Reddit begins testing a new audio and video experience, similar to popular TikTok videos

Reddit is currently testing a new "video Reddit" experience, which involves converting popular story posts into audio and video formats. This feature will allow users to listen to Reddit posts while engaging in other tasks or activities. On Monday, Reddit will begin rolling out an initial version of this experience, testing it across select communities to determine which types of posts resonate with users.

The company announced its plans for narrated Reddit videos during its Q2 earnings call in July, noting that similar content is already popular on other platforms like TikTok and Meta's Reels. CEO Steve Huffman explained that text-to-speech features or creators reading Reddit stories out loud have led to the creation of these narrated videos.

These videos often display the text on screen as it's being read or are accompanied by unrelated footage, such as video gameplay or cooking content. Reddit emphasizes that this new experience is an early, limited experiment meant to provide insights into how these formats can benefit users and be presented in an authentic manner.

Users will have the option to choose between "read" or "play" a post when available. The initial tests will focus on English-language posts only and will be accessible through Reddit's iOS and Android apps. The new formats will not replace the original text-only posts, which can still be viewed and engaged with, but rather offer an alternative way for users to consume content.

Previously, Reddit experimented with native video hosting and various TikTok-style video feeds. More recently, Reddit introduced support for video in comments, which now accounts for over 10% of video posts on the platform.