this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2024
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Reddit introduces a new ad format that looks similar to posts made by users | TechCrunch (techcrunch.com)
submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/reddit
29 comments fedilink hide all child comments
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[–] [email protected] 89 points 8 months ago (6 children)

In early testing of the new format, Reddit found that free-form ads outperform all other ad types in average click through rate (CTR) by 28%

Translation: users mistakenly click it 28% more, before realising that it isn't actually content

along with increased community engagement when comments are enabled.

Translation: more "fuck your ad" complains in the comments.

More importantly, I predict that the move will increase the usage of ad blockers within the site. Dressing ads as content feels like a bad idea - I feel like users interpret this as a sign of hostility, trying to "deceive" them. I'm not sure on that though, I'm half-drunk through the whole day and I don't have data to back me up.

[–] Stovetop 24 points 8 months ago (3 children)

More importantly, I predict that the move will increase the usage of ad blockers within the site.

Sadly a lot of Reddit's traffic comes from mobile, which now only allows the official app that Reddit can fill with however many ad posts they want.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

That's a fair point, but: if you drop the distinctiveness between ad and content too low, phoneposters go elsewhere. Because not even phoneposters want that noise. So it's still a bad idea.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (4 children)

Not when. your DNS is a piHole, even when on mobile I use PiVPN to route all my traffic at home and not get ads whatsoever.

[–] FlounderBasket 12 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Does that stop the promoted posts though? Which are paid reddit posts. I have my phone going through adblocker dns and I still see promoted posts but I don't see any traditional ads between posts.

[–] AtariDump 1 points 8 months ago

It, sadly, will not. The promoted posts come from the same domain as the content (meaning block the ads, block the legitimate content).

[–] Anticorp 8 points 8 months ago (1 children)

That doesn't stop ads that reddit is serving from the same URL as the rest of the content.

[–] AtariDump 1 points 8 months ago

Correct, which is why it also can’t block YouTube ads.

Still helpful though for devices that you can run an ad blocker on (like a “smart” TV/ streaming stick)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I'm happy for you, but that just isn't the average user experience. The crushing majority of people aren't tech-savvy enough for that. And Reddit, relies on that majority.

For better or worse for everyone involved, it's their experience that makes or breaks the site, and it's them that enshittification takes advantage of.

[–] StringPotatoTheory 4 points 8 months ago

I have pihole as well and I find it doesn't block the promoted posts / reddit ads on mobile. But revanced fixes that.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 8 months ago (1 children)

They been doing these ads for ages, sometimes they would leave the comments open and I'd google a better competitor and advertise them in the comments.

[–] Anticorp 7 points 8 months ago (1 children)

That's also a common strategy. Someone will ask about a product that is actually the competitor's product, and then they'll reply to that post with a bunch of shill accounts saying "actually Acme doodads are better. Get them on the official website because Amazon is evil". Then a bunch of people get duped into thinking they're reading legitimate reviews from real people.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

But then you watch the username and it's like u/definitelyNotAnAcmeShill and it's exclusively pushing their items

[–] Anticorp 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

u/slapenplop53839

That's the formula I've seen. Babble words followed by numbers.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Ah lol like my username

[–] Anticorp 10 points 8 months ago

The remaining users on Reddit don't care. They've intentionally dumbed down the site to get rid of people who do care, and attract more people who don't. They can't even be bothered to understand how things work.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago

Nah, you right tho

[–] WhatAmLemmy 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I like "I don't have data to back me up".

I'm gonna try to remember to use that whenever I doll out my feefee based opinions.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Well, they're pretty much the same thing anyway. I just felt that it wouldn't be honest to pretend that I have knowledge that I don't; and knowledge comes from data, so...

(Another cool word to use this way is "to hypothesise".)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Why only half?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Gotta leave room for later

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Not enough booze.

[–] Philharmonic3 33 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I mean, half the posts on Reddit are ads anyways. What's a few more fake ones?

[–] tourist 29 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Yeah "new" format my ass

"hey guys I found this new VPN, you should try it now and get a 1.5% discount. It's called DogDickVPN"

- posted by /u/DogDickVPNTeam

[–] HootinNHollerin 12 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I prefer RedRocketVPN personally

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I've heard that DogsBolloxVPN is the dogs bollox.

[–] HootinNHollerin 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I find the feature-rich CatsMeowVPN to fit my specific needs when sneaking round the net and up to something fishy

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

🤣🤣

[–] SgtAStrawberry 3 points 8 months ago

Haven't that been a thing for tears now? Or have they found a way to make them even MORE post like, if so I would like to know how, because the ones I have seen you basically have to learn to recognise what titel they have to be able to tell them apart from posts.