How to Go Live on TikTok

TikTok has seen huge growth the past few years. In September 2021, it crossed the one billion user mark. Add in the fact that the average user spends 89 minutes per day on the app, it’s safe to say TikTok has a massive, and very engaged, audience.

If you’re a brand, you need to be on TikTok. But once you get the hang of posting and editing a TikTok video, you may be wondering if you should go live.

Going live gives you another way to connect with your fans. Perhaps more importantly, it allows you to connect with your most loyal fans. Fans who watch TikTok Live are particularly interested in your brand and what’s new with you. 

What can you do on TikTok Live?

You can stream all sorts of things on TikTok Live. For example, you can:

• Film your team participating in the latest TikTok challenge.
• Host a live Q&A with your most loyal customers.
• Host an interview or AMA with one of your partner influencers.
• Go behind the scenes at your office, a special event, or at your product factory.
• Share a hot take on a viral topic that’s relevant to your brand.
• Walk viewers how to use your product with a live tutorial.

How to go live on TikTok

Ready to go live on TikTok? Here’s what to do.

1. Open up TikTok.
2. Tap the Plus (+) sign button on the bottom of your screen.
3. Swipe to LIVE.
4. Choose an image and title for your stream.
5. When you’re ready to go live, tap “Go LIVE.” After a three-second countdown, your live stream will start.
6. Tap the three dots at any time to add special effects, flip your camera, filter comments, or add moderators during your TikTok Live.
7. When you’re done streaming, tap the power button. This will end your LIVE and your live stream will vanish from the TikTok feed.

Can anyone go live on TikTok?

FYI: You must be 16 years old and have at least 1,000 followers to go Live on TikTok. Otherwise, you will not see the option to go Live after you click the Plus (+) sign button. 

Don’t want to wait that long to go Live? Try contacting TikTok support to unlock Live for your brand. 

1. From your TikTok profile, tap the hamburger menu. Go to “Settings and Privacy.”
2. Tap on “Report a Problem.”
3. Tap “I can’t start a LIVE.”
4. Select No under “Is your problem resolved?”
5. In the “Send us your feedback” box, explain that your brand’s followers want you to go Live, and ask TikTok if they can enable it for you.
6. Hit the Report button and hope for the best!

7 TikTok Live tips and tricks

Before you break out your smartphone, take a look at these best practices before going live:

1. Stream during primetime. It’s better to go live when your followers are online. Review your analytics to find out when that is, or rely on your best judgment (probably better to go live at 3 p.m. vs. 3 a.m., for example).
2. Don’t overstay your welcome. You can stream for up to an hour, but it’s always good to leave people wanting more. TikTok recommends keeping your Live to around 30 minutes or less. 
3. Handle the basics. Test your wifi, charge your phone, and ensure your lighting looks great. Film from a place with little background noise, if possible.
4. Have a plan. Part of the beauty of a livestream is the imperfection. There will be goofs and gaffes, and that’s okay. But, you don’t want to be completely lost at sea. Have a rough outline for what you want to discuss.
5. Ask questions. Engage your audience during your TikTok Live. Ask them questions and encourage them to respond in the comments.
6. Be predictable, but have fun with it. Consider setting a schedule for your TikTok Lives so fans know when to tune in. You can always sprinkle in surprise streams to keep them engaged.
7. Use the analytics. TikTok Analytics can reveal metrics like how many new followers your Live generated, how long you went live, and how many watched your Live overall.

It’s time to go Live

You’re now ready to film a fantastic TikTok Live. Ready to do more with your social media? Contact Your Marketing People to discuss how we can boost your views, followers, and more.