TikTok Adds Snapchat-Like Streaks to Encourage Messaging

Radu Oncescu

TikTok added Streaks. Users can unlock Streaks after sending messages to each other for three consecutive days. Streaks end if both users fail to message each other within a 24-hour period.

Why It Matters: TikTok is adopting a strategy from Snapchat by gamifying messaging engagement. While messaging is fundamental on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, it hasn’t been as prominent on TikTok. However, TikTok has been improving its messaging capabilities, including hiring roles to enhance this part of the app, adding new functionalities, and now introducing Streaks. Users seem excited about Streaks, indicating this could be a successful move to support TikTok’s efforts.

If TikTok can make messaging a bigger part of its experience, it might start to weigh how often videos are shared via DMs more heavily in their visibility, similar to Instagram.