TikTok will soon let users order video shoutouts from their favourite stars – at approx US$1,800 each

Charli D'Amelio (left) has the most-followed person on TikTok with over 119 million fans. — AFP Relaxnews

Money may not buy friends, but it could soon buy you a TikTok video shoutout.

The social network is working on a new option that could let users order personalised video messages directly from the platform’s stars. But beware, these TikTok shoutouts won't be free.

It seems that TikTok is increasingly working to provide users with revenue-generating features on the platform. To this end, according to news shared on Twitter, the Chinese social network is currently working on a new option for paid-for “Shoutouts”.

TikTok launches Shoutouts - fans can request birthday wishes, pep talks and other messages from their favourite creators.

Fans can directly pay in-app, through TikTok’s in-apps currency (also used for live-stream gifting). pic.twitter.com/i5zQJKNfP5 — Fabian (Bern) Ouwehand 法比安 (@iamfabianbern) July 4, 2021

This new function will allow fans to pay the influencers of their choice for a personalised video message, otherwise known as a “shoutout”, hence the feature’s name.

Users will be able to place their order directly on the profile of their chosen influencer and, above all, pay in “TikTok coins”, the platform’s virtual currency that users buy with real money. It’s with these “TikTok coins” that users can offer gifts in the form of animated stickers to creators during their live streams. In practice, influencers usually then thank the donors of such gifts – which bring them money – by mentioning their username during the live broadcast.

According to the example shared on Twitter, a personalised video message could set users back 100,000 coins, which is around US$1,800 (RM7,479) – a substantial sum, although it can ultimately be variable, Social Media Today points out.

For the moment, this new option has not yet been deployed across the whole platform. Just a few users are able to test the feature, although TikTok has not specified which countries or users are involved.

If the function rolls out across the network, it could prove a means of encouraging influencers to stay on the Chinese site at a time when other social networks are ramping up new features to stay in the game – a game largely led by TikTok. – AFP Relaxnews