Growing your community with TikTok LIVE

TikTok LIVE has reshaped the way we connect with our favorite creators, artists and businesses in real-time. A recent study performed by Ipsos shows that TikTok stands apart from other live-streaming platforms for brands, with TikTok users more interested in LIVE content from brands or sponsors than live stream viewers that don’t use TikTok.*

Key findings from the study

The Ipsos study provided a wealth of insights and takeaways for brands and creators. We’ve identified four key findings that brands should be aware of that can help them get the most out of LIVE events and content.

1. TikTok LIVE users are committed.

The study showed that 1 in 5 live streaming users watch TikTok LIVE, and of that group 62% watch it every day. This gives brands the opportunity to engage with their communities in real time on a daily basis.

2. TikTok LIVE viewership deepens connections with brands.

Creators aren't the only thing bringing audiences to LIVE. The TikTok community is joining LIVE to engage and connect with brands, too. The Ipsos study found that users on TikTok were 50% more interested in branded LIVE content than non-TikTok users. Beyond initial interest, 1 in 3 TikTok LIVE users go a step further, naming TikTok as the go-to platform to connect with brands.

3. TikTok LIVE drives shopping.

TikTok LIVE is great for driving brand awareness, but it also is effective at driving sales, too. 50% of TikTok users have bought something after watching TikTok LIVE. TikTok users are also more likely for all sorts of engagement over non-users, including:

• 1.6x more likely to watch branded LIVE to discover brands

• 1.7x more likely to watch branded LIVE to buy products

• >2x more likely to say LIVE is most trustworthy to use when shopping

4. Test & learn to thrive on TikTok LIVE

TikTok LIVE is most effective when brands experiment and align live concepts with their business objectives. The Ipsos study shows that, TikTok users are interested in engaging with all forms of LIVE content from brands, including:

• How-to/tutorials (80%)

•  Product releases (78%)

• In-depth product reviews (77%)

• Q&As (74%)

• Product sales (72%)

• Live events (72%)

It’s also important to experiment with creative aspects, such as hosting. While TikTok users accept all hosts for branded LIVEs, creators tend to pique the most interest (77%). Celebrities (72%) and brand ambassadors (68%) follow closely behind. This speaks to the importance of community and authenticity that are inherent to the TikTok platform.

Quick tips & best practices for TikTok LIVE

In addition to the insights from the Ipsos study, the TikTok team has also collected a handful of helpful tips and best practices for brands to get the most out of going LIVE.

• Be consistent: Go LIVE regularly to establish a habit with your followers.

• Location, location, location: Bring your audience into an unusual place (like a workplace, newsroom, factory, showroom).

• Engage directly: Use Q&A to interact with commenters, respond, and adapt to what the audience is interested in.

• Momentum: Build a natural sense of anticipation – build, draw, cook, or do a countdown, make it engaging. Drive the story forward.

• Be active: Always have something visually interesting going on, ideally an activity. Talking head-style content doesn’t drive as much engagement.

Driving engagement with TikTok LIVE

TikTok LIVE is another powerful tool for brands to connect with their audience, and engage with them as a community — playing into the inherent strengths of the TikTok platform. If your brand is new to TikTok, get started by creating an account today. If you’re looking to expand your presence, sign in and start planning your first LIVE broadcast now.

*Source: TikTok Marketing Science Global Live Landscape Study 2021 conducted by Ipsos For the study, conducted in November and December of 2021, Ipsos sampled at least 250 users per market, of at least one live platform, and provided them with a 10-minute online survey about their experiences. The survey was conducted across 9 markets, including: United States, Brazil, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia. All users were over the age of 18.

**Please note: LIVE Shopping is only available in select markets where TikTok Shop is available. Please contact your local sales team to explore opportunities!