On October 28, Reddit revealed it will divide its homepage into two distinct feeds. The Following feed displays posts exclusively from communities you’ve joined, while the For You feed combines those posts with tailored recommendations based on your interests.
What Reddit Is Changing
As reported by The Verge, Reddit refers to this as a “new feed experience.” The Following feed simply shows posts from the subreddits (topic-based communities like r/gadgets or r/cooking) you’ve subscribed to.
The For You feed introduces something fresh. According to TechCrunch, this feed merges posts from your joined communities with content recommended just for you. Engadget highlights that the app will feature a dedicated Following tab for your subreddit content.
A Quick Analogy
Consider Following as your subscription mailbox. You signed up for each item, and that’s what you get. In contrast, For You is like a bookstore clerk who knows your usual purchases. They hand you your regular orders but also suggest a few new titles they think you might enjoy.
Why This Looks Familiar
The term “For You” is already common in other apps. TikTok built its brand around a For You page, and X (formerly Twitter) features a For You tab next to your followed accounts. In these cases, a recommendation algorithm predicts what you might want to see based on your previous interactions, rather than leaving the choices up to you.
Reddit’s approach mirrors this dual-tab concept: one feed is under your control through subscriptions, while the other gets filled by the platform’s recommendations.
By The Numbers
| Reddit (RDDT) | |
|---|---|
| Stock Price | $136.17 (-0.21%) |
| Ticker | RDDT |
| Sector | Social |
| CEO | Steve Huffman |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, CA |
| Founded | 2005 |
| New Feeds | 2 (Following and For You) |
What This Means
So, what does this mean for you? If you love Reddit just the way it is, the Following feed gives you a space dedicated to posts from your chosen communities. You won’t have to sift through suggestions to find what you want.
If you often run out of reading material, the For You feed aims to solve that issue. Instead of hunting for new subreddits, Reddit will suggest posts that align with your interests, helping you discover communities you may not have known about.
However, there’s a tradeoff with any recommendation feed. The more the platform curates what you see, the less your feed reflects your personal choices. Having separate tabs allows you to choose which experience you prefer at any time.
Reddit hasn’t provided in-depth details about how its recommendations will be generated, so aspects like how much you can customize the For You feed are still unclear.
Community Reaction
Our sentiment tracking indicates mixed reactions so far, but no specific comments from Reddit or YouTube appeared at the time of writing, so we’re not quoting any. Reddit users tend to have strong feelings about changes to the site, so expect a lively discussion in the days ahead, especially from those who favor a feed based strictly on their subscriptions.
The Business Angle
Reddit trades publicly under the ticker RDDT, and its shares were priced at $136.17, down 0.21%, when we checked. This slight dip suggests investors didn’t have a strong reaction to the news. A recommendation feed can be vital for a social platform since it enhances the scrolling experience, but our sources didn’t provide insights on how Reddit anticipates this change will impact engagement or revenue.
What To Watch
- Rollout details: Our sources don’t clarify when all users will access the new tabs or if the rollout will be gradual. Keep an eye out for official announcements from Reddit.
- User feedback: Watch for comments on whether users find the For You feed helpful or if they want a way to make Following their default view.
- Controls: Look to see if Reddit introduces tools that allow users to adjust or reset their recommendations.
- Earnings: Reddit’s upcoming quarterly earnings report is likely to be a point where executives discuss the performance of the new feed.
Maya Torres
Maya Torres is the Consumer Tech Editor at Explosion.com with 7 years covering product launches for major technology publications. She has reviewed over 300 devices across smartphones, laptops, wearables, and smart home products. Maya specializes in translating spec sheets into real-world buying advice and attends CES, MWC, and Apple keynotes as press. Her reviews focus on helping readers decide what to buy, not just what specs look good on paper.
