There’s something about livestreaming that feels so authentic and unfiltered. This makes it great for engaging your followers. TikTok’s Live feature is perfect for connecting with your audience and reaching new people on the app. In this in-depth guide, we show you how to go live on TikTok and use this feature to boost your brand’s TikTok engagement.
What is Tik Tok Live?
TikTok Live is one such feature that lets you stream live broadcasts on the app. This creates an opportunity to interact with your audience in real time. Like your regular TikTok videos, you can add filters and effects using LIVE.
The biggest difference with Live is that the video streams in real-time and can be of any length. Meanwhile, regular TikTok videos can only be up to 10 minutes long and are pre-recorded before being uploaded to the platform. Additionally, there are some restrictions on who can access LIVE, while each user can upload a regular video.
how to go live on tiktok step by step
Now is the time to take TikTok Live for a spin. If you are familiar with how to make TikTok and you have gone live on other social networks, then you should have no trouble learning to livestream on TikTok. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to go live on TikTok.
step 1: Tap on,button to open the camera. This is the same button that will let you record or upload your regular TikTok videos.
step 2: From the navigation bar at the bottom, swipe up and then select “Go”.LiveIf you don’t see this option, you might not be able to use this feature yet.
step 3: Next, add details about your live such as title, subject, and thumbnail. This step is very important because those details will let people know what your stream is about. The right thumbnail and title can convince people to watch your TikTok Live, even if they’ve never heard of you before.
As you can see below, the thumbnail is the first thing that will catch the eye. The title of the live video tells people what the stream is about and prompts them to tune in further.
step 4: Once you are ready to start your TikTok live stream, tap on the red color “go directbutton at the bottom of your screen. That’s it. You’re finally going to go live on TikTok. During your broadcast, you’ll have the option to add effects and filters or flip your camera. TikTok allows you to add a moderator or to comment. Or even lets you turn it off.
Benefits of Tiktok Live
If you are already getting significant engagement on TikTok, then you might be wondering if going live is really that much necessary. Here’s a look at why you should consider adding TikTok Live to your social media video marketing strategy:
Authentic, real-time engagement
Interacting in real time with Tiktok Live. You can truly be your authentic self and relate to your audience. This allows for a real connection between you and your audience, resulting in trust and loyalty. Your audience may see you as a friend they’re interacting with in real-time, not as a creator or business account.
free to use
Tiktok Live feature is free to use. This means that any user can go live on the platform as long as they meet the requirements. In other words, you have a free tool to connect with your audience and increase your engagement.
takes less time to produce
Let’s face it- making TikTok videos is not easy. It takes a lot of time, effort and brainstorming to create the perfect Tiktok video. Live videos tend to be more unplanned and spontaneous. They happen in real time, which means they take much less time than regular TikTok videos. So if you have running out of video views or need an easy way to quickly engage your audience, going live on TikTok could be the answer.
chance to earn money
If you are part of the TikTok Creators Next program, you are also eligible to activate the Live Gifts feature and earn money from livestreaming. This feature allows your fans to send virtual gifts like a wave of a hand or a donut.
Gifts will help you collect diamonds, which you can redeem with real money. So the more engagements and gifts you get on your livestream, the more money you can make.
ban on tiktok live
You do not need to have a creator or business account to go live on Tiktok. However, there are some restrictions on age and number of followers to access the TikTok Live feature. This means that most users should be able to use this feature if they meet the minimum age requirement and have a minimum follower limit.
Who is eligible to go live on Tiktok?
Users who are at least 16 years of age can launch Tiktok Live. While 13-year-olds can have an account, they are limited to TikTok for younger users and cannot go live. This is one of the many measures TikTok has taken to keep the platform safe for users of all ages.
Keep in mind that having the Live feature doesn’t automatically make you eligible to receive gifts. To receive gifts from fans during your livestream, you must be at least 18 years old.
How many followers do you need to go live on tik tok?
Apart from meeting the minimum age requirement, you must have at least 1000 followers on TikTok to go live. So if you are planning to use this feature, you need to start by growing your following.
That said, the process of building a following takes time, which most people don’t have. If you want to use TikTok Live, but you don’t have 1000 followers, one option is to join someone else’s livestream.
tiktok live tips and ideas for better engagement
Since the ultimate goal of going live is to engage your audience, here are some TikTok Live tips and ideas that will help you increase better engagement:
1. Interact with Your Audience
The main purpose of using Tiktok Live is to connect with your audience. And more often than not, the live chat box is often filled with questions from the audience. For example, the following TikTok Live about snakes is getting a lot of queries from curious viewers.
So take this opportunity to actively interact with them. Respond to their comments or answer their questions to let them know you’re engaged, which they can get back to in return. You can also have an entire livestream dedicated to Q&A sessions.
Answering your audience’s questions is especially important during a livestream shopping session. Viewers may have questions about features and other product details before deciding to purchase an item. So be sure to actively respond and interact with relevant questions and comments.
2. Discuss a specific topic
An effective way to engage your audience is to discuss a topic of interest to them. Choose a topic that is relevant to your audience and use it as a topic of discussion for your live session. You can then add your own commentary or ask the audience to pitch their thoughts, experiences, or perspectives. This is a great way to engage your audience and tune them in to the entire livestream.
3. Shoutout to your top fans/audience
When you acknowledge your biggest fans publicly, it makes them feel valued. This gives them more reasons to continue engaging with your TikTok LIVE. Give your top fans or viewers a shout-out during your livestream and let them know you appreciate them. This is especially important if an audience sends you a gift. Make sure you thank them publicly, which may prompt others to send you gifts as well.
4. Take a Look at Your Creative Process
The intuitive and real-time nature of LIVE provides a great way to take your audience behind the scenes in your creative process. Use your livestream to show them what you’re working on or how you usually create your content.
For example, an artist can launch a livestream as they create a new art piece. A food ingredient maker can live-stream their trip to the grocery store as they pick up items for a new video. If you are running a TikTok account for your business, you can also give visitors a tour of your store or your factory.
5. Start Strong
The first few seconds of your LIVE session give people an idea of what to expect. So avoid beginning with uncertainties, such as “Can you hear me?” or similar phrases. Instead, start off strong with a cheerful and structured greeting to welcome your audience and make them want to keep watching.
6. Make the Most of Moderators
While it’s important to respond to your audience, it doesn’t mean that every comment should get an answer. Paying attention to rude or disturbing comments can ruin the entire atmosphere of your livestream. Instead, ask a moderator to remove inappropriate comments and maintain a safe and fun environment.
7: Choose Your Time Wisely
It is highly unlikely that you will attract a lot of viewers if you go live while everyone is asleep or at work. Make sure you go live at a time when your audience is most likely to tune in. Use the Sprout Social TikTok analytics report to find out which post timing platforms work best. This will give you a better understanding of the right time to launch Tiktok Live.
Ready to go live on TikTok?
Now you know how to go live on TikTok and how to use the feature to increase engagement. You can further improve your TikTok strategy by closely monitoring your TikTok analytics to see what works with your audience.
How to go live on Tiktok and add your followers This post first appeared on Sprout Social.
