For this week’s process post, I would like to examine Reddit.com and their design strategies.
Reddit.com is a site that provides a forum for people to post almost anything they desire on the platform. There is a homepage, subreddits (communities), and the users which post comments and up/downvote.
Upon entering the site, you can immediately tell that it is more focused on providing information, as the text to image ratio is a lot higher than most websites.
Other social media sites that I have come across tend to favor images and media instead of text as their number one priority.
On the top bar, there are the four most hard-hitting news articles, while below it is the most popular posts in Canada. On the right side are some communities that are the most popular amongst users.
One thing I like about the website is that the theme is very cohesive to its icons and fonts. What this means is that all the elements, fonts, and logo seem to align.
However, one critique I have of this website is that it is a lot clunkier than it was originally, when the website was considered most light weight.
Old Reddit looked really ugly, but it worked for the main purpose, which was to provide news content quickly and efficiently while providing a forum for people to discuss.
Another dislike is that it makes you sign into the website or app if you scroll too long on a mobile phone. This is a theme that is occurring across all social media platforms, and I hate it.
Contrary to the “Design Machines” article by Gertz, this website does not look the same as the others.
They just didn’t make another clone of TikTok or BeReal, or just integrate features that seem popular amongst other social media platforms.
That is what I find interesting about Reddit, as it really strays away from the usual concepts of social media while providing a unique experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
All in all, Reddit is an aesthetically pleasing platform that provides an experience different from many others on the market and is my go-to place to visit if you need accurate reliable news fast.
References:
Gertz, Travis. 2015. “Design Machines. How to survive in the digital Apocalypse.”