TikTok Unveils Voice Comments, Polls, and Interactive Features to Boost User Engagement

TikTok is set to upgrade its comments section with a range of new functionalities. On Thursday, the platform introduced features such as voice comments, comment polls, photo carousel comments, and Live Photo comments.

These enhancements are part of TikTok’s effort to integrate elements from messaging platforms, with the goal of boosting user engagement. By allowing voice messages, polls, and photo comments, the platform seeks to evolve comment sections into vibrant areas for interaction rather than mere spaces for video responses.

“Sound and music have always been integral to TikTok, shaping trends through songs and sharing clever audio snippets across the app,” TikTok mentioned in a blog entry. “We are bringing that same energy into the comment section with Voice Comments, enabling users to record and listen to audio messages right under any video.”

To post a voice comment, users simply need to hit the microphone icon in the comment box and record a message lasting up to one minute. Once submitted, anyone can click to hear the voice comment.

A spokesperson from TikTok informed TechCrunch that voice comments will adhere to the same Community Guidelines as all other content on the platform. The company employs a mix of human moderation and automated detection tools, including speech-to-text technology, to identify and eliminate content that contravenes its policies.

Voice comments are anticipated to be rolled out globally next month for users aged 18 and older.

Moreover, creators can now embed polls in the comments of their videos—a feature that was previously limited but is now available worldwide.

TikTok emphasizes that polls can fulfill various functions, such as selecting the next video theme, choosing an outfit, or deciding on dinner plans. Creators can provide up to five options for voting and set a deadline for the poll. As votes accumulate, creators can view the results directly in the comments section.

With the new photo carousel comments feature, users can now share up to nine images within a single comment, an improvement from the old cap of one. Additionally, Live Photo comments can be utilized, giving “a quick burst of motion” for viewers before they see the full image.

Live Photo comments are presently available globally, while the photo carousel comments feature will be gradually launched over the next month.