rates. The platform is using those results to position the new objective as an option for brands seeking sustained attention rather than simply maximising initial exposure.

The existing six-second video view objective will remain available for campaigns where the creative delivers its message quickly. The new 15-second metric is instead designed for ads that need more time to explain, demonstrate or tell a story.

The biggest change is not just how Reddit measures engagement, but how advertisers are charged. Campaigns using the new objective will be billed based on engaged video views, tying spend more closely to viewers who have demonstrated longer interaction with the creative.

Advertisers can use Reddit’s automated bidding options, including Lowest Cost and Cost Cap, rather than manually managing individual cost-per-view bids.

The platform is also encouraging advertisers to put the two approaches head-to-head. During the beta, Reddit’s Split Testing feature in Ads Manager can be used to compare the six-second and 15-second optimisation objectives.

Brands can assess metrics including view-through rate and cost per view to determine which approach works better for their creative and campaign objectives. Reddit recommends running tests for at least two weeks at ad-group level, using automated bidding and keeping campaigns live throughout the experiment.

The Times is among the early testers cited by Reddit. According to the platform, the publisher saw improvements in video views and completion rates during its test, alongside higher click-through rates and lower costs.

For advertisers, the shift reflects a simple change in the definition of attention: getting someone to press play is one thing; getting them to stay for the story is another.