If you follow much tech news, you’ve probably read about the Reddit theory of search.
The Reddit theory is the idea that the best info you can get from Googling anything these days comes from Reddit—and the power of crowdsourced wisdom. You want to find the best portable battery pack? Or uncover the secret to getting Sharpie off your skin? See what scores of Redditors have settled on and save yourself the trouble of trying to dig up a definitive answer from any single source without all that extra perspective.
It’s become such a popular tactic, in fact, that Google inked a major deal to feature Reddit info more prominently in its results. But you still never know exactly what you’re gonna get for any given search, and finding anything close to a consensus of opinions is often easier said than done.
My friend, I’ve found a better way.
Allow me to introduce you to the search-supplementing supertool you never knew you needed.
Psst: If you love these types of tools as much as I do, check out my free Cool Tools newsletter from The Intelligence. You’ll be the first to find all sorts of simple tech treasures!
Answers, answers, everywhere
All right—so here it is: Few mere mortals who aren’t Reddit regulars realize it, but Reddit recently launched its own interactive search system for finding worthwhile info across the site.
➜ It’s called Reddit Answers. And I’ve legitimately been blown away by how useful and effective of a resource it can be.
⌚ You’ll only need about 20 seconds to see what it can do.
✅ Just open up the Reddit Answers website, then type any question or general search query into the box in the center of the screen.
The key here is to think about this as a specific sort of supplement for your standard searching. Reddit probably isn’t the place to turn for objective facts, definitions, or any other such info. But it is an unmatched repository of genuine human opinion on a huge range of topics, and Reddit Answers helps you navigate that sea of sentiment better than any other tool I’ve tried.
So, for instance, if you’re seeking out a new smart lock for your home, you might find it helpful to see a big-picture view of opinions from relevant Reddit discussions on the subject:
Or if you’re planning a trip, you might benefit from browsing through stacks of firsthand opinions on different neighborhoods within a certain city:
What makes Reddit Answers especially interesting for me is not only the info it gives you but also the way in which it structures it. Instead of just serving up scattered answers, it shows you smart summaries along with links to specific threads for more detailed reading.
It’s like a gateway into a wild and often unapproachable jungle of popular perspectives—a starting point that makes it infinitely easier to explore that info without having to scroll through a zillion different pages and put it all together on your own.
- Reddit Answers works entirely on the web, in whatever browser you like.
- It’s free.
- And you don’t have to sign in or share any sort of personal info to use it. That being said, you will be limited to 10 queries a week if you don’t sign in (and a regular Reddit account is free and easy to create).
Ready to rev up your productivity even further? Check out my free Cool Tools newsletter for an instant introduction to an incredible audio app that’ll tune up your days in some truly delightful ways—and another off-the-beaten-path gem in your inbox every Wednesday!
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