Reddit Tests New Community Chat Feature to Promote User Engagement

Hey, Redditors! Get ready for some exciting news as the platform is testing a new feature called Chat Channels, which will allow users to engage in real-time conversations.

This means that you can now chat with other members of your favorite subreddits in real time, without having to wait for a response or refresh the page constantly. It’s like being at a virtual party with your fellow community members!

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of cute cat videos or a foodie looking for new recipes, you can join in on the conversation and exchange ideas with like-minded people. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about losing track of the conversation thread or missing out on the latest hot takes.

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So, get ready to chat your way through your favorite subreddits, and make some new friends along the way. Can’t wait to see what kind of lively discussions and debates users will have on Chat Channels!

In fact, Reddit earlier developed a similar feature called Chat Rooms in 2018 that enabled users to engage in real-time but in 2020 it ended up being a closure of Reddit’s Chat Rooms due to low usage.

In order to make this new option better, Reddit claims to be using insights from its prior chat experiences. “That means building with mods in mind (tooling, management, etc.) from the ground up. Mods even get a dedicated mod-only channel to talk mod-things among fellow mods.”

Additionally, Reddit claims that these new Chat Channels won’t just be one-off posts but rather dedicated spaces. “This is your place for general discussion, a place to share random quips and reactions that you otherwise wouldn’t have in a post.”

Subreddit Header Redesign

The majority of Redditors on iOS and Android will now see a more streamlined approach thanks to the upgrade to the subreddit header that was released this week. Redditors may now access relevant information more quickly, and the revised layout makes it easier for unsubscribed users to determine whether they want to join a community or not.

The header tabs (“About”, “Menu”, etc.) will be available for all users by clicking anywhere on the subreddit header
The search bar will be condensed into a single button
Spacing will be reduced between posts and the header to allow for more post visibility