For those of you already on TikTok, do you know what the most engaging videos are? Believe it or not, but it’s not always the dance challenges, social media memes, and conversation reenactments that get all the attention.
TikTok is without a doubt one of the top social media sites available today. If you’re a TikTok content creator, you want to go beyond the colorful filters, humorous stickers, and cool transitions. You want to stand out.
Going Live on TikTok has many benefits for content creators, more so if you’re a brand and are selling products or services. Chief among these is a significant increase in engagement and more meaningful engagement with your followers.
This is why going Live on TikTok is a viable option in the present day for many business owners. Here, we’re going to see how to go Live on TikTok, what the basic requirements are, and how you can make your Live streaming feature more interesting.
The Basic Requirements for Going Live on TikTok
According to TikTok’s community guidelines, not everyone can go live on TikTok. The requirements to go Live on TikTok are twofold.
The first criteria to access TikTok Live is that you must be at least 16 years old. This is calculated based on the age given at the time you registered your account.
Additionally, even if you’re 16 years old, you are still not eligible to receive Live gifts during your TikTok Live stream, as only those 18 years old and above can do that.
Tiktok Live gifts are a system where users can donate money to a content creator during their Live. The users must first purchase coins from TikTok and then use these coins to offer gifts in the form of cute stickers to the content creator. Each sticker has a different coin value.
The second requirement to access TikTok Live is that you have at least 1000 followers on TikTok before you’re allowed to go Live.
The requirement on how many followers on TikTok to go Live is necessary to ensure that only legitimate content creators can go Live.
In line with the community guidelines on TikTok, content creators also need to be aware of the boundaries set for them during the Live. This includes not being allowed to actively ask for Live gifts and other rewards.
The exception to this is if you as the content creator are on a mission to raise money or funds for a cause.
The community guidelines are also strict in forbidding any hateful, explicit, and extremist content during a TikTok Live.
Step by Step Guide on How to Go Live on TikTok
Once you know the basic conditions for a Tik Tok Live, the next step is to start your first Live session. Knowing how to go Live on TikTok is actually pretty straightforward.
Here’s a guide to go Live on TikTok and how you can get started to stream directly:
Find and Press The ‘+’
The moment you open the TikTok app, you’ll be able to see a white square with a ‘+’ sign at the bottom of the screen. If you haven’t signed in to the app, you’ll have to first complete this step before you’re allowed to do any Live TikTok session.
Once you’ve clicked the plus sign, you’ll see several types of content to create, i.e. photo, video or Live.
If you’re not eligible to start a Live on TikTok, you’ll only see the photo and TikTok videos option. Click on the ‘Live’ which is near the recording button.
Fill in The Live Details
Before you actually go Live, you’ll be asked to fill in some of the Live details. This includes selecting a thumbnail and a title.
Both of these are important in how to make Live on TikTok, because it will determine who your Live broadcast is recommended to. In addition to how many followers you have, your Live will also appear in the ‘For You Page’ or FYP of other TikTok users.
Therefore, the title and subsequent TikTok hashtags you use in the title will help publicize your Live session to users outside your real time followers by appearing on their TikTok feed.
Apart from the two details mentioned above, you’ll also be able to control whether viewers can leave comments, whether you want filters or effects, whether you want to support a charity, or share your upcoming live stream on your other social media platforms.
You may also want to read: Top Social Media Sites in Malaysia
Click the ‘Live’ Button Once You’re Ready
Once you’re ready, you can now tap the ‘Go Live’ button to start your Live stream directly. You’ll be able to see who is watching your Live as they will appear as notifications. This goes the same for any new comments and Live gifts coming in from your viewers.
You will still have control over several aspects of your live stream once you start. You can filter comments, flip your camera angle, and add effects to make the overall experience more pleasant for both you and your viewers.
Once you complete your Live, just tap the power button on the bottom of your launch Live screen and it will immediately end.
Scheduling a Live Session on TikTok
When you want to make your Live a special event, you can schedule it using the following steps:
- Go to your TikTok profile page and select the calendar icon in the upper right-hand corner.
- Click on ‘Create an Event’.
- Fill in all the relevant event details like event name, date, time, event duration, and description.
- Click the ‘Create’ icon and wait for the event to be reviewed and approved.
- Once approved, you will receive a notification and the event will appear on your profile.
- You can now create a Live video promoting your event or send invites to your friends or followers.
Keep in mind that you can change the description but not the time and name of your event.
How to Go Live on TikTok with a Co-host or Guest
TikTok has recently allowed dual Lives, where two content creators can both be hosting the same Live video. To do this, both creators have to be Live at the same time.
One of the co-hosts will have to carry out the following steps.
Firstly, you will have to know how to Live on TikTok as described above in the previous section.
- Look for a special icon resembling two circles linking each other on the bottom left of your Live screen. Click on it.
- A list of all available friends and suggested hosts who are Live will appear.
- Click on your co-host’s ‘Invite’ button.
- Once your co-host accepts your invite, they will appear on your Live feature in a split-screen.
- To end the co-hosting session, just click the two circles link icon again and click ‘Confirm’.
Tips On Making Your Live Session Stand Out
There are thousands of content creators who go Live on TikTok every day. Apart from knowing how to do TikTok Live, you should also take note of some tips on how you can make a fruitful and successful stream.
- Ask ‘when can I go Live on TikTok ?’ Use the backend analytics to know when your followers are most active on TikTok.
- Ensure a stable and safe camera. Live sessions are best done from a stable and unmoving camera. Make sure your camera won’t easily fall during your Live. It’ll help to get one camera angle good enough to be maintained throughout the whole stream.
- Stay active and interact with your followers. You may be asking ‘Why should I open my TikTok following feed?’. This is to make sure that you acknowledge their comments and questions as much as possible. It is also a tactic for keeping old and new viewers engaged.
- Don’t go on for too long. Knowing how to do Live in TikTok doesn’t mean you have to go on forever. The maximum time allowed for a TikTok Live is 60 minutes by the platform, but experts on social media recommend you keep it at 30 minutes or less.
- Promote your Live stream. Create a video telling your followers when you’re planning a Live stream event, or tell them when you’re going Live next. Try not to go Live without notifying anyone.
- Keep it nice and bright. Invest in one of those ring light products for good lighting, or do your Live in a well-lit room next to the window with good lighting. Viewers prefer it when they can actually see who they’re interacting with.
- Make sure you have a steady internet connection. Lagging is something you want to keep to a minimum during a Live stream session. A steady internet connection is key to hosting successful live streams.
- Have an assistant monitor for trolls. You want to prevent any disruption to your Live broadcast as much as possible. You can filter, mute or block viewers that just want to create trouble.
- Have a script. You don’t have to follow it strictly, but it helps to have a list of things to talk about before you start your Live. It will also help with ideas if you’re providing more attractive niche content.
- Pick a quiet place to go Live. Apart from good lighting, noise control is equally important as you will be using your voice to communicate most of the time. It is ideal to have a noise-canceling room and equipment to cancel our background noise.
Bringing Your A-Game with TikTok Lives
There you go with how you can go Live on TikTok. A TikTok Live video is one way of enhancing your social media marketing on that platform.
If you want to increase your brand awareness on TikTok and want to explore other marketing opportunities on this platform, like TikTok advertising Malaysia, feel free to drop us a message.
One Search Pro Digital Marketing is an established and trusted social media marketing Malaysia agency.
Our services include (but are not limited to):
- Facebook Advertising
- Instagram Advertising
- TikTok Advertising
- LinkedIn Advertising
- Email Marketing
- Influencer & KOL Marketing
- Social Media Management
- And more!
Having a proven track record of generating 4x rapid growth in data-driven Return-Of-Ad-Spent (ROAS), 122% revenue growth, and 3x Return On Investment (ROI) for one of our prior clients, we are your next destination for all your social media campaign needs!
Even if you need just some preliminary help on how to Live in TikTok, One Search Pro is here to provide you with the consultation you need at any time. Wait no more and contact us today!
