Reddit Tests TikTok-Style Feature for Viral Stories

Reddit is exploring a new way to experience its most popular content by combining short-form video with audio storytelling. The social platform revealed during its second-quarter earnings call that it is developing a new “video Reddit” experience, allowing users to not only watch videos but also listen to Reddit posts as they browse.

The upcoming feature aims to make viral discussions and community stories more engaging by presenting them in a format that feels similar to podcasts or narrated videos. According to Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, this type of content has already proven popular on other platforms, making it a natural direction for Reddit to explore.

One of the biggest examples is TikTok, where Reddit-inspired content has become a major trend. Millions of videos are tagged with #reddit and #redditstories, featuring creators who use text-to-speech narration to read popular Reddit posts while unrelated videos—such as gaming clips, cooking demonstrations, or satisfying visuals—play in the background. This simple formula has attracted a huge audience and introduced Reddit stories to users who may never visit the platform itself.

Speaking during the earnings call, Huffman said that people are increasingly consuming Reddit content in audio form elsewhere on the internet. He described the trend as being similar to podcasts, where creators read Reddit discussions aloud. Reddit now sees an opportunity to bring that experience directly into its own app.

According to Huffman, a spoken version of Reddit could become an entirely new content format. Instead of simply reading text on the screen, users could listen to interesting stories, discussions, and community posts while continuing to browse or multitask.

While Reddit has not shared detailed information about how the feature will appear in its mobile app, the company confirmed that it expects to begin testing the new experience later this year.

The announcement comes as more technology and entertainment companies continue to embrace TikTok-inspired designs. Short-form, full-screen video feeds have become a common feature across the digital landscape as companies compete for user attention.

Last week, Facebook announced plans to test a redesigned experience that will automatically open some users into a full-screen video feed when they launch the app. Streaming platforms including Netflix, Disney+, Peacock, and HBO Max have also introduced TikTok-style content feeds to help viewers discover movies and shows. Amazon has expanded its shopping experience with short-form product videos, while LinkedIn has even launched a similar video feed for professional content.

This growing shift toward vertical video highlights how influential TikTok’s format has become across the internet, with platforms adapting similar experiences to keep users engaged.

Reddit also highlighted the early success of another video-focused feature introduced in June—video in comments. According to the company, videos shared within comment sections already account for more than 10% of all video posts on the platform, suggesting that users are increasingly embracing richer forms of interaction.

As Reddit continues investing in video and audio experiences, the company appears focused on making its vast collection of user-generated stories easier to discover and enjoy. If the new feature proves successful, it could give users an entirely new way to consume Reddit’s most viral discussions without leaving the app.

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