TikTok is expanding its comment features so users can leave comments with voice, polls and multiple photos. It is a strategy to grow the comment section beyond a place for brief reactions after watching a video, and into a space where users and creators stay longer and communicate.

TechCrunch reported on Sept. 3 that TikTok unveiled new features including voice comments, comment polls, photo carousel comments and live photo comments. TikTok said more than 1.7 billion comments are posted on the platform worldwide each day.

Voice comments work by tapping the microphone icon in the comment input box and recording audio for up to 60 seconds. Other users can tap to listen to the posted audio. The feature will be rolled out sequentially worldwide over the next month for accounts aged 18 and older. Audio is also subject to existing Community Guidelines, and TikTok uses human review, automated detection and voice-to-text conversion technology together to find content that violates the rules.

Creators can also set up polls in the comment section of their own videos. They can create up to 5 options and set a poll period, and results can be checked in real time in the comment section. The feature, previously tested with some users, is now available worldwide.

Photo comments are also being expanded. Previously, only 1 photo could be uploaded in a single comment, but users will be able to attach up to 9 photos in a carousel format. Photo carousels will be rolled out globally over the next month. The feature to post iPhone live photos, a moving photo format, as comments is already available worldwide.

With the update, TikTok aims to expand the comment section from a simple space for video reactions into a standalone community space where voice, photos and polls are mixed. The move is seen as an effort to increase time spent and participation by strengthening user-to-user interaction that occurs in the comment section as well as content consumption.