The news: Reddit changed the design of its feeds to encourage exploration of new content and align its user experience with that of other top social platforms like TikTok. The company said the change is meant to encourage “connection, participation, and belonging,” per a blog post.

• The “For You” feed surfaces algorithmic recommendations, including posts from communities users are already part of, with suggestions for new ones tailored to their interests.
• “Following” shows only posts from subreddits users have already joined, similar to how feeds were previously structured.

Meanwhile, the social platform announced it will be pivoting to a logged-in model in Q4 in some markets outside the US, per Axios, and results of that testing will determine whether it takes the model worldwide.

• Logged-in users will have access to tailored content, feeds, and interest-based recommendations, with the ability to opt out of personalization.
• CEO Steve Huffman told Axios that the effort will improve ad targeting, offer a better user experience, and crack down on unauthorized bots that are increasingly scraping Reddit content. Reddit is the No. 2 source of AI citations among the eight most-popular AI assistants, per Meltwater.

Huffman said that the “short-term risk” for switching to a logged-in model is limited, as 80% of Reddit’s monetization already comes from its apps and users who are signed in. Logged-in DAUs, which Reddit calls its “most engaged and monetizable” audience, grew 7% globally to 53.5 million. Its daily active users (DAUs) grew 12% YoY to 130.3 million in Q3, while advertising revenues increased 54% to $847 million.

What it means: A more prominent, structured recommendation feed could expand discussions outside the niche communities that users regularly engage with. That opens brand reach to adjacent audiences rather than relying solely on established consumer relationships, strengthening Reddit’s pitch to advertisers.

However, as the platform’s recommendation algorithm takes over more of the discovery process, brands could be less able to predict and control the context in which their ads appear and who encounters them. And more algorithmic curation may make user experiences feel less personal or hurt user trust.

Implications for brands: The company’s logged-in pivot will help Reddit give advertisers stronger targeting tools by offering better, more complete audience profiles. This in turn supports the goal of the For You feed—more personalization and a social platform that can accurately lead users to find new communities and interests.

The new feed structure could help brand conversations that strongly resonate with a subreddit reach a bigger audience, requiring teams to monitor sentiment and participate authentically in relevant communities.

• Brands that are targeting feeds should create ad content that appeals to shared interests across multiple communities.
• Those that are targeting placements in specific subreddits should continue to carefully consider audience interests, values, and communication styles to avoid seeming misplaced or inauthentic.

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