Ads
Pick supplemental paid channels—Reddit, CTV/OTT, directories—when core ad stacks are not enough for your audience and intent.
Overview
ads is an agent skill most often used in Launch distribution (also Grow lifecycle) that maps when to add Reddit, CTV/OTT, and niche ad platforms beyond the core paid stack.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/agricidaniel/claude-ads --skill adsWhat is this skill?
- Decision tree mapping intent and audience to Reddit, Pinterest, CTV/OTT, or directory ads
- Reddit coverage: subreddit targeting, conversation placements, and approximate CPM/CPC/CTR bands
- CTV/OTT section with reach context and platform examples (YouTube CTV, Microsoft CTV, Trade Desk)
- Explicit ties to core claude-ads modules (LinkedIn, Google, TikTok, YouTube) so you extend rather than duplicate
- Minimum spend cues such as $1K+/month testing thresholds for Reddit-style expansion
- 1.7B+ Reddit monthly active users cited
- 230M+ US CTV users cited (2025)
- $1K+/month minimum noted for Reddit testing
Adoption & trust: 1.1k installs on skills.sh; 5.8k GitHub stars; 2/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You know Google and Meta basics but cannot tell whether Reddit, CTV, or directory ads fit your audience, intent, or budget floor.
Who is it for?
Solo SaaS or consumer founders planning a second-wave paid test after core channels are documented.
Skip if: Beginners who have not set up conversion tracking, landing pages, or any primary ad account yet.
When should I use this skill?
You are planning paid acquisition beyond the core seven platforms and need audience-intent routing for Reddit, CTV/OTT, or directory-style ads.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You shortlist incremental platforms using the decision tree, align benchmarks to expectations, and know which specialized claude-ads child docs to open next.
- Shortlisted supplemental ad platforms with rationale
- Benchmark-informed expectations for CPM/CPC/CTR on candidate channels
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Platform selection for paid reach is canonically Launch distribution, where solo builders choose where to buy attention beyond default Google/Meta playbooks. Distribution subphase fits strategic ads planning that compares channels, benchmarks, and minimum budgets before creative work.
Where it fits
Compare Reddit conversation ads versus Pinterest when launching a community-friendly SaaS with a modest test budget.
Evaluate CTV/OTT for retargeting-aware brand reinforcement after core search and social campaigns plateau.
Estimate whether a $1K/month Reddit test is realistic before committing validation budget to a single channel.
How it compares
Strategic channel brief inside the claude-ads ecosystem—not a creative generator or campaign API integration.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is ads for?
Indie builders and small teams using Claude Ads skills who need a concise guide to Reddit, CTV/OTT, and other platforms beyond the default seven.
When should I use ads?
Use it at Launch when choosing distribution channels, when Grow experiments need community-driven Reddit tests, or when upper-funnel CTV fits a brand-awareness goal.
Is ads safe to install?
It is documentation-style marketing guidance without shell or credential access; still review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing any skill from the repo.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Ads
# Additional Advertising Platforms <!-- Created: 2026-04-13 | v1.5 --> <!-- Purpose: Overview of platforms beyond the core 7 for strategic planning --> ## When to Consider These Platforms Use the decision tree below to determine if additional platforms are relevant: ``` High intent + Business audience → LinkedIn (already covered) or Reddit High intent + Consumer purchase → Google (covered) or Pinterest Low intent + Visual discovery → TikTok (covered) or Pinterest/Snapchat Brand awareness + Premium → CTV/OTT or YouTube (covered) Niche community + Discussion → Reddit Professional software → G2, Capterra (directory ads) ``` ## Reddit Ads **Best for:** Community-driven brands, SaaS, gaming, finance, education **Audience:** 1.7B+ monthly active users, highly engaged niche communities **Key features:** - Subreddit targeting (precision by interest community) - Conversation placement ads (native to discussions) - Free-form ads (blend into Reddit feed) - Conversation ads (promoted comments) **Benchmarks (approximate):** - CPM: $2-5 (lower than Meta/LinkedIn) - CPC: $0.50-2.00 - CTR: 0.5-1.5% **When to recommend:** Brand has community presence, product benefits from social proof/discussion, budget allows testing ($1K+/month minimum) ## CTV/OTT Advertising **Best for:** Brand awareness, broad reach, upper funnel **Reach:** 230M+ US CTV users (2025) **Key platforms:** - YouTube CTV (covered in ads-youtube) - Microsoft CTV (Netflix, Max, Hulu, Roku, discovery+) - The Trade Desk (programmatic) - Amazon Fire TV / Freevee **Key considerations:** - Non-skippable 15-30s format (high completion rates) - Limited conversion tracking (no click-through, attribution challenges) - CPM-based pricing ($15-35 CPM typical) - Best measured with: Brand Lift studies, search lift, incrementality **When to recommend:** Brand awareness goal, budget >$10K/month, strong creative assets available ## Pinterest Ads **Best for:** E-commerce (home, fashion, food, beauty, DIY), visual discovery **Audience:** 500M+ monthly active users, 85% use for purchase inspiration **Key features:** - Shopping Ads (catalog integration) - Standard Pins, Video Pins, Carousel Pins - Interest + keyword targeting hybrid - Visual search (Lens) **Benchmarks:** - CPC: $0.10-1.50 - CPM: $2-5 - CVR: higher than average for visual/inspiration categories **When to recommend:** E-commerce with strong visuals, home/fashion/food categories, audiences that plan purchases ## Snapchat Ads **Best for:** Gen Z / young millennial audiences, mobile-first brands **Audience:** 850M+ monthly active users, skews 13-34 **Key features:** - Snap Ads (full-screen vertical video) - Collection Ads (product catalog) - Story Ads, Spotlight Ads - AR Lenses and Filters (interactive) - Dynamic Product Ads **Benchmarks:** - CPM: $2-5 (competitive with TikTok) - Swipe-up rate: 0.3-1.0% - CPI (app installs): $1-3 **When to recommend:** Target audience is under 30, mobile app promotion, AR/interactive creative fits brand ## Directory / Review Platform Ads **Best for:** B2B SaaS, professional services **Platforms:** G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Software Advice (Gartner Digital Markets) **Key features:** - High-intent buyers actively comparing software - Category page sponsorship - Competitor comparison placement - Review-driven credibility **Pricing:** CPL model ($15-75 per lead typical for mid-market SaaS) **When to recommend:** B2B SaaS with sufficient reviews (20+), high-value deals (ACV >$5K), want to capture bottom-funnel comparison shoppers # Industry Benchmarks 2026 <!-- Updated: 2026-05-17 | v1.6 - citation dates clarified --> <!-- Sources: WordStream/LocaliQ 2025 Search Advertising Benchmarks (16K campaigns), Triple Whale 2025 e-commerce benchmarks, SplitMetrics 2025 app store benchmarks, Gemini Research. All cited figures verified current as of 2026-05-17. --> <!-- Cited research dates: WordStream 2025 (annual), Triple Whale 2025 (rolling), SplitMetrics 2025 (annual). For platform-spe