Finding the best Reddit posts after the event is already passed? The forum-based social network is working to change that with the launch of events and collections. Rolling out on Tuesday, April 23, events are time-sensitive posts while collections serve as a way to put related posts together to easily find other posts within the same topic.
Events on Reddit are tied to a specific date — they don’t disappear after that date expires, but the format allows users to join in a scheduled discussion to get a reminder when the event starts. Reddit says that events also helps users to locate posts from a specific moment in the past.
Reddit threads centered on specific events were already popular on the network, such communities discussing a TV show premiere or current events. The update makes events easier to design without code. Moderators have new options to choose a time and date, while tying a time to the post makes happening-now-posts less likely to be buried in the feed.
Also new, collections allow moderators to group posts together, making related events easier to find. That creates a “cluster” of posts that users can revisit, Reddit says. The update gives moderators tools to collect content in one place.
Reddit said it is also testing an option to schedule posts, a tool for recurring posts as well as sending a post during an event. The scheduling tool is only in testing and isn’t yet widely available.
“Events — like the Game of Thrones season 8 premiere, Rocket League season 7 — are huge on Reddit, but it’s often hard to find an event post until after it happened and it can quickly get swept away by the feed,” Reddit said in the announcement. “Our hope is that you’ll host more events with less effort and curate the moments that are important to your community for all time.”
The events and collections options started as a test last fall, where Reddit tested the tool inside certain groups. Since testing the new features, Reddit has expanded options, including the option to add a date to an existing post and the option to follow an event or collection. The features also allow for updates from a team of moderators and different layout options.
