Here’s how to go live on TikTok

So many creators today go live because it builds a bridge between them and their viewers and increases engagement exponentially. Livestreams can give viewers a sensational feeling when they’re able to watch their favorite creators in real-time. TikTok, with its worldwide popularity, is a great platform for creators to go live on. So, how does one go live on TikTok? This article will guide you through the process of going live on TikTok.

Step 1: Examine your following

There are two major requirements to go live on TikTok. You must be 16 years of age and have 1,000 followers to acquire TikTok’s “LIVE” feature. If you don’t meet the follower requirement, there are various ways you can grow your following to eventually qualify. Being consistently active on TikTok, creating engaging videos and interacting with other users are all great ways to grow your following. You can also jump on popular trends and do a TikTok challenge — just be sure to put your own spin on it and use related hashtags to improve your videos’ discoverability.

Step 2: Plan your live

Once you’ve met all the requirements and get TikTok’s approval, it’s time to plan out your TikTok LIVE. Since LIVEs happen in real-time, you must have a general plan for content before you go live. Have a clear, engaging objective; it will be challenging to grow your stream’s viewership without a clear point to your stream. Every streamer, whether they’re doing a live Q&A, a tutorial or an activity, goes into their livestreams with a general idea of what they want to happen during their streams. Take some time and think about what you want to do on stream. Outlining specific points you want to cover during your stream can help keep things running smoothly and avoid any dead air.

Also, be sure to think about the technical side of the stream as well. Set up things like lighting and your camera’s positioning beforehand.

Step 3: Market your LIVE

After a LIVE is planned out, a creator needs to announce the time and place it will be.

After planning out your livestream, you need to notify your followers when and where it will take place. While your LIVEs will be on TikTok, you want to make sure everyone in your community knows you’re going live. This includes people following you on other platforms like Twitter. Those who follow you on TikTok will receive a notification when you go live. To ensure everyone knows you’re going live, make a post on all your social media platforms that says you’re currently live on TikTok. Also, provide a link to the LIVE in the posts. You should also include what will happen during the stream to get your audience excited for it.

Letting your viewers know about an upcoming LIVE ahead of time is also a good move. This will give them enough notice to set some time aside to watch your stream.

Step 4: Access and format the live 

After completing steps 1 through 3, it’s time to go live. To access the feature, follow the instructions below:

Step 5: Go live

Congrats! You’re now live on TikTok. While streaming, you can interact with your viewers. Doing things like reacting to comments and mentioning people’s handles will let your viewers know you notice them. Rule of thumb, you may want to wait about one to three minutes at the beginning of your stream. This will give your followers enough time to hop into the stream when they get the notification. While waiting, you can chat with everyone watching as more trickle in. Once enough people hop in, you can dive into the main portion of your stream.

TikTok lives vs. other socials

  TikTok livestreams are a little different than other platforms’ livestreams. Unlike Twitch and Instagram livestreams, where you can save your livestreams, TikTok streams disappear after they conclude. So, marketing your stream beforehand is even more vital on TikTok.

However, there is a way for you to save your TikTok onto your device and post them elsewhere for your viewers to watch. To download a LIVE, go to “Privacy and settings” then to “LIVE Replay.” From there, hit “Download.” After downloading, you can post the stream to another platform, like YouTube.

Go live on TikTok 

Creators who choose to go live on TikTok open their chances of being discovered by a wider audience. The popular aspect of TikTok is its discoverability of new creators. The main feed of TikTok is an opened-ended explore page. Whether your largest following is on another platform or TikTok, going live helps you grow your audience. Going live also gives you the chance to be personable and genuine with your audience, which is integral to building your following.