Reddit begins testing a new audio and video experience, similar to popular TikTok videos
TechCrunch
β’Mon, 17 Aug 2026 18:42:30 +0000
π° What Happened
Reddit began testing an initial version of a new audio and video experience across select communities, letting users listen to Reddit posts in the background while doing other tasks. The company said it would bring most viral stories to life through a new video Reddit experience, and is testing which types of posts resonate with users and have the potential to scale. The plans were announced during Reddit's second-quarter earnings call in July.
π The Backstory
CEO Steve Huffman told analysts on the quarterly call that people were already consuming Reddit content this way on other platforms, pointing to TikTok and similar feeds that narrate Reddit posts. Reddit has previously built native video hosting and tried iterations of a TikTok-style feed, and recently launched support for video in comments, which the company says now accounts for more than 10% of video posts. The pilot is part of Reddit's effort to keep creators and attention inside its own apps.
π― Why It Matters
By keeping a familiar narrated-video format native to its platform, Reddit can retain watch time and audience and advertising value that currently flows to creators who repackage its content elsewhere. If it scales, the experience opens up new ad inventory while keeping high-engagement posts from leaving the platform. The move reflects the broader shift of text-based social platforms toward video-first engagement.
Reddit began testing an initial version of a new audio and video experience across select communities, letting users listen to Reddit posts in the background while doing other tasks. The company said it would bring most viral stories to life through a new video Reddit experience, and is testing which types of posts resonate with users and have the potential to scale. The plans were announced during Reddit's second-quarter earnings call in July.
CEO Steve Huffman told analysts on the quarterly call that people were already consuming Reddit content this way on other platforms, pointing to TikTok and similar feeds that narrate Reddit posts. Reddit has previously built native video hosting and tried iterations of a TikTok-style feed, and recently launched support for video in comments, which the company says now accounts for more than 10% of video posts. The pilot is part of Reddit's effort to keep creators and attention inside its own apps.
By keeping a familiar narrated-video format native to its platform, Reddit can retain watch time and audience and advertising value that currently flows to creators who repackage its content elsewhere. If it scales, the experience opens up new ad inventory while keeping high-engagement posts from leaving the platform. The move reflects the broader shift of text-based social platforms toward video-first engagement.