Reddit's search function is finally getting used. CEO Steve Huffman said Thursday that the number of people using search each week jumped 30% compared to last year. The company has been rebuilding its search infrastructure since 2022.
This marks a notable shift for a platform where most engagement traditionally came from the front page and individual subreddit browsing. If people are searching more, they're treating Reddit more like a knowledge base than a social feed. That changes what Reddit is — and what advertisers can reasonably expect from it.
Whether this reflects a permanent change in user behavior or a temporary spike from AI-driven curiosity about the site remains to be seen.