How to Go Live on TikTok: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

TikTok is one of the most rapidly growing social media platforms on the planet. As of April 2022, TikTok has approximately 80 million monthly active users in the United States alone. Waste no time capitalizing on the opportunity to reach your market share with TikTok LIVE Streams.

You may know how to go live on Instagram or even be a pro at going live on YouTube. Similarly, broadcasting on TikTok LIVE is one of the most effective ways to engage in real-time with fans. So get creative and start planning your LIVE Stream event just like you would any other event IRL. But first, how should you prepare for your TikTok LIVE? What are the steps to going live? What are the must-dos during your livestream? Let’s get into it.

What is TikTok Live?

TikTok LIVE launched in 2019, and already it is one of the premier features of the app. Going live means you are broadcasting video in real-time to any of your followers who click on your profile during that time. No lag, no delay. You can see and respond to comments from anyone tuned in.

Why would you want to go live on TikTok?

TikTok LIVE is a simple and effective tool for engaging with followers. Show off your work, style or talents, do a question and answer session and interact with followers in real-time. As a result, you’ll have more engaged followers and find out what they love most about your content.

You can monetize with LIVE Gifts, which allow your viewers to interact with your TikTok LIVE streams and show appreciation for your content. LIVE Gifts allow you to collect Diamonds from TikTok, which can be redeemed for money. How does it work? Followers buy coins through different payment methods approved by TikTok. Once they have purchased coins, they can send you a virtual gift in the form of Diamonds during your LIVE Stream. The coins may be purchased for as little as $1.39 for 100 coins. They can be gifted directly to you or used to buy gifts on your behalf. Diamonds can be exchanged for real money once you have reached a minimum of 100 diamonds, which will be then transferred to your PayPal account. This is an effective way to make money on TikTok. Keep in mind that to be eligible to collect Diamonds through LIVE Gifts, you must be part of the Creator Next program.

TikTok recently partnered with Shopify, and a new shopping tab allows creators to promote their products through the app. Create a business account, and redirect users to your Shopify page for purchases. This is an excellent way to generate a revenue stream!

What should you do during your livestream? Here are some ideas.

Ideas for your TikTok LIVE Stream

The sky’s the limit on your creativity during a TikTok LIVE. So be as creative as you can! Are you working on a song, a video, or some project? Invite your viewers to see your work in progress or the final product. Viewers love to see the behind-the-scenes process behind your creativity. This is a great way to boost sales and attract direct followers to keep coming back for more, especially if you’re teasing the launch of a new product.

Consider how a regular, episodic TikTok LIVE Stream could generate even more followers and engagement with existing ones. Can you broadcast at the same time every week with new content? Consider this space your studio for a talk show or a podcast. No need for fancy equipment, just your phone, a quiet space, good lighting, and even a loose script to guide you.

TikTok LIVES are a great place to collaborate with fellow creators and artists. Invite someone on your “show” and interview them or just show your audience how you like to have fun. Don’t be afraid to infuse originality and humor in your live “performance.” This is a chance to really shine!

How to go live on TikTok

There are 2 simple requirements to go live. You must be 16 years old, and you need at least 1,000 followers. Users 18 years and over may send and receive gifts during a LIVE Stream. It’s that easy!

If you comply with these 2 requirements, follow these easy steps to start your livestream event.

1. 1. 1. Open TikTok and tap on the create icon (+) at the bottom of the screen.

1. 1. 2. Select LIVE from the menu.
      3. You’ll see a preview of your video feed where you can add a title, control comment visibility, add filters and effects, pick a charity to support and share your livestream through other social media platforms.

4. Finally, tap Go LIVE to begin broadcasting your video.

Dos & Don’ts of a TikTok Live

Do:

1. 1. 1. 1. • Be prepared with good lighting, a quiet space, and a stable surface such as a tripod.
            • Charge your phone or leave it plugged in during your event
            • Promote your livestream in advance with LIVE Events so followers can discover, register and get notifications about the upcoming LIVE stream. 
            • Ask followers questions beforehand that you answer during your TikTok Live
            • Livestream at a time most followers will be able to watch. Check your TikTok Analytics for this data.
            • Script your event at least loosely so you know what to say and do
            • Rehearse
            • Use your followers’ names when responding to comments
            • Be friendly
            • Teach your followers something
            • Aim for a 30-minute livestream
            • Have someone available to help block trolls while you focus on the livestream

Don’t:

1. 1. 1. 1. • Actively solicit gifts or offer incentives for providing gifts while you’re live. Otherwise, you’ll violate TikTok’s community guidelines.
            • Livestream too often or without reason. Make it a meaningful event!
            • Go live in a crowded or noisy place where the audio is bad
            • Move the phone or shake it
            • Get into fights with your audience
            • Fail to provide engaging or relevant content
            • Broadcast at hours when your followers aren’t likely to watch

What to do after your TikTok Live

Streams are saved on the platform for 90 days, while TikTok checks if you have broken any of their content rules. Find your content in ‘Settings and Privacy > Live Replay’. From this section, you can download your stream or delete it. If you don’t take any action, the video will be deleted after 90 days.

Wrap up

In 2021, after only 4 years in existence, TikTok had a record 656 million downloads. There’s potential to be the entrepreneur you always dreamed of by skillfully using all the tools of the platform, including LIVES! Becoming a content creator doesn’t have to be difficult. With a clear strategy, you can begin monetizing and growing your brand right away. So, don’t be afraid to press that LIVE button and get started!