What is TikTok Live?
TikTok Live is a feature within the TikTok app that allows users to broadcast live video to their followers in real-time. It enables creators to engage with their audience through livestreams, where viewers can comment, send gifts, and interact with the broadcaster.
With TikTok Live, broadcasters have the ability to go live at any time to share moments, respond to questions, host talk shows, or whatever creative ideas they want to explore. The live video will appear at the top of followers’ For You feeds during the broadcast. Fans can join, comment on, and react to the live video as it happens.
TikTok Live provides an interactive way for creators to build connections and relationships with their followers. It brings a new level of authenticity and immediacy compared to pre-recorded videos. Overall, TikTok Live gives users a platform to express themselves and reach their audience in real-time (source).
Who can go live on TikTok?
To go live on TikTok, there are certain requirements you must meet:
You must be at least 16 years old. TikTok requires users to be over 16 to go live, in order to prevent inappropriate content from being broadcast (1).
You need a minimum number of followers. To host a TikTok live stream, you must have at least 1,000 followers. This threshold ensures creators have an established audience before broadcasting live video (2).
Your account must be in good standing. Accounts that have recently received community guideline violations or multiple violations may be prohibited from going live. Make sure your account follows TikTok’s community guidelines.
In summary, to go live on TikTok you must meet age, audience, and account status requirements. This helps TikTok maintain high standards and prevent abuse of the live streaming feature.
Sources:
(1) https://support.tiktok.com/en/safety-hc/account-and-user-safety/age-restricted-content-on-tiktok-live
(2) https://www.tiktok.com/creators/creator-portal/en-us/what-to-know-about-live/going-live/
How to access TikTok Live
TikTok Live can be accessed directly from the TikTok mobile app. To find the Live option, open the TikTok app and tap on the camera icon at the bottom of the screen. This will open up the content creation menu. From here, swipe left and tap on the “LIVE” option to begin a live stream.
The Live option can also be found in the main menu of the TikTok app. Tap on the “+” icon in the bottom center of the screen, then tap on the “LIVE” button at the top. This will also open up the Live streaming screen.
So in summary, TikTok Live is accessible either directly from the main camera icon, or from the “+” create menu by selecting the “LIVE” option at the top. This provides a quick and easy way to go live directly within the TikTok app.
Going live for the first time
The first time you try to go live on TikTok, you’ll get a prompt explaining what the feature is along with some safety information. This is to make sure new users understand what TikTok Live is before broadcasting live video.
The prompt will explain that TikTok Live allows you to broadcast live video that your followers can watch and interact with in real-time. It notes that you should follow TikTok’s community guidelines while live and avoid sharing personal information.
You’ll need to check a box confirming you understand these guidelines before you can proceed. This is because live video comes with increased risks compared to pre-recorded videos, so TikTok wants to make sure you know how to stay safe.
Once you check the box and tap “Go live,” you’ll be taken to the setup screen to configure your live stream before starting the broadcast.
Setting up your live stream
Once you access the Live screen on TikTok, you’ll have several options to set up and customize your broadcast before going live. Here are some of the key setup features to be aware of:
Add effects like filters and stickers to enhance your video. TikTok provides effects made specifically for Live videos. Just tap the effects icon at the bottom to browse options.
Go live with a friend by tapping the “+” icon and selecting Invite Guest. You can add up to 4 other people to your live stream.
Adjust your camera and mic settings using the control panel before going live. Be sure to position the camera properly and check audio levels.
Change the category for your live video depending on the topic, like Music, Dance, Cooking, etc. Select a relevant category to help viewers find your stream.
Add a title and meta description that are engaging and searchable. Clear, concise text here can help increase viewership.
Enable or disable commenting as you prefer. Keep in mind disabling comments means viewers cannot interact with you.
Allow gifting so that viewers can send you virtual gifts if they choose. Gifting is a way for viewers to show support.
Once your settings are ready, tap “Go LIVE” and your broadcast will begin! Adjust controls as needed during the stream.
Best practices for going live
Going live on TikTok takes some preparation and practice to create an engaging experience for your viewers. Here are some best practices to follow:
Lighting – Make sure you have proper lighting so viewers can see you clearly. Avoid having a window or bright light source behind you that will create a silhouette effect. Consider investing in a ring light for optimal lighting.
Camera angle – Position your camera at eye level, holding it either in portrait or landscape orientation. Use a tripod for a stable shot if you can. Frame yourself with some headroom and don’t cut yourself off at the top or bottom of the frame.
Engage with viewers – Greet new viewers as they join and say their names to make them feel included. Ask questions, respond to comments and create conversations to keep viewers actively participating. To see comments easily, tap the comment bubble icon.
Plan activities – Prepare activities or challenges to do during your live stream to keep it engaging. Play games, do Q&As, have guests join you, sing karaoke, etc. Test activities out beforehand to work out any issues.
Use captions & effects – Leverage built-in text captions and AR effects to make your stream more dynamic. Effects like polls, quizzes and Q&As also boost engagement.
Promote in advance – Promote your stream on your other social channels beforehand so you have an initial audience. Schedule streams so viewers know when to tune in.
Check your setup – Do a test broadcast first to check your video/audio quality, lighting and internet connection. Make any adjustments needed to optimize quality and stability.
Promoting your live stream
Letting your followers know ahead of time that you’ll be going live is key to getting more viewers for your live stream. Here are some tips for promoting your upcoming TikTok live stream:
Make a regular TikTok video announcing the date and time you’ll be going live. Let viewers know what you’ll be doing on your live stream so they get excited about tuning in. You can also make additional reminder videos leading up to your stream.
Use TikTok’s built-in Promote tool to boost your announcement video. Go to the Creator Tools section and tap “Promote” to get additional exposure. This can help more of your followers see that you have a stream coming up [1].
Post on other social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, etc. Cross-promoting your TikTok live stream can help alert your followers on other platforms.
Go live a bit early, even just 5-10 minutes before your announced start time. This will send out an alert that you’re live to your followers.
Interact with commenters before your stream begins. Respond to early comments to build anticipation.
Use relevant hashtags in your captions and title so your stream shows up in searches.
Offer incentives for viewers to tune in like giveaways, Q&As, challenges, etc. This adds more value and interest for your live stream.
What You Can and Can’t Do During Live Streams
TikTok has community guidelines that apply to live streams just as they do to regular videos. It’s important to be familiar with these rules to avoid having your account suspended or banned.
During live streams, you cannot:
- Show nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit content (Community Guidelines)
- Promote violence against others or self-harm (Community Guidelines)
- Bully, harass, or threaten others (AgoraPulse)
- Share false information or spread conspiracy theories (Community Guidelines)
- Promote criminal activities (Community Guidelines)
You also cannot go live if you are under 16 years old. TikTok bans live streaming for minors as a safety precaution (AgoraPulse).
Inappropriate or abusive behavior during live streams can result in stream interruptions, account suspensions, or bans. Be sure to follow the community guidelines to avoid any issues.
Saving and deleting live streams
If you want to save your TikTok live stream as a video after you finish broadcasting, there are a couple of options:
You can screen record your live stream while it’s happening using your phone’s built-in screen recording feature or a third party app. This will allow you to save the full video of your live stream.[1]
TikTok will automatically save your live stream as a video on your profile for 24 hours after you end the broadcast. To save it permanently, go to your profile, tap on the LIVE tab, select Replays, and tap the Download button next to your live stream video.[2]
To delete a live stream replay from your TikTok profile, tap into your LIVE replays list, swipe left on the video you want to delete and tap Delete.
Keep in mind that even if you delete the replay, if other users screen recorded your live stream or used a third party downloader, copies of the full video may still exist.
Alternatives to TikTok Live
While TikTok Live is a popular way to broadcast live video, there are other apps and platforms that offer similar functionality. Here are some of the top alternatives to consider if you want to go live but don’t want to use TikTok:
Instagram Live – Instagram’s live video broadcasting feature allows you to share live videos with your followers in real time. You can go live, interact with viewers through comments, and even invite a guest to go live with you. Instagram Live works similarly to TikTok Live, though the audiences and communities on each platform differ.
YouTube Live – YouTube allows creators to live stream video through its Live feature. Live streams allow you to broadcast to your YouTube subscribers and interact with viewers through live chat. YouTube Live requires at least 1,000 subscribers to access. The platform is ideal if you want to reach a broad audience.
Facebook Live – Facebook’s live streaming tool allows both pages and profiles to broadcast video live to their followers. It’s easy to go live on Facebook from your phone or desktop. Facebook Live doesn’t have a minimum follower requirement and allows you to stream to all your connections.
Other apps like Huddles, Triller, and Snapchat also offer live broadcasting features to consider as alternatives. The best option depends on your goals and target audience. But platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook provide the most reach if you want to move beyond just TikTok.
