TikTok is testing “bulletin boards,” a new messaging feature that mimics Instagram’s broadcast channels and lets companies and creators send one-way, public messages to their followers.
A direct and regulated route of communication with their audience is provided by the bulletin board, which enables specific accounts to post updates via text, images, and videos.
Similar to Instagram’s broadcast channels, which debuted in 2023, followers can only connect with the platform through emoji reactions; they are not able to reply or leave comments.
According to a statement from TikTok, “bulletin boards are made to help brands and creators connect more personally with their communities by offering behind-the-scenes content and real-time updates.”
The American pop group The Jonas Brothers, the sports team Paris Saint-Germain F.C., and People magazine are among the early testers of the feature. The feature’s global deployment date and timing are still up in the air as TikTok continues to assess user input.
As both major social media platforms continue to implement features that were initially developed by the other, the test represents yet another step in their continuous competition. For example, TikTok launched Stories in 2022, which was mostly interpreted as a reaction to Instagram’s main product. By introducing Reels in 2020, Instagram, on the other hand, adopted TikTok’s short-form video structure.
According to industry experts, bulletin boards have the potential to be an effective digital marketing tool that enables content producers to promote their work directly to their most active fans, eschewing traditional feeds.
Although TikTok hasn’t disclosed any new plans for growth, the feature might eventually add interactive features like polls, which are currently present in Instagram’s version.
