• by Colin Kirkland , Yesterday

TikTok is rolling out a new “Live” feature designed to help live streamers better engage with their viewers, according to screenshots flagged on Threads.

Deemed “Live setup for client acquisition,” the new feature allows hosts of livestreams to showcase a button that invites viewers to connect directly with the host via direct messages. Hosts will see the opportunity in the app’s broadcast options. 

While TikTok has yet to officially announce the feature, the ByteDance-owned company has been investing in its livestream offerings, looking to place more emphasis on live shopping experiences in new regions across the globe. 

Direct communication between customers and sellers is a major draw of live shopping on social platforms -- especially in China, where TikTok’s doppelganger app Douyin generates over $500 billion in product sales per year. 

After launching its own ecommerce platform -- TikTok Shop -- in 2023, TikTok reported widespread interest in live shopping from brands and individual creators, announcing that over 100 million creators went live in the app in 2024, with 46 million creators launching their first-ever stream.  

On Black Friday this past year, TikTok Shop hit over $100 million in sales -- a 3x increase year-over-year. And according to the social media company, 2024 saw billions of users watching live content, generating 269 billion chats. 

Allowing live streamers to connect even more directly with their fans may be a new way to generate leads and engage customers on their path to purchase, especially for brands trying to break into the space.