Reddit overtakes TikTok in the UK social media race
Google search changes and AI partnerships have pushed millions of new UK users towards Reddit, reshaping online habits and boosting forum-based conversations across lifestyle, beauty and football communities.
In the UK, Reddit has quietly overtaken TikTok to become Britain’s fourth most-visited social media platform, marking a major shift in how people search for information and share opinions online.
Use of the platform among UK internet users has risen sharply over the past two years, driven strongly by younger audiences who are increasingly drawn to open discussion instead of polished influencer content.
Google’s algorithm changes have helped accelerate Reddit’s rise by prioritising forum-based conversations in search results. Partnership deals with major AI companies have reinforced visibility further, as AI tools increasingly cite Reddit threads.
Younger users in the UK appear to value unfiltered and experience-based conversations, creating strong growth across lifestyle, beauty, parenting and relationship communities, alongside major expansion in football-related discussion.
Women now make up more than half of Reddit’s UK audience, signalling a major demographic shift for a platform once associated mainly with male users. Government departments, including ministers, are also using Reddit for direct engagement through public Q&A sessions.
Tension remains part of the platform’s culture, yet company leaders argue that community moderation and voting systems help manage behaviour.
Reddit is now encouraging users to visit directly instead of arriving via search or AI summaries, positioning the platform as a human alternative to automated answers.
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