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TikTok is testing an exclusive new space for LIVE creators to interact with their followers, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Tuesday. The new space, called “Sub Space,” is in early testing and is designed to help creators increase their community engagement, while providing subscribers with an added benefit.
The new addition was spotted by X user Jonah Manzanowho posted screenshots of the feature.
Creators can use the space to post threads on a topic and create polls to discuss and interact with their followers. Although LIVE creators can already interact with viewers via chats during live streams, the new offering is a way for creators to converse directly with paying subscribers. The new addition could entice regular viewers to sign up for a subscription in order to gain exclusive access to streamers.
The screenshots show that creators can start conversation threads with their followers on different topics. They can choose to create a thread based on a suggested topic or write their own. For example, they can ask their followers to introduce themselves, ask questions or share their first impressions of them in different discussion threads.
The space can also be used to allow creators to share snippets and updates about their lives with their followers, in a way similar to Instagram Broadcast Channels. Creators can also have a dedicated thread for their LIVE shows to keep subscribers informed of their upcoming streams.
Additionally, the polls option can be used for things like soliciting your followers’ opinions on what type of streams they would like to see more of, or what time a majority of them would prefer to a stream to come.
TikTok has already offered creators subscriber-only benefits, like subscriber-only videos or streams, but the new Sub Space gives creators a new direct way to interact with their subscribers. This gives them the opportunity to gain more subscribers by providing paying users access to exclusive content and interactions.
The new feature comes as TikTok looks to expand its LIVE offerings and potentially compete with Twitch in appealing to game creators. Earlier this year, the company began testing a program that opens LIVE Studio, its desktop streaming software, to game creators who have fewer than 1,000 subscribers if they have a stable live streaming history on another platform like Twitch. Before this pilot, game creators could only access LIVE Studio if they had at least 1,000 subscribers. The driver, however, allows you to access the software and go live with fewer than 1,000 subscribers if you already have an established live streaming history.
TikTok told TechCrunch it was not publicly promoting the pilot, but said a set number of game creators would have access to the pilot. The pilot could be a way for TikTok to get creators of games popular on Twitch and YouTube to consider going live on TikTok if they haven’t already.
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