Live streams have become one of the most efficient and effective ways of engaging an audience on TikTok. Not only do Live streams give users a chance to see and communicate directly with their favourite creators, but those users can also send gifts to creators during these live sessions, send questions and comments, and share their voice as part of a wider community.
As soon as a creator hits the eligible category for hosting a live stream, they can go live on an ad hoc basis or create scheduled catch ups and conversations with their community – whatever they find works best for them and their audience.
But what are the logistics involved with going live and how can you prepare as a creator?
3 Steps to Start a Live Stream
Before you can start a live stream, you need to meet a couple of conditions – but more on those in a moment. First to the process itself.
If you are able and ready to host a live stream, the process for doing so is incredibly simple.
- Click on the large plus sign in the bottom central position on your screen
- Swipe through the carousel of content creator options until you find the LIVE option
- Write a title and choose a cover image for your Live stream, then click ‘Go Live’
The screen will show a big countdown from 3, and then you are live! It’s as simple as that!
Eligibility Criteria for Hosting a Live Stream
Now that you know how to go live from an operational perspective, let’s consider some of the eligibility criteria that you need to keep in mind.
- To host a live stream, users need to be at least 16 years old
- To receive gifts as part of a live stream, users need to be 18 years or over
- Users must have at least 1,000 followers in order to host a live stream
If you meet all of these conditions, then keep reading for advice on how to make a live stream session work for you!
Tips for Hosting a Successful Live Stream
Before we leave you to try and host your very first live stream, we thought we’d share a few tips on how to maximise your time in front of followers, and how to encourage as much engagement as possible.
The first and most important thing to do is to prepare and have a plan around what you want to do or communicate during your live. Some creators choose to keep their live stream very organised, with more of an announcement-style than a discussion. Others let their followers guide the conversation with questions and comments. Neither option is better than the other!
Another tip is to experiment with collaboration Live stream sessions. Inviting other creators to share the stage with you is a great way to increase the number of viewers on your live stream (by benefitting from their audience too) and create unique and original content.
A great tip around marketing your Live stream is to give followers a reason to attend – for example, share teasers around what the Live stream is going to cover, perhaps letting them know that you’ll be making a big announcement or sharing a particularly entertaining story or a valuable piece of information.
And then we come to the logistical tips. That is, making sure that you time your Live stream right, keep it short and concise, and making sure that every minute of content is compelling and engaging.
The more preparation work you do in advance, the more seamless and professional your Live stream will be. We hope this helps you to prepare for and unlock the benefits that come with a great, engaging Live stream session.
