People are finally using Reddit’s search

In response to longstanding criticisms regarding its search functionality, Reddit has dedicated significant resources to enhance its search engine capabilities. This investment has now begun to bear fruit, as the platform reported a remarkable 30% increase in weekly search usage year-on-year, according to CEO Steve Huffman during a recent conference call. Huffman emphasized that the improvements in search features have played a crucial role in attracting and retaining users. He stated, "We have seen great performance in search. Daily Active Users (DAUs), Weekly Active Users (WAUs), and search queries have all significantly increased year-over-year. This has become a vital component for user retention. Our search team is excelling, and the integration of Reddit Answers has notably enhanced the user experience." Earlier this year, Reddit began piloting AI-driven product placements in search results within the United States. Huffman highlighted that approximately 40% of discussions on Reddit have commercial implications, and 84% of users feel more assured about their purchases after conducting research on the site. The platform ended the quarter with over 493 million weekly active unique users, reflecting a 23% rise compared to the same period last year, and approximately 126 million daily active unique users, marking a 17% increase. Additionally, Reddit experienced a 7% growth in U.S. visitors, reaching 53.5 million daily active unique users domestically, while international users soared to 73.3 million, a 26% rise. With ambitions to achieve one billion daily users globally and 100 million in the U.S., Reddit is also seeing success with its machine translation feature, which now supports over 30 languages, contributing to substantial user growth in recent quarters. Financially, the company reported Q1 2026 revenues of $663 million, surpassing Wall Street predictions of $609.8 million, and noted a minimal capital expenditure of just $1 million during this period.