You track engagement cost by defining the engagement you care about, pulling spend and engagement counts from Reddit Ads Manager, and calculating cost per engagement (CPE) for the selected timeframe and objective. Use UTMs and analytics to attribute on-site actions, and build ongoing reports to monitor trends and optimize campaigns.
Key concepts to track
- <strong>Engagement types</strong>: post saves, upvotes, comments, link clicks, video plays, and other meaningful actions.
- <strong>Engagement vs. goal</strong>: align the metric with your objective (awareness, traffic, conversions).
- <strong>Costs</strong>: total ad spend within the chosen period or per campaign/ad group.
Step-by-step guide to track engagement cost
1) Define the engagement metric
- Decide which actions count as engagement for your campaign.
- Create a clear formula: Engagements = (sum of chosen actions) or a weighted score if needed.
2) Gather data from Reddit Ads Manager
- Pull the following for your period:
- Total spend
- Engagements by campaign/ad group
- Impressions and clicks (optional for broader insights)
- Any objective-specific metrics (e.g., video plays)
3) Attribute on-site actions (if applicable)
- Use UTM parameters on all Reddit ad URLs.
- In your analytics tool (e.g., Google Analytics), track on-site engagements (page views, sign-ups, purchases) tied to Reddit campaigns.
- Align on-site events with the same time window as ad data.
4) Calculate Cost Per Engagement (CPE)
- Formula: CPE = Total Spend / Total Engagments
- Example: If spend is $1,500 and engagements are 3,000, CPE = $0.50 per engagement.
- Calculate per campaign, ad group, and objective to compare performance.
5) Build reporting and dashboards
- Create a dashboard showing:
- Spend, engagements, CPE by campaign
- Engagement rate (Engagements / Impressions)
- On-site actions attributed to Reddit (if tracked)
- Schedule regular updates (daily/weekly).
6) Analyze and optimize
- Compare CPE across creatives and placements.
- Identify underperforming ads to pause or adjust.
- Test different engagement definitions to see how CPE shifts.
Practical tips and pitfalls
Benefits of tracking engagement cost
- Clear view of value from engagement-focused goals.
- Facilitates budget reallocation to high-CPE or low-CPE performers.
- Helps justify spend with concrete engagement metrics.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing engagement types with unconstrained data (e.g., counting all clicks as equal).
- Ignoring attribution windows between Reddit and on-site actions.
- Double counting engagements across campaigns or duplicates from bots.
- Not using UTM tracking, making on-site attribution impossible.
- Relying on impressions or clicks alone without the true engagement metric.
Best practices
- Standardize engagement definitions across campaigns.
- Use a consistent time window for spend and engagements.
- Cross-check Reddit data with analytics exports for accuracy.
- Segment by objective to see how engagement cost varies by goal.
Quick checklist
- [ ] Define the engagement metric clearly
- [ ] Export spend and engagements from Reddit Ads Manager
- [ ] Implement UTMs on all Reddit URLs
- [ ] Track on-site actions and tie them to Reddit campaigns
- [ ] Compute CPE for each segment
- [ ] Build a dashboard for ongoing monitoring
- [ ] Review weekly and optimize campaigns
Examples of engagement definitions
- Example A: Engagements = post saves + comments + link clicks
- Example B: Engagements = video plays + comments
- Example C: Engagements = total clicks plus saves, weighted by action value
Common questions (summary)
- How is CPE calculated for Reddit ads? Total spend divided by total defined engagements.
- Which engagements should count for a campaign? Depend on objective; choose actions that reflect value.
- How to attribute on-site actions to Reddit ads? Use UTMs and analytics with a unified time window.
- What tools help track engagement cost? Reddit Ads Manager, Google Analytics or similar analytics, dashboards.
- How to improve CPE? Optimize creatives, refine targeting, pause low-engagement ads, test different engagement definitions.
- Can I track engagement cost across multiple campaigns? Yes; calculate per campaign and aggregate for an overall view.
- Why might my CPE appear high? Low engagement rate, poor targeting, or attribution timing gaps.
- What pitfalls should I avoid? Double counting, ignoring bot traffic, and not excluding non-relevant actions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does engagement cost mean in Reddit ads?
Engagement cost refers to how much you spend per defined engagement action such as saves, comments, clicks, or video plays.
How do I calculate cost per engagement (CPE)?
CPE = Total ad spend divided by total defined engagements for the chosen period and objective.
Which engagements should I count for my campaign?
Choose actions that align with your objective, such as clicks, saves, comments, or video plays, and consider applying a weighted scheme if needed.
How can I attribute Reddit engagements to on-site actions?
Use UTM parameters on Reddit URLs and track on-site events in your analytics tool within the same time window.
What data should I export from Reddit Ads Manager?
Total spend, engagements by campaign/ad group, impressions, clicks, and objective-specific metrics.
What are common mistakes when tracking CPE?
Double counting engagements, ignoring attribution windows, not using UTMs, and counting low-value or spammy actions.
How should I report engagement cost over time?
Create a dashboard showing spend, engagements, CPE, and engagement rate by campaign and objective, updated regularly.
How can I optimize for a lower CPE on Reddit ads?
Refine targeting, test different creatives, pause underperforming ads, and ensure consistent engagement definitions and attribution.