Last month, Reddit announced the release of Reddit Live, its own live-blogging feature. The “breaking news” platform allows Redditors to create their own live blogs via subreddits and invite contributors to post real-time updates.
Unlike traditional Reddit threads, Reddit Live threads update automatically—meaning anyone watching will receive instant updates without having to refresh the feed. This new platform got people—particularly those involved in media—talking. What does “live blogging” mean exactly? How is it different from any other platform? And, most importantly, what does this mean for me?
Given this, I thought I would share an explanation of Reddit’s latest feature and some insights on how it could be put to use. Here are six things you should know about Reddit Live:
1) Anyone can use it. Reddit Live has actually been around for some time in “semi-open” beta format—but until now, was reserved to only Reddit employees and select journalists. Now that the feature is live, anyone and everyone can have at it and live-blog at will. For example, here’s a live thread about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine—or, my personal favorite, the guy who felt the need to share critical updates on his late-night sandwich-making process. This “free-for-all” aspect makes Reddit Live an interesting, bold step toward citizen journalism and making news more transparent, real-time and accessible to all.
2) It has no limits. Unlike with self-post or comment-based live threads, there are no limits on how many updates can be posted to a Reddit Live thread. These threads exist outside of subreddits and are designed to be posted to relevant subreddits just like any other link. As a contributor to a Reddit Live thread, you can invite multiple other contributors to participate and post unlimited updates.
3) It supports embedded multimedia. Pictures, video and more can be embedded in Reddit Live updates by simply pasting in a link. Reddit Live threads also support embedded tweets, which allows the inclusion of website and article links, YouTube videos and images. Along with unlimited length, this helps create a more contextual, well-rounded discussion of a topic (and one that is not limited to, say, 140 characters).
4) It could be huge. As The Next Web noted, Reddit’s massive user base means it could soon become the default platform for user-created live blogs. This could make Reddit Live a major, important source for tracking and contributing to breaking and popular news stories, information and trends—one that you certainly will not want to ignore.
5) It should be used with caution. Going back to the “anyone can use it” concept, users cannot take everything they read on Reddit Live seriously or expect everyone to follow the rules. As has been an issue with traditional Reddit, viewers must be wary of the mob mentality that can occur on Reddit threads as well as the propagation of rumors and hearsay; the “live” aspect only compounds this issue. And, if you’re a PR pro—consider exercising extra caution in using the new feature, just as you would tread lightly when using Reddit in general. More on that here.
6) There’s a lot of ways to use it—and nobody knows what they all are yet. Everyday viewers will follow Reddit Live threads to track news and hot topics. Journalists will browse it to source stories and track down tips and leads. Beyond that, even Reddit noted that the possibilities at this point are up in the air, making it at once exciting and perhaps worrisome. Could it be used to promote causes? Prevent disasters? Solve crimes? Only (real-)time will tell.
For more details on Reddit Live, check out this handy FAQ courtesy of Reddit.