TikTok is making the comments section more interactive for its users with the addition of new features. The company announced on Thursday that it is rolling out voice comments, polls, photo carousels, and live photo comments.
“Sound and music have shaped TikTok from the very beginning, turning songs into trends and audio clips into jokes shared across the app,” the company shared in a news post. “Now, we’re bringing that same energy to the comment section with Voice Comments, a new way to post and listen to audio messages directly under any video.”
With voice comments, users will now have the option to make replies or comments with voice audio up to 60 seconds long. Once the voice comment is shared, anyone can tap to listen. TikTok says the feature is rolling out globally “over the next month” to accounts 18 and older. A TikTok spokesperson told TechCrunch that voice comments are subject to general community guidelines on the platform, and those that violate its policies will be removed.
Another upgrade coming to comments on TikTok is the addition of polls. Creators can now drop poll comments on their posts, leaving decisions in the hands of their followers. Comment Polls is available globally, and creators will see a new poll icon in the comment box. Once the poll icon is tapped, creators can choose up to 5 options that their audience can vote on, with a set timeframe. Creators will be able to track poll results directly in the comments in real time.
People can already make photo comments on TikTok, but the company is now adding the option to post up to 9 photos in a carousel as a comment. Another photo-related feature is live photo comments. With live photo comments, users can open their camera roll and upload live photos directly as comments. TikTok says live photo comments will come with a “brief burst of motion so others get a quick preview of the moment before diving into the full image.” Photo carousel and live photo comments are rolling out globally over the next month.
