Reddit, the online discussion platform, has overtaken TikTok as Britain’s fourth most visited social media site. The New Jersey-based company’s user base has increased 88% over two years, with three in five British internet users using the site, up from one in three in 2023.
The platform’s surge is most remarkable among the younger audiences: for 18 to 24-year-olds, Reddit is the sixth most visited site, a ranking it had placed tenth a year ago, and well over three-quarters of that age group access the platform.
Factors driving growth include changes to Google search algorithms, which have given a high ranking to discussion forums, and partnerships allowing AI training on Reddit content, including with OpenAI.
Lifestyle and advice content also fuels Reddit’s popularity in the UK. More than half of its UK users are women, with 71% interested in skincare, beauty, and cosmetics. Subreddits covering pregnancy and parenting have doubled in size in the last year.
Its appeal to sports fans is reflected in the large increases seen in views for subreddits, including those hosting forums on women’s football.
Reddit Chief Operating Officer Jen Wong argued the site stood out as an antidote, in part, to AI-generated content. “Reddit doesn’t have that slop. It’s messy, with lots of advice you sift through. That’s the point,” she said. She pointed to the site’s community-driven moderation, voting system, and rules that encourage honesty and civility.