Reddit has added a new tab of ‘Discovery’ in its app, as an
extension of the Communities tab. The new tab will serve as a navigational
tool, providing users with customized subreddit recommendations based on usage.
The Discovery tab is more visually focused, where each
community is represented with an image, hence making it easier for users to
join the sub-groups highlighted in the tab relative to their usage.
About the functionality of the Discovery tab, Reddit says, ‘’’What
we show is based on communities Redditors are already a part of as well as time
spent. For example, if a Redditor subscribes to and spends a significant amount
of time in football and baseball subs, Discover Tab will prompt them with other
sports-related content.”
The feature is currently in the testing phase, and according to data collected by Reddit, it found at least one in five users who joined at least one new community after using the Discover Tab. This indicates that the addition of this tool will be likely successful in terms of boosting engagement.
The Discovery tab will appear in the form of a compass icon
in the bottom function bar in the app, in place of the existing shapes icon
that represents community search.
Reddit is also working on a new ‘Community Drawer’ UI, which
will enable users to switch between different subreddit communities, by swiping
right or tapping the drop-down menu at the top left on the home screen. This will
serve as a faster and easier way of getting to communities and custom feeds.
Reddit has been working on improving the way its platform functions,
such as by maximizing its ad potential, introducing a visual format, and
bringing in new tools and options to help reignite the platform’s growth. It will
be interesting to see how all of it impacts user experience and engagement across
Reddit.
