Reddit tests article reading in its app with integrated comments
As Google and other AI platforms siphon traffic from news sites, Reddit tries a different approach: giving more control to publishers and bringing readers… directly into its app.
Reddit: A New Article Reading Mode
Reddit is testing a game-changing feature for users: when a link to an article is shared, it can now open directly in the Reddit app, with community comments displayed below.
This allows users to read the article and the reactions from Redditors without switching windows. Reddit specifies that this system respects paywalls: subscription content will remain protected, but publishers can choose to use gift links or relax access for readers coming from Reddit.
New Tools for Publishers
For publishers, Reddit now offers an advanced dashboard:
- Tracking of subreddits where their articles are circulating
- Performance metrics (clicks, upvotes, engagement)
- The ability to sync an RSS feed to automatically import their articles
- An AI recommendation tool to suggest the best subreddits for posting their content
These features are part of Reddit Pro, the business platform launched last year.
An Alternative to CrowdTangle?
Some observers see this as a potential successor to CrowdTangle (a tool for tracking virality on Facebook, now shut down by Meta). With its thousands of active communities, Reddit offers a rich landscape for understanding how information circulates and is discussed.
By integrating article reading and providing more visibility to publishers, Reddit hopes to become a key distribution channel for media, at a time when traffic from Google is declining.
It remains to be seen whether publishers will embrace this… and if users will appreciate reading their articles directly in the app without going through a browser.
