Reddit Tests Audio, Video Versions of Posts
Get the Tech newsletter
Daily tech — startups, AI labs, chips, the launches that shape the next decade. Free.
- Reddit begins testing a new audio and video experience allowing users to listen to or watch narrated versions of text posts, starting with select English-language communities on iOS and Android.
- Reddit says the test includes both video and audio formats that do not replace original text posts, which remain accessible and interactive as before.
- Steve Huffman, Reddit’s CEO, revealed during the company’s Q2 earnings call that people are already consuming Reddit content in podcast-like formats on platforms like TikTok and Meta’s Reels.
- Reddit notes users may choose to 'read' or 'play' a post when available, aiming to support use cases like listening while exercising or running errands.
- Reddit states this is not its first video experiment, having previously launched native video hosting and video-in-comments, which now account for over 10% of video posts on the platform.
Why it matters: Reddit is formalizing a trend already happening off-platform—where its viral stories fuel popular TikTok and Reels content—giving it a chance to retain engagement and ad time within its own apps. If users adopt audio and video at scale, Reddit could shift from a text-first forum to a hybrid consumption platform, altering how creators and advertisers engage with its communities.
Ask SkimNews
