Engaging Beyond Words: TikTok Unveils Voice Comments, Polls, and Enhanced Interactivity
TikTok is enhancing its comments feature by introducing several new functionalities, including voice comments, polls, photo carousels, and Live Photo comments, as announced on Thursday.
These new features mimic those found in messaging apps, aiming to boost user engagement on the platform. The integration of voice messages, polls, and photo comments is designed to transform comment sections into interactive spaces where users can connect rather than just offer feedback on videos.
According to TikTok’s blog post, “Sound and music have defined TikTok since its inception, turning pieces of music into trends and audio clips into viral jokes.” They are now channeling that same spirit into the comment area with the introduction of Voice Comments, allowing users to leave and listen to audio messages directly beneath videos.
To post a voice comment, users can click the microphone icon in the comment field and record a message lasting up to one minute. Once shared, anyone can tap to listen to these audio contributions.
A representative for TikTok clarified that voice comments must adhere to the platform’s Community Guidelines, similar to other content. The company employs a mix of human oversight and automated tools, including speech-to-text technology, to identify and remove inappropriate content.
Voice comments are set to be available worldwide within the next month for users aged 18 and over.
In addition, creators can now incorporate polls in comments on their own videos—a feature that was previously limited but is now accessible to all users.
These polls can serve a variety of purposes, such as allowing followers to vote on the next video concept, choosing an outfit, or making culinary decisions. Creators can provide up to five options for their audience to select from and can also specify how long the poll will remain open. As votes come in, creators can monitor the results directly in the comment section.
Moreover, with the new photo carousel feature, users can attach up to nine images within a single comment, expanded from the prior limit of one. Additionally, users can now submit Live Photo comments, which TikTok describes as providing “a brief burst of motion,” offering a preview of the moment before the full image is seen.
While Live Photo comments are available globally now, photo carousel comments will be rolled out globally over the upcoming month.
