- Direct Reach Beyond the Algorithm: Bulletin Boards let creators send text, photo, and video updates straight to followers’ inboxes, bypassing the unpredictability of For You recommendations.
- Selective Rollout: Currently limited to high-profile publishers, sports teams, musicians, and mega-creators, with regional tests hinting at wider availability soon.
- Versatile Use Cases: From announcing new content and reminding fans of livestreams to promoting flash sales and sharing exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses, Bulletin Boards offer flexible messaging options.
- Integrated Community Strategy: As TikTok joins Instagram Broadcast Channels and YouTube Communities, brands should tailor updates to each platform’s culture, using native tools to deepen fan engagement.
TikTok’s new Bulletin Boards let select creators and brands send one-to-many updates—text, photos, and videos—to followers without relying on the For You algorithm.
Over the past few months, a quiet revolution has been unfolding within TikTok’s creator ecosystem. Traditionally renowned for its algorithm‐driven “For You” discovery feed, TikTok has offered creators little guaranteed reach once a video leaves the FYP.
Now, with the introduction of Bulletin Boards, select accounts, like People Magazine, gain a direct line to their most loyal followers, delivering updates that land in inboxes rather than being subject to shifting recommendation algorithms.
From Inbox to Bulletin: How It Works
Setting up a Bulletin Board is remarkably straightforward.
Within the TikTok inbox, eligible creators tap a new “＋” icon to launch the setup flow. They choose a name—think “Tour Dates,” “Drop Alerts,” or “Behind the Scenes”—then craft a descriptive blurb and decide whether a “Join” button appears on their profile.
Once live, each Bulletin Board supports up to 20 daily posts (“bulletins”), each limited to 1,000 characters and capable of embedding images or videos. Followers who opt in receive a message-style feed of these bulletins, where they can react via emojis but not reply directly, preserving the broadcast rather than conversational dynamic.
Early Adopters: Who’s on Board
Thus far, access has been granted to heavy hitters across several verticals: People Magazine shares exclusive celebrity interviews, Paris Saint-Germain posts locker-room highlights, and musicians like the Jonas Brothers tease upcoming tracks.
Even lifestyle icons—Martha Stewart among them—use Bulletin Boards to unveil cooking tips and livestream schedules. Behind the scenes, TikTok appears to be testing both regionally and by account size; whispers of smaller but influential niche creators joining the fold suggest a broader rollout could be imminent.
For creators frustrated by the fleeting nature of TikTok videos, Bulletin Boards provide much-needed stability.
Imagine alerting superfans to a new series launch hours before it premieres, or reminding dedicated followers when your next live session begins. Brands find it invaluable for time-sensitive promotions—say, limited drop codes or flash-sale announcements—while shops can push new product bundles straight to consumers without risking obscurity in the main feed.
A Broader Push Toward In-App Communities
TikTok’s Bulletin Boards mirror a wider industry trend: platforms are building native community tools to keep creators and fans within their walls.
YouTube has Communities posts for channels, and Instagram debuted Broadcast Channels in 2023. But unlike Discord servers or standalone newsletters, these integrated formats reduce friction: fans don’t need to install new apps or share emails. Instead, updates arrive where they already spend their time, encouraging habitual check-ins.
For developers and marketers alike, the lesson is clear: as social platforms diversify their engagement features, multi-channel strategies must evolve. A TikTok creator might tease behind-the-scenes footage via a Bulletin Board, share polished clips on Reels, and conduct polls in Twitter Threads—each tuned to the audience and mechanics of the respective platform.
