Reddit Teases TikTok-Style Video, Audio Experience

Reddit is piloting audio and video content that allows users to experience posts in a TikTok-like manner. According to Tech Crunch, the test was conducted across various Reddit communities, exploring both video and audio formats. The trial was designed to identify which content types resonate most with users, potentially leading to the feature's expansion.

With this new feature, users will have the option to view posts in their typical text format or play the audio or video version, if accessible. The idea was sparked by numerous popular Reddit posts being transformed into videos by users on other social media platforms. Reddit content is frequently read aloud using text-to-speech technology or presented live by creators, which are then supplemented with on-screen text or videos like gameplay or cooking demonstrations.

Steve Huffman, Reddit's CEO, believes that audio and visual content formats are more engaging for users. "There's an emerging content type elsewhere on the internet, essentially, podcasts where people read Reddit content. I think this version of, like, listened-to or spoken Reddit can be really engaging, as well," he stated. The initial testing of this feature is currently limited to a select number of English-language posts and can be accessed via the Reddit app on iOS and Android devices.

Even with the introduction of this new format, Reddit assures that the original text posts will remain intact. Users can still read posts and comments and interact as they always have. Reddit views the audio format as beneficial for users who want to consume content while engaged in other activities, such as walking, exercising, or managing daily tasks.

Video and audio formats could also be utilized to make text-based posts appear more dynamic. This isn't a novel strategy for Reddit; the platform has previously experimented with a live video format and a TikTok-style video feed display multiple times. Additionally, Reddit permits users to upload videos in the comments section, which now constitutes over 10 percent of all video posts on the platform.