TikTok introduces new bulletin board feature similar to Instagram broadcast channels

Short-form video platform TikTok has announced a new "bulletin board" feature that gives creators a direct line to their followers' inboxes. The feature is a one-to-many broadcast channel, allowing creators to send out updates, behind-the-scenes content, and announcements. To use it, creators must be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of 50,000 followers.

Here is how it works: a creator starts a bulletin board, and their followers get a one-time notification to join. Once they are in, they can see messages from the creator and react with emojis, but they cannot send replies. TikTok says this one-way communication channel has already been tested by publishers like People Magazine and artists who use it to share new tracks with fans.

These artists can encourage a "pre-save" using TikTok's "Add To Music App" feature, which lets users save a song directly to their preferred streaming service. Creators can post text up to 1,000 characters, photos, or even cards that link to their other posts and LIVE events, but they are limited to three bulletins per day.

Now, this might remind you of Instagram's broadcast channels. Meta's photo-sharing app launched a nearly identical feature for creators in the US back in February 2023, before a global rollout in June that same year. Instagram's version also works as a one-to-many chat where creators can send text, images, and polls to followers who can only react with emojis.

If you're a creator, you can start a bulletin board by navigating to your inbox and tapping the option to create one. You get to decide if the board is visible on your profile. You can also customize it with a profile photo, a name of up to 40 characters, and a description that can be 140 characters long.

Just know that you can only save your edits once a day. If you decide to close the board, it becomes read-only, and you have a 30-day window to reopen it before the platform permanently deletes it.

If you're on the other side, a follower, you can join a board from a creator's profile page. You will find the link right under their bio. After you join, you will get notifications in your inbox whenever the creator posts a new bulletin.