How to Go Live on TikTok on Android (Updated)

With TikTok, users can share all sorts of short videos, music, sound clips, and act-out memes.

TikTok serves as an essential communication medium that lets you reach out to hundreds of millions of people - including friends, loved ones, partners, and prospective customers.

No matter what your reasons are for using TikTok, one thing is sure: you need active followership and engagement to pass your message. There's no better way to achieve this than to engage your viewers live.

Lots of Android users find it difficult to go live on the app but it’s not that hard. Today, you learn how…

How to know if you are eligible to go live on TikTok

Though live streaming (or going ‘live’ as it's commonly referred to) is an excellent feature on TikTok, not everyone is opportuned to use it.

While some people don't have all the requirements (making them ineligible), others just don't know how to go live on TikTok.

If you intend to start live streaming on the app, check out these prerequisites to ensure you are eligible.

Age

One of the most important factors that determine your eligibility to go live on TikTok is your age. Though the minimum requirement to become a TikToker is 13, it’s impossible to go live at this age.

To live stream, you must be at least 16 years old. And once you are of age, your chance of being eligible to live stream on TikTok increases as long as you possess other factors.

Permission

To use TikTok Live, you must first check if your account has the feature.

While some TikTok users can freely go live on their accounts, the feature isn’t available to some other TikTok users.

If the Live feature isn’t available on your account, try updating your TikTok app to the latest version and try again.

Followers

When it comes to TikTok Live, the number of followers you have also matters a lot. To be eligible, your account must have at least one thousand followers.

If your followers are less than a thousand, try to get more engaging content to attract more people.

Once you've gotten 1000 followers or more, and if you have met all other requirements for live streaming on TikTok, you are good to go, even with your Android phone.

You should also note that if you’re above 18 years, you have a particular advantage while live streaming.

Viewers can freely send you 'virtual gifts.' Once received, these gifts can be exchanged for cash. However, the exchange rate is usually quite low.

Step-by-step guide to going Live on TikTok with your Android phone

Once you have ticked all the eligibility boxes, you are free to start live streaming. However, there are instances where you may still not see the 'Go Live' button.

It could be that you’re recording some audio in the background. If that is the case, the 'Go Live' button may become unavailable. Check that you’re not recording any audio, and then you can begin the live streaming process.

Step 1: Install the TikTok app on your device

Note that it’s impossible to go live on TikTok straight from the web version. You must use the app to access this awesome feature.

When using an Android device, simply install the app from Google Play Store. If you already have it installed on your phone, try updating to the latest version.

Step 2: Login to your account and create a task

Once you have installed the application on your Android device, log in to the account you intend to live stream from. On your home screen, tap the '+' button at the bottom center of the page.

Step 3: Click on the 'Live' button

After tapping on the ‘+’ button, a video screen will appear. Now, click on the ‘Live’ button. To find this, simply check beside the ‘Record’ button once you have clicked the ‘+’ button.

Step 4: Add a title to your live stream

When adding a title to your live session, ensure that you use captivating text to attract viewers. Choose a title that will effectively communicate the purpose of your live stream.

You should, however, note that you must avoid words that TikTok has banned. Examples of such terms include drama queen, donations, follow, and fan.

Step 5: Tap on the “Go Live” button and start a live stream

Once you have created a suitable topic for your live stream, get ready to go live, then tap on the 'Go Live' button on your screen. You are now ready to show the world what’s happening in real-time. Enjoy!

How to go live with a friend on TikTok

If you intend to go live with a friend on TikTok, it's pretty easy. All you need to do is to make sure your friend is in on the plan. Then, follow these simple steps to start a double live stream on TikTok.

Step 1: Collaborate with a friend

To start a double live stream, you must first find a friend who is also interested in your plan. Find one who’s eligible to go live on TikTok and the next step is for you two to hit the “Go Live” button.

Step 2: Add your friend to your host

Once you’re live on TikTok, you must add your friend to your host to start the double stream. Simply tap on the 'Add' button at the bottom of your screen. Your friend will then be added, and you can start live-duetting on TikTok.

Note that the double live streaming feature is relatively new and is currently valid in a few countries. To know if the feature is available in your nation, you can check the TikTok community for more information.

How to attract an audience once you are live

Even when you’re live on your Android device, you still need to attract and keep your friends interested in your stream.

Follow these exciting ideas to keep your audience interested:

• Give your audience a glimpse of your daily activities. Let them know how it feels to spend a day with you.
• Show your followers how you get inspiration when shooting your videos or the locations where you have shot previous videos.
• Organize a live (interactive) question-and-answer session with your fans. Allow them to learn new things from you; you can learn from them, too.
• Play games with your viewers and organize contests, giving out prizes to the winners. You can get game ideas from your audiences before the live stream begins.

Tips for interacting with your audience during a live stream

While it’s essential to have an exciting topic for your live stream, the method you use to interact with your audience is also very important, as it will determine how long your viewers will last during the live stream.

Below are some of the best ways to interact with your audiences:

• Check the TikTok analytics to know the perfect time to begin the live stream, i.e., when most of your audiences are active and online.
• Acknowledge the presence of active members and give shoutouts to gifters, to encourage lively interactions.
• Try not to force your audiences to invite their friends to your live stream. Doing so could get annoying; instead, kindly implore them to share parts of your content with their friends.
• When you’re rounding up, notify your audiences on the next live stream, and give them an idea of what your next topic will be, as this will spike interest and curiosity.

Conclusion

While live streaming on TikTok, always ensure that you abide by the set rules and regulations (community guidelines).

Since TikTok is stringent in regulating the content of videos shared on its platform; creating, sharing, and live streaming non-compliance content would get you punished.