TikTok Testing New Feature: Bulletin Boards
TikTok is currently testing a new messaging tool called “bulletin boards,” which allows brands and creators to share public, one-to-many messages with their followers. This feature is similar to Instagram’s broadcast channels that were introduced in 2023.
Similar to Instagram’s broadcast channels, only the creator of a bulletin board can post messages, and followers can react with emojis. Bulletin boards support text, image, and video posts.
The discovery of this feature was made by Threads user Christina Garnett.
The purpose of bulletin boards is to provide creators and brands with a platform to share updates, behind-the-scenes content, and engage with their followers in a more direct manner. Instead of using Stories or regular posts on TikTok, brands and creators can utilize bulletin boards to connect with their audience. This feature also allows accounts to promote their content by sending it directly to followers.
Notable early testers of this feature include People magazine, Paris Saint-Germain F.C., and the Jonas Brothers.
As bulletin boards are currently in the testing phase, there is uncertainty about TikTok’s plans for a wider rollout and potential additional functionalities. For example, Instagram’s broadcast channels allow creators to post polls.
This introduction of bulletin boards is another instance of social networks borrowing features from one another. In 2022, TikTok launched Stories and photo support to compete with Instagram, while Instagram later introduced Reels in 2020, following TikTok’s lead.
