Reddit testing public profiles for users to boost engagement

Reddit wants to be more than just a destination for discussion; it intends to become a platform where users, "put their creations, engage with fans, and cultivate a dedicated following."

To achieve the goal, Reddit is launching a new feature, Profile Pages. Instead of posting to communities, now users will be able to post content directly to their profile pages and follow other individuals' pages too like it happens on Facebook or Twitter.

The new feature is in the testing phase, and it’s only been rolled out to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, League of Legends game developer Riot Games, and prominent user Hector Janse van Rensburg, a British painter who goes by the Reddit handle Shitty_Watercolour.

For decades, Reddit has revolved around forums dedicated to topics ranging from politics to facial hair, instead of giving a platform for self-promotion. “There are so many conversations that didn’t happen yet because they didn’t have the right home,” Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian said.

"We're now in a position where we can start doing product improvements that are admittedly overdue but represent a real level up for Reddit," he further added.

Reddit says the profile pages are still a work in progress but anyone can nominate themselves or a buddy's profile for inclusion in the beta test.

The feature is expected to be rolled out "to all users in due time."