Reddit is not the first name that pops up in conversations when it comes to UX design or smooth functionality. There’s a reason why so many third-party Reddit clients such as Apollo prospered, before the platform came for them with rules that shut such apps for good.
Roughly two years later, Reddit is now making some long overdue course correction, though the design remains unchanged. The platform is adding new features that will make posting content a tad easier, especially for people who are not well-versed with all the rules and moderator guidelines.
On the composer page, there’s a new check tool that will automatically go through the post’s content and the community rules. If there is any conflict, it will inform users why their ideas are not fit for posting and could be removed.
Reddit will also show the rules up front, such as Karma requirements or content violation before a post goes live. In case users have had their content removed by moderators, they will now see a new “Post to a different community” option that will let them share it in another sub-Reddit.
You’ll no longer feel totally lost
Some of Reddit’s best communities with a massive user base have rather tight rules, and posting by new contributors isn’t usually allowed. Only after meeting a certain engagement criteria, such as earning Karma from other users, are they allowed to make original contributions.
Posts are often removed as soon as they go live by moderators, leaving new users with no other option, especially when they are not aware of other similar communities. Reddit will lend a helping hand with that conundrum, as well.
When users are composing their post, they will see a recommendation button at the top, which gives them a list of all communities where they can share it. Reddit says these recommendations are made based on the content and finding the right fit for it.
The final change is an insights dashboard, where users can view the engagement on their content, such as upvotes and shares. All these features are now rolling out to Reddit users on desktop and mobile. The proactive rule check system, on the other hand, will begin testing on mobile platforms soon.
