ByteDance-owned short video platform TikTok recently announced that its livestream feature TikTok LIVE will launch five new features.
TikTok LIVE allows creators and users over 16 years old to interact in real-time. Creators on TikTok LIVE can accept virtual gifts from fans while responding to audience comments and questions. Only those aged over 18 years old can receive and give virtual gifts.
Many of the new features are already available and have been based on that of its Chinese counterpart Douyin. They are:
- Picture-in-picture which allow users to continue to watch TikTok livestreams even when they are not using the app
- Multi-person livestream (group livestreams with two users/co-hosting a livestream with a second person)
- Real-time questions and answers
- Popular livestreams display on users’ homepage
- Administrator settings which allow hosts to add comment filtering options to block specific keywords from live chats
These additions will help livestream hosts and brands with a presence on TikTok increase their engagement with users.
The popularity of livestreaming is growing rapidly on TikTok and the number of livestreams and viewers has doubled this year. However, livestream figures are still well behind that of Douyin. The Chinese platform has pioneered many social commerce features that integrate short-video, livestreaming and commerce.
Read more about Douyin and TikTok:
