Here is Newsweek’s guide on how to go live on TikTok, and what you need to gain the capability to do so.
Can I Go Live On TikTok?
While many accounts can go live on TikTok, it depends on the number of followers you have. At the moment, the only accounts which can go live are those which have 1,000 or more followers.
As well as this, while the minimum age of a TikTok user is 13 years old, creators must be at least 16 years old to livestream.
Once you are able to livestream, you can do more than just that, as viewers of your livestream can send you “virtual gifts,” which is digital currency which can be exchanged into real cash.
The exchange rate is very low, so you won’t receive much for your livestreams unless you have some very generous donors. TikTok has strict rules against soliciting gifts through their platform, so bear this in mind before going live.
As well as this, going live also allows you to raise money for charity in a similar way, but adding donation stickers to your video.
The main benefit from going live compared to pre-edited videos is the ability to interact with followers in real time, which is important if you are growing your platform.
How To Go Live on TikTok
Once you are allowed to go live on TikTok, the process is not dissimilar to making normal videos.
To go live, you just take the Create icon, swipe to Live in the navigation and then pick an image and title for the stream.
You then click Go Live to start your stream, during which time you can also change settings easily.
To flip the camera or add effects, users can hit the three dots to do this, while that menu also allows creators to filter comments and add up to 20 moderators.
The gifting feature comes up to followers during a live stream, and can be implemented at any point while the creator is hosting the live.
How To Join a LIVE on TikTok
As well as going live on TikTok, you can invite others to join your livestream—called a LIVE by TikTok—as well as joining other people’s broadcasts.
To invite someone to join your livestream, after you go live a button will appear in the bottom left-hand corner.
Click on it, and a list of possible people to join the livestream will appear.
To invite them, click invite and the clock will countdown, giving the user 20 seconds to join you.
If they do not choose to join, TikTok will give you the option to end thelivestream, or continue.
As for joining a livestream, users must start by watching thelivestream, and in the comments section a button with two smiling faces will appear.
If you tap this, it will send a request to join the broadcast to the host.
The host can choose to accept or ignore the request, so it is best to plan ahead with the host if you intend to join their livestream.
If the request is accepted, the screen will split in two and one half will have a countdown, to announce the arrival of the guest.
Then, a user’s livestream will appear in that screen, meaning the two people will be livestreaming together.
TikTok live stream tips
In order to make the most out of a livestream, TikTok has devised some special tips to consider to extend the reach of your platform.
Choose the best time for your audience when they are most active. Think about length of time; 30 minutes is best practice. Post a video before your livestream. That way a follower can be led straight through to the livestream on this post. Use good lighting to engage your followers. Find a quiet place to stream from as background noise can be distracting. Test your Internet connection before going live. Consider your camera angle and try to stick with one location. Plan what you want to say to help you stay focused. Think about how to engage and interact with your audience through comments and questions.
Outside of these guides, there are also ways to mute commenters and block people who are posing a threat, which is also done through the three-dot menu.
