Reddit wants to take on Google, aims to become a search engine
In its latest note to investors, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said that the company is now focusing on 'areas that will drive results for our most pressing needs', one of which involves 'making Reddit a go-to search engine.'
Hoffman went on to say that Reddit is one of the few platforms on the internet that is 'positioned to become a true search destination' as it has knowledge and conversations of real people, something which cannot be found elsewhere. The platform, which has more than 70 million weekly users, is now looking to make search a 'central feature.'
To achieve this, the company says it will be making Reddit Answers, a feature currently available in more than a dozen countries to everyone and will make the search box more visible. Launched in December 2023, Reddit Answers is an AI-powered feature that has grown from 1 million users in 2024 to 6 million weekly users in the last year.
In a statement to TechCrunch, CEO Steve Huffman said, 'We're unifying those [Reddit search and Reddit Answers] into a single search experience, and we're gonna bring that front and center in the app. So, whether you're a new user opening the app for the first time or a returning user opening the app, that search box will be present immediately.'
With low-quality content taking over the internet in the last few years, people around the world have been adding the word 'Reddit' at the end of their search query to get relevant results. But with Google now offering its very own AI mode that automatically summarises content from all over the internet, Reddit to looking to jump into action by offering a similar product.
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