Reddit has announced a new connection with GIPHY that will allow users to put GIPHY GIFs into comment threads inside the app, so get ready for more GIFs.
According to Reddit:
Users will now be able to browse GIPHY’s controlled collection of GIFs and add them straight to comments on Reddit in enabled subreddits as of today (along with any text). All currently active SFW and non-quarantined subreddits will have this option as an opt-in feature, allowing moderators to choose whether or not it’s appropriate for their community. The functionality will be automatically enabled for all newly established subreddits, with the option for moderators to decline.
That will give post conversations more creative posting alternatives, which may result in brand-new meme trends and behaviours across the whole network.
Nevertheless, the method is not wholly new. Selected users have had access to GIFs in Reddit comments for the last year using a feature dubbed “Powerups.” Users who pay a monthly subscription to become a “patron” of a particular subreddit get access to powerups. When enabled, you may utilise your allotted Power Ups for various extra community features, including uploading HD video and putting inline GIFs in the comments.
Additionally, Reddit included GIFs in discussions in May.
Which, according to Reddit, has proven to be a welcomed and useful addition, inspiring this next version that will result in even more animated snippets obstructing comment streams.
Reddit has the information, after all, and is aware of the popularity of this so far and how it has boosted interaction. However, Redditors will have to cope with a significant shift, which might cause some resentment against the service.
It’s also intriguing that Reddit is working with GIPHY for this integration; GIPHY may or may not be a Meta-affiliated firm. In 2020, Meta stated that it would buy GIPHY; however, the acquisition has been contested in the UK on antitrust grounds, delaying the integration of GIPHY into Meta’s tools.
Since the announcement, GIPHY has also announced an integration with TikTok. It’s intriguing to see the platform teaming up with Meta’s competitors since, if Zuck and Co. were in control, you could assume this wouldn’t happen. Maybe it would, too. Perhaps the prospect of more visibility is quite beneficial for the app, and even if Meta had complete control, it would still be looking for such collaborations. In any case, it’s an innovative new experiment for Reddit that has the potential to significantly affect in-app engagement.
