Reddit Tests a New Way to Watch and Listen to Viral Posts

Reddit is experimenting with a new video experience inspired by the popularity of TikTok-style content, allowing users not only to watch videos but also to listen to narrated Reddit posts in the background.

The feature was revealed during Reddit’s second-quarter earnings call, where CEO Steve Huffman said the company is developing what he described as a new “video Reddit” experience.

According to Huffman, users are already consuming this style of content on other social platforms.

Inspired by viral Reddit stories on TikTok

On TikTok, millions of videos feature narrated Reddit posts paired with unrelated footage such as gaming clips, cooking videos or other visually engaging content.

The hashtag #reddit contains millions of posts, while #redditstories has also become a popular category built around text-to-speech readings of viral discussions from Reddit.

“There is an emerging content type elsewhere on the internet of, basically, podcasts where people read Reddit content,” Huffman said during the earnings call.

He added that spoken versions of Reddit discussions could become an engaging format of their own, allowing users to consume content more like a podcast than a traditional social media feed.

“I think this version of, like, listened-to or spoken Reddit can be really engaging, as well,” Huffman said.

Testing expected later this year

Reddit has not yet explained exactly how the new video format will be integrated into its main application.

However, Huffman told investors that the company expects to begin testing the experience later this year.

The announcement comes as many major technology and entertainment companies continue adopting TikTok-inspired video formats.

Facebook recently announced plans to test a redesigned experience that opens directly into a full-screen video feed for some users. Streaming services including Netflix, Disney+, Peacock and HBO Max have also introduced short-form video feeds, while Amazon has added a video stream designed to help shoppers discover products.

Even LinkedIn has introduced its own short-video experience, highlighting how widely the format has spread across the internet.

Alongside the upcoming video initiative, Reddit also highlighted early adoption of video within comments, a feature launched in June.

According to the company, videos posted in comments already account for more than 10% of all video posts shared on the platform.