Going LIVE on TikTok is a solid way to grow your following and reap additional benefits. You get to engage with your audience, earn money through TikTok’s gift feature, and even raise money for charity while you’re at it.
Unlike other platforms, however, TikTok doesn’t let every user go LIVE. There are certain criteria you have to meet to access to the LIVE feature.
This guide will explain everything you need to go LIVE on TikTok from soup to nuts. We’ve also included some of the best TikTok LIVE tips and tricks you can use to level up your strategy.
Requirements for going LIVE on TikTok
Unlike social media platforms like Instagram, not everyone can go LIVE on TikTok. Below are the requirements you need to meet before gaining the privilege to hit that LIVE button. You need to:
- Have at least 1,000 followers
- Be at least 16 years of age
- Be 18 years old or older to receive gifts during LIVEs
TikTok takes note of your age when you open an account on the app. Once you have at least 1,000 followers, you’ll see the option to go LIVE when you create your TikTok videos.
How to go LIVE on TikTok
Have at least 1,000 followers and meet the age requirement? Here’s how to go LIVE on TikTok once you’re ready:
- In the TikTok app, tap the “+” button at the bottom of your screen
- Tap on from the menu
- After you’ve clicked LIVE, a preview of your video will appear. Here you can title your LIVE stream, add a description, choose whether you want to open your LIVE to comments, and even choose a charity you’d like to support.
- Once you’ve checked your LIVE stream, tap on Go LIVE to start airing
- Voila; you’re LIVE! Say hi to your audience!
Be sure to check out TikTok’s creator portal to stay up to date on changes to TikTok’s LIVE settings and learn more about strategies, content production tips, and the latest LIVE updates.
Though you could wing it and go LIVE whenever you choose, there are a few things you can do to make your LIVE streams more engaging—planning ahead often deLIVErs the best results. Try some of our best tips below.
The top 7 Tips for going LIVE on TikTok
Here’s how to level up your TikTok LIVE strategy.
1. Add a descriptive title to your LIVE stream
Adding a descriptive title to your LIVE ensures that users who come across your LIVE know exactly what it’s about. The less confusion there is about why you’re LIVE, the better your chances will be tocapture your audience’s attention.
Your LIVE’s title doesn’t have to be long; short and descriptive can work just fine. Some users even go as far as creating a handwritten sign describing their LIVE and making it visible in their LIVE stream as they interact with their audience.
Remember, TikTok is not the platform where you want to aim for “put together” and “polished.” Authenticity—even if that means creating a less-than-professional looking sign to include in your LIVE—is key.
2. Fix your lighting and sound
Though you don’t have to have top-notch production skills to go LIVE on TikTok successfully, you do want to take pains to invest in decent lighting. Limiting the background noise doesn’t hurt either.
Going LIVE on TikTok is all about engaging with your audience in real time. Be sure to take care of any noise or bad lighting that can diminish the experience.
3. Manage your LIVE schedule
TikTok recommends you use its LIVE features to manage an upcoming LIVE. Click on the LIVE icon on the top right corner of your TikTok profile to:
- Schedule a LIVE
- Share it through in-app messages
- Review viewers registered to your LIVE
- Give your LIVE a title and a description
These features can help you get a handle on a TikTok strategy.
When you schedule a LIVE, commit to it. Scheduling LIVEs and showing up for your audience as promised is a great way to build trust and rapport with your biggest supporters. Furthermore, if you schedule a LIVE and don’t show up at the scheduled time, TikTok can restrict your access to its LIVE features in the future.
4. Find a reason to go LIVE
Going LIVE might be nerve-wracking if you aren’t used to doing it often. To make sure your LIVE goes successfully, do some preplanning and decide why you want to do it.
Your reason doesn’t have to be anything overly important. Maybe you simply want to say “hi” to your audience or answer your questions you receive most frequently. Having a justification for going LIVE can guide your content and make sure you don’t go blank or struggle with things to talk about with your audience once you show up.
5. Aim to go LIVE when your audience is most active
You can go LIVE on TikTok at any time you choose. But if your goal is to grow on the platform, you want to go LIVE when your audience is most active.
Influencer Marketing Hub analyzed 100,000 TikTok posts and came up with common times US users are most active on the platform:
- Monday: 6 AM, 10 AM, 10 PM
- Tuesday: 2 AM, 4 AM, 9 AM
- Wednesday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 11 PM
- Thursday: 9 AM, 12 AM, 7 PM
- Friday: 5 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM
- Saturday: 11 AM, 7 PM, 8 PM
- Sunday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 4 PM
Don’t forget to experiment with different times to go LIVE; some times might work better for you than others, depending on your intended audience. For example, if your TikTok account is aimed at parents, chances are they won’t be able to catch your LIVE unless you aim to go LIVE on the weekends or in the evenings during the week.
6. Use the LIVE Q & A feature
LIVE Q & A helps you get to know your audience and vice versa. Once you’re LIVE, click on the small chat icon at the bottom of your screen to choose, show, and answer only the questions you want to talk about most.
While it isn’t necessary to use all of TikTok’s LIVE features, making use of the Q & A feature at the very least may help you engage with your viewers more effectively.
7. Familiariaze yourself with community guidelines
TikTok has community guidelines that lay out what creators can and can’t post. For example, the platform doesn’t allow content that qualifies as:
- Slurs
- Hateful ideology
- Attacks on the basis of protected attributes
- Criminal activity
- Weapons
- Drugs
- Gambling
- Violent or graphic content
As you post videos and go LIVE, it can be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the minutiae of TikTok’s community guidelines. Doing so will help you avoid unintentionally posting any content that might get your account banned or taken down.
Wrapping it up
Going LIVE on TikTok is beneficial in more ways than one. It’s worth the effort to get comfortable going LIVE and engaging with your audience. The more you do it, the more you’ll strengthen your relationship with your audience and grow your following.
To learn more about everything you can do with TikTok to grow your brand, be sure to check out our ultimate guide to TikTok advertising.
