TikTok Live Best Practices For Boosting Viewer Engagement And Retention

Have you been doing TikTok live for your business and still have a few audiences? Do they enter your livestream and then fall off immediately? 

Doing TikTok live seems straightforward — you just hit a button on the app, and then you are already online, ready to interact with your followers and casuals in real-time. However, engaging and retaining audiences during a TikTok live is tricky. People now have short attention spans, so you must know the tips and tricks to keep them hooked. 

In this piece, you will learn all about TikTok live hosting tips, particularly:

• Understanding the TikTok Live feature
• The Importance of Engaging and Retaining Your Audience During Livestream
• Things to do Before Going Live
• TikTok Live Best Practices to Boost Viewer Engagement and Retention
• Case Studies or TikTok Accounts to Follow

Understanding TikTok Live

TikTok Live allows creators and businesses to engage with their audience in real time. It offers an authentic and spontaneous way to connect with viewers. The live format also encourages immediate interaction, enabling creators to respond to comments, answer questions, and engage with their followers directly. TikTok live hosts also do Q&As, behind-the-scenes content, and giveaways to make things fun.

For businesses, TikTok Live allows brands to humanise themselves. Through relatable content and memorable experiences, they can connect more deeply with their followers. Whether it’s a tutorial, a live event, or an influencer collaboration, the ability to create engaging, real-time content can enhance brand visibility and credibility. 

Aside from connecting to the audience, TikTok Live has been driving impressive revenue to businesses. According to Statista, as reported by The Drum, the app’s live broadcast delivered USD 119 billion in product sales! As the platform grows, TikTok Live is becoming essential to any social media strategy, especially for those looking to strengthen their online presence, community engagement, and bottom line. 

Why You Must Use TikTok Live

Image source: TikTok for Business

Many social media platforms now have their version of live streams. They all have specific benefits. But brands must not overlook the power of TikTok Live. According to a study by Ipsos, as reported by TikTok for business, these four key findings are helpful for brands to maximise their usage of the app’s free live stream feature: 

• 62% of the live streaming users watch TikTok Live sessions daily.
• “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 further, naming TikTok as the go-to platform to connect with brands.”
• TikTok is not only a platform for brand awareness but also for driving sales. The study reported that 50% of TikTok users had purchased something after watching a TikTok live.
• According to the study, 77% of TikTok users prefer creators as hosts. Next are celebrities, who make up 72% of the total, and brand ambassadors, who make up 68%. These figures show that TikTok viewers still value authentic and relatable public statistics. 

With these findings, TikTok Live is an excellent opportunity for brands to connect with their audience, build a loyal community, and convert them to sales. Therefore, as a brand owner or a digital marketer, you must level up your TikTok Live game to reap all these benefits.  

Importance of Engagement and Retention

Viewer engagement and retention are the cornerstones of a successful TikTok Live session. Here’s how they differ. 

• Engagement refers to how viewers interact with the livestream by liking, commenting, sharing, or participating in polls. High engagement indicates that viewers find the content valuable.
• Retention measures how long they stay tuned in. Good retention shows that the content is captivating enough to keep them watching.

On TikTok, both engagement and retention are crucial for long-term growth. The platform’s algorithm favours content that keeps viewers engaged for extended periods, which can lead to increased visibility and organic reach. 

Additionally, consistent viewer interaction during live sessions fosters a sense of community, encouraging followers to return for future events. For businesses, strong engagement and retention can translate into higher brand awareness, customer loyalty, and conversion rates.

Preparing for a Successful TikTok Live

Hosting a TikTok Live is more than hitting the “go live” button. You must prepare yourself and your content to ensure you resonate with your audience and keep them engaged. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that you will have a successful and high-performing live session. 

Define Your Goals

It must be clear why you want to go live on TikTok. Knowing your objectives will help you shape and execute your live session. You can consider these common goals:

• Brand Awareness: The live session should focus on showcasing your brand personality, discussing your core values, and interacting casually with your audience to foster a sense of connection.
• Product Launch or Promotion: If the goal is to promote a new product, your content should centre around demonstrations, highlighting key features, and offering exclusive deals for live viewers.
• Fan Interaction or Q&A: If your primary goal is to connect with your followers, your session should revolve around audience questions, sharing behind-the-scenes content, and encouraging real-time feedback.

Choose the Right Time

Like any other content, timing is crucial — it can make or break a TikTok live session. You must know when your audience is most active to maximise your reach and engagement. To see the peak hours of your audience’s activity, you can utilise the following:

• TikTok Analytics: Available for Pro accounts, TikTok Analytics reveals when your followers are most active, giving you insight into their online habits. Use this data to schedule your live session during high-activity periods.
• Third-Party Tools: Tools like Google Trends or social media management platforms (e.g., Hootsuite or Sprout Social) can provide additional data on audience behaviour and trending times to go live.

SocialPilot monitored over 50,000 accounts and concluded that the following hours are the best times to post on TikTok. You can also use this information as a basis for your TikTok live sessions. Note that the timings here are in the Eastern Time Zone (EST).

Promote Your Live Event

Image source: Everyday on Sales

You need to inform your followers that you are going live. Therefore, you must promote your live stream before it happens. Pre-event promotion is key to building participation. Here are some ways to go about it:

• Teasers and Countdowns: Create short video teasers and post them on TikTok days before your live event. Use catchy captions, trending hashtags, and a clear CTA to inform followers about the upcoming event. Countdown stickers in Instagram Stories or TikTok Stories can build hype and remind followers to tune in.
• Cross-Platform Promotion: Extend your reach by promoting the event on other social platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Use posts, Stories, or even email newsletters to alert your audience across all channels, linking directly to your TikTok profile.
• Collaborations: You can collaborate with influencers or partners to expand the reach of your promotion. Having them share your live event with their followers can bring in new viewers and increase attendance.

Plan Content and Structure

Some TikTok creators do live and go by ear. But if you want to utilise this feature for your brand, you must have a well-planned content structure to avoid viewer drop-offs and to achieve your business goals. You can consider these things in your next live session:

• Introduction: Start with a captivating introduction. Welcome viewers, introduce yourself or your brand, and briefly explain what they can expect during the session. Ensure to greet new viewers who join throughout the live session to keep engagement flowing.
• Main Content: Break down your main content into segments. Your content could be product demos, storytelling, behind-the-scenes, or live performances. Keep transitions smooth between segments to maintain viewer interest.
• Q&A Sessions: Include a segment for Q&A. Engaging with your audience can help foster stronger connections and keep viewers hooked throughout the live stream. Be sure to encourage questions early on and remind viewers to stay for the Q&A section.
• Calls to Action (CTAs): Conclude your session with a CTA. You encourage your viewers to follow your page, check out a product link, or stay tuned for future content.

Creating Engaging Content During the Live Session 

If you do not know what to do or what to say during the TikTok live, you need to plan your content. Moreover, to keep viewers hooked, you need to craft an interactive and visually appealing experience that holds their attention from the moment they join until the session ends. Here’s how you can achieve that through strategic content creation during your live stream:

Start with a Strong Hook

Samba Recovery says, “The average attention span of a human is now only 8.25 seconds, [which is] less than the 9-second attention span of a goldfish.” Therefore, your TikTok Live’s first few seconds are crucial for captivating your audience. 

Another challenge is the doom scrolling of the TikTok users. Because of this given user behaviour, you only have a brief window to make a strong impression and prevent them from leaving. Here, having a solid hook comes in handy. Here’s how you can do it:

• Grabbing Attention Immediately: Start the session with high energy. Welcome your viewers enthusiastically and introduce yourself or your brand right away. Use a bold statement or intriguing question to pique their curiosity. For example, if you’re hosting a product launch, you could start with, “I’m about to reveal something that will change how you [solve a problem] forever. Stick around!”
• Addressing New Viewers: As new viewers continue to join, acknowledge them. Briefly reintroduce the topic of your live session to ensure that anyone joining mid-stream knows what it’s about. This effort will prevent confusion and keep more people engaged.
• Explaining the Session’s Value: Outline what viewers will gain by watching. Whether it’s an exclusive sneak peek, special discounts, or valuable tips, make it clear why they should stay. 

For instance, if you’re hosting a Q&A, say, “Stay tuned until the end. I’ll answer all your burning questions and have a  special giveaway!”

Use Engaging Visuals

Image source: Shop With Angeline on TikTok

Viewers are more likely to stay if they like what they are seeing. Hence, visuals are crucial in a TikTok live. Here are some ways to ensure the high quality of your visual content:

• Lighting, Background, and Camera Angles: Proper lighting is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve the visual quality of your live stream. Natural or ring light can help illuminate your face and surroundings, making the video look clear and polished. You can also choose a clean and non-distracting background that aligns with your content theme and use camera angles that allow viewers to focus on you or your subject.
• Filters, Effects, and Overlays: TikTok offers various built-in filters and effects that can enhance the visual appeal of your live session. Don’t hesitate to use these features to make your live stream more dynamic. 

Filters can set the right mood, while effects like text overlays or countdowns can keep the audience’s attention on essential elements of the stream. For instance, using a timer overlay during a product demonstration can create urgency and engagement.

Interact with Your Audience

You are doing a live stream to interact with your audience in real time. Therefore, you must do the following to make your audience feel valued and involved throughout the session. 

• Real-Time Interaction Techniques: Start by greeting viewers as they join your session. Call out usernames and try to address comments or questions in real-time. Phrases like “Welcome [username], thanks for joining!” or “What do you guys think of this so far?” can create a more personal connection and make viewers feel like they are part of the conversation.
• Answering Comments and Questions: Engaging with comments is one of the best ways to keep your viewers involved. You can answer questions on the spot, seek their opinions, or ask them to share their experiences related to your topic. This effort makes your live stream more of a two-way interaction rather than a one-sided presentation.
• Using Polls and Live Questions: Polls and live questions are powerful tools for maintaining engagement. Polls allow you to ask viewers for their input on specific topics, encouraging interaction. 

For example, during a product launch, you could poll your audience on which product colour they prefer. Live Q&A sessions where viewers can ask direct questions give your audience a sense of involvement and ensure they remain engaged throughout the session.

Best Practices for Retaining Viewers

Because of short attention spans and other distractions, viewers typically drop off. So, it is a major challenge as a TikTok live host to keep your audience engaged and make their stay rewarding. Here are some of the best practices for retaining viewers on your livestream. 

Build Anticipation Throughout the Session

You must give your viewers something to look forward to. Hence, you must build anticipation to keep your audience eager to stay until the end of your live session. When viewers feel that exciting moments are coming, they are likelier to stick around.

• Hint at Key Moments: Throughout the session, hint at upcoming highlights to create anticipation. For example, if you’re unveiling a new product or making a big announcement, tease it early in the stream. Phrases like “You won’t want to miss what we have planned for the end!” or “Stick around for an exclusive announcement in 10 minutes!” can motivate viewers to stay longer.
• Use Cliffhangers: Cliffhangers are another effective way to keep viewers hooked. Rather than revealing everything at once, strategically pause and build suspense. For instance, during a product demo, you could say, “This isn’t the only new feature—there’s something even bigger coming up next!” Saying something like this keeps the audience excited and waiting for more.

Encourage Viewer Participation

Image source: Oh So Healthy on TikTok

One way to engage your viewers is to encourage participation. You must make your live stream interactive and especially rewarding. The more involved your viewers feel and the more they feel invested in your livestream, the longer they will stay. Here are some ways to involve your audience:

• Giveaways, Challenges, and Shout-Outs: Hosting live giveaways or challenges is a proven method to increase participation and retention. You can offer incentives, such as free products or exclusive discounts, to viewers who stay until a specific point in the stream. Announcing giveaways early but rewarding winners toward the end can keep people tuned in. Additionally, give shout-outs to users who engage by commenting or sharing. This personal recognition encourages others to participate.
• Interactive Mini-Games or Quizzes: Adding fun, interactive elements like quizzes, polls, or mini-games can significantly boost engagement. For instance, you could host a trivia game where viewers answer questions related to your content. Real-time responses make the session more dynamic, and viewers are more likely to stay to see how others respond or to participate in future rounds.

Use CTA Effectively

Place calls to action (CTA) strategically throughout the live session. These are essential for guiding viewers to do your desired action. You can encourage them to follow your account, share the live stream, or check out a product. 

• Incorporate CTAs Throughout the Live: Don’t wait until the end to introduce your CTA. Incorporate it naturally throughout the live stream to encourage immediate action. For example, ask viewers to follow your account early so they don’t miss future live sessions. Similarly, encourage them to share the live stream with their friends while it’s still ongoing.
• Final CTA at the End: Toward the end of the session, include a more prominent CTA. You can invite your audience to follow your profile for more content, check out your product page, or sign up for a special offer. Clear and direct CTAs make it easy for viewers to take the next step, whether staying engaged with your brand or acting on a specific offer.

Case Study: Successful TikTok Live Sessions

Influencers and brands use TikTok Live to connect with their audience. The app feature has proven to be a powerful tool for boosting engagement and achieving goals like follower growth or product launches. Below are two case studies showcasing how influencers and brands successfully maximised their TikTok live sessions. 

Influencer Case Study: Charli D’Amelio

Image source: Baileyando

• Strategy: Charli often goes live to interact directly with her followers in a more personal and authentic way, offering behind-the-scenes content, answering questions, and chatting casually with fans. In one of her successful live sessions, she hosted a Q&A where viewers could ask her anything about her daily life, career, or upcoming projects.
• Results: This direct engagement fostered a deeper connection between Charli and her fans, as they felt personally acknowledged. As a result, Charli’s live sessions regularly attract millions of viewers, and her interactive approach has played a significant role in growing her audience and keeping them loyal. The combination of authenticity, accessibility, and real-time interaction has contributed to her consistently high engagement rates during live streams and in her regular posts.
• Takeaway: Charli’s success highlights the importance of real-time interaction and providing exclusive, behind-the-scenes content to engage and retain viewers.

Brand Case Study: Shopee

Image source: Shopee Thailand

• Strategy: Shopee leveraged TikTok Live as part of its strategy during major sales events like 11.11 and 12.12. For example, Shopee partnered with local influencers and celebrities to host TikTok Live sessions, showcasing popular products, offering flash deals, and engaging viewers with fun, interactive games and giveaways. To build excitement and anticipation, these sessions were promoted well in advance on Shopee’s TikTok page and other social media channels. Additionally, they provided limited-time discount codes exclusively for viewers of the live sessions.
• Results: Shopee’s TikTok Live sessions attracted thousands of viewers, significantly boosting the platform’s visibility during key sales periods. The interactive nature of the live streams, along with the exclusive deals and promotions, encouraged real-time engagement and drove purchases directly from the platform. Viewers participated in the live interactions and followed Shopee’s TikTok page, contributing to long-term engagement and brand loyalty.
• Takeaway: Shopee’s success illustrates the effectiveness of using TikTok Live for product promotions during key e-commerce events. By combining entertainment, influencer marketing, and exclusive deals, Shopee was able to boost sales, increase engagement, and strengthen customer loyalty.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I attract more viewers to my TikTok Live sessions?

Promoting your live sessions in advance, choosing optimal times when your audience is most active, and cross-promoting on other social platforms can help attract more viewers. Engaging content and leveraging popular hashtags also play a crucial role in increasing visibility.

What are the best ways to engage viewers during a TikTok Live session?

Start with a strong hook to capture attention immediately. Use interactive tools like polls, Q&As, and shout-outs to involve viewers in real-time. Responding to comments and encouraging participation through giveaways or challenges also helps keep viewers engaged.

How can I improve viewer retention during my live sessions?

Build anticipation by teasing key moments throughout the session, such as product reveals or important announcements. Encourage participation with interactive elements and use clear calls to action (CTAs) to keep viewers invested until the end.

What are some effective ways to promote my TikTok Live session?

Use TikTok’s built-in promotional tools, such as countdowns and teaser videos. Cross-promote on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to reach a broader audience. Collaborating with influencers or other creators can also attract more viewers to your session.

How do I handle negative comments or trolls during a live session?

Use TikTok’s moderation tools to block or mute disruptive users. Avoid engaging with negative comments directly and instead focus on positive interactions. Assign moderators to maintain a respectful and welcoming environment throughout the session.