TikTok Launches Broadcast Channels - A TikTok vs Instagram Update

TikTok Introduces “Bulletin Board” Feature

On Thursday, TikTok revealed the launch of “bulletin board,” a novel functionality designed to enable brands and content creators to disseminate public, one-way communications to their audience.

Essentially, bulletin board represents TikTok’s adaptation of Instagram’s broadcast channels feature, which was initially introduced in 2023.

How Bulletin Board Works

Similar to Instagram’s broadcast channels, only the originator of a bulletin board is authorized to publish messages. Followers are restricted to expressing reactions through emoji.

The feature accommodates posts in the form of text, images, and videos.

Eligibility and Purpose

Currently, the rollout is limited to creators who are at least 18 years of age and possess a follower count of 50,000 or more.

The primary objective of this feature is to facilitate community building for creators and businesses by providing a streamlined method for sharing news, updates, and exclusive content.

Instead of relying on Stories or standard TikTok posts, creators can now utilize bulletin boards for these types of announcements. The feature also allows for direct content promotion to followers.

Development and Testing

This launch was anticipated, as TikTok had been observed testing the functionality as early as June.

Early Adoption Examples

During the beta testing phase, artists and musicians leveraged bulletin boards to announce new music releases and encourage pre-saves for forthcoming tracks.

Furthermore, publications like People magazine and sports organizations such as Paris Saint-Germain utilized the feature to share news and updates with their respective audiences.

Safety and Moderation

TikTok emphasizes that all content shared through bulletin boards must adhere to its Community Guidelines. These guidelines are enforced through a combination of automated technology and human moderation.

The platform’s existing safety tools – including muting, blocking, and reporting mechanisms – are available within the bulletin board environment to ensure a secure and positive community experience.

Starting and Joining a Bulletin Board

Creators can initiate a bulletin board by navigating to their inbox and selecting the appropriate option.

A “Show on profile” setting allows creators to control the visibility of their bulletin board.

They also have the ability to customize the name of their bulletin board.

Users can join a bulletin board by clicking its name, which is located beneath the creator’s bio on their profile.

Upon joining, followers will receive notifications in their inbox whenever the creator publishes new content to the bulletin board.