Reddit overtakes TikTok in UK thanks to search algorithms and gen z | Reddit
Online discussion platform Reddit has overtaken TikTok as Britain’s fourth most visited social media service as search algorithms and Gen Z significantly change its importance.
The platform has seen huge growth over the last two years, with an 88% increase in the proportion of UK internet users it reaches. By 2023, three in every five Britons using the internet will now encounter the site. According to Ofcom.
Its popularity is rapidly growing among young internet users. It is currently the sixth most visited establishment by UK users aged between 18 and 24, having been ranked 10th in the previous year. More than three-quarters of this group now visit.
The rapid growth signals a change in the site’s standing; Numerous forums are seen as venues for hostile exchanges between once largely anonymous users. The UK is a booming market for the platform and has the second-largest user base behind the US, company records show.
There are a number of factors behind its rise. However, last year there was a change in Google’s search algorithms to prioritize useful content in discussion forums. Seems to be a major driver.
A recent deal with Google that allows the company to train its AI model on Reddit content also appears to have provided a boost. Reddit is the most cited source for Google AI overviews and will likely see more people directed to its forums. It has a similar deal with OpenAI, which owns the most popular AI chatbot ChatGPT.
The company believes it is also benefiting from changing internet habits as younger users seek human-generated reviews and opinions on topics such as parenting, skin care and fitness.
More than half of its users in the UK are women. Internal research shows that 71% of women on UK Reddit have a personal interest in skincare, beauty and cosmetics, with these topics driving more traffic to specific UK Reddit forums, known as subreddits.
“Reddit started, rightfully so, with a male-skewed perception; gaming and technology were the mainstays,” said Jen Wong, Reddit’s chief operating officer, who said she spent a lot of time on the UK gardening subreddit. “Reddit has become very diverse; the UK is now gender balanced… What’s interesting is that one in three people on the platform are Gen Z women.
“Gen Z is very open to looking online for advice on those life stage moments, like moving away from home and renting for the first time, that happen a little later for some segments of this generation. It’s a very safe place to ask questions about balancing a checkbook or how to pay for a wedding.”
Subreddits about pregnancy and parenting in the UK have doubled in size in the last year.
There is also a growing trend for fans of Premier League clubs to watch matches by logging into their team’s subreddit. The Premier League subreddit had more than a billion views last year, according to company records.
It also seems to be a popular discussion area for women’s football, which receives less coverage than men’s football. Viewership of subreddits covering Arsenal’s women’s team and the Lionesses doubled last year.
Wong said the company is focusing on enticing users to come directly to the platform rather than a search result. He also touted Reddit as an antidote to AI-generated content.
“You’re seeing these crashes with AI crashes and AI recommendations; Reddit doesn’t have that,” he said. “It’s not clean. It’s messy, because there’s a lot of different advice you have to go through. It’s not boiled down to one answer for you, but that’s the important thing.”
As the site grew in popularity, the UK government opened its own account. UKGovNewslast year. He shared about the cost of living, train ticket prices and immigration. Housing secretary Steve Reed recently held an “ask me anything” session.
It’s still easy to find confrontational exchanges on the platform. Wong said it’s part of the site’s culture, but all subreddits have their own rules and moderators.
“Reddit is really honest, and I think that’s one of the things that makes Reddit,” he said. “Every person who joins Reddit is a moderator, because you can upvote or downvote a post, and downvoting is incredibly powerful. ‘Be polite’ is one of the most common rules in communities.”
