TikTok Live Updates: New Features for Events, Q&As & More

TikTok Enhances LIVE Platform with New Features

TikTok has announced an expansion of its TikTok LIVE platform. This platform currently enables creators to broadcast live streams to their audience, interact with comments and questions, and receive virtual gifts. Now, the live streaming experience will be significantly upgraded with features designed to increase its competitiveness with platforms such as Instagram Live.

New Features for Creators

The updates include the ability to livestream alongside others, facilitate question-and-answer sessions, utilize moderators, and implement improved keyword filtering. These enhancements aim to provide creators with more control and engagement options during their broadcasts.

LIVE Events, a new tool, is already accessible in select markets. It allows creators to meticulously plan their upcoming live sessions.

Creators can schedule and promote their events in advance, building anticipation within their community. Fans are then able to discover, register, and receive notifications as the LIVE Event approaches. Scheduling tools are a standard offering for many livestreaming platforms, and TikTok’s addition aligns with industry norms.

To utilize this feature, creators can select the LIVE Events icon on their profile page. They can then name the event, specify the start time, and provide a concise description. Following creation, the LIVE event undergoes a review process before becoming visible to the TikTok community.

Once scheduled, events can be shared via in-app messages, promoted through TikTok videos using a LIVE countdown sticker, or advertised externally. Creators retain the ability to modify or delete events as needed. TikTok also provides data on registration numbers to inform promotional strategies.

The feature is currently available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, and is being tested in other global markets.

Creators can now also collaborate with others during live streams, leveraging the combined reach of their audiences. The ability to co-host with one other individual is available globally. TikTok is also testing the functionality of multiple co-hosts in certain regions, mirroring features found on platforms like Instagram’s Live Rooms.

Interactive Q&A Sessions

TikTok’s new LIVE Q&A feature enables audience members to submit questions during livestreams. Creators can view these questions in a dedicated panel within their stream chat and have the option to highlight and answer them publicly using existing Q&A tools.

Enhanced Moderation Tools

A new tool allows creators to designate trusted moderators to oversee their streams before they begin. These moderators can mute and block users from the chat as necessary. The keyword filtering system, which prevents unwanted words from appearing in chats, has been expanded to accommodate up to 200 terms.

In the coming weeks, TikTok will introduce features allowing hosts and moderators to temporarily mute viewers and remove comments.

Improved Discovery for Viewers

TikTok is streamlining the discovery of LIVE videos for viewers. Users will soon be able to access LIVE streams directly from the For You Feed and Following pages. A new LIVE button, already available to some users, and the “Explore” button will provide access to a side panel showcasing available LIVE videos.

Popular LIVE categories include chat/Q&A, gaming, talent showcases, fashion, and daily life content.

TikTok will also prompt viewers to reconsider potentially harmful or abusive comments before posting them, mirroring existing prompts used to flag unsubstantiated claims and address bullying behavior.

Livestream viewers on iOS and Android can now utilize picture-in-picture mode to continue watching LIVE videos while using other applications.

Growth of TikTok LIVE

The TikTok LIVE experience gained significant traction during the pandemic. While specific viewer metrics were not disclosed, TikTok reported a doubling in both the number of creators going live and the number of viewers watching LIVE videos over the past year. This growth may be contributing to the app’s overall popularity, as TikTok recently surpassed 3 billion downloads worldwide, despite being banned in India.

Consumer spending within the app also increased, climbing 39% to $534.6 million in Q2 2021, up from $384.7 million in the previous quarter. This rise may be linked to increased interest in livestreams, where creators often generate revenue through virtual gifts.

TikTok LIVE is accessible to users aged 16 and older. The platform actively removes accounts suspected of being underage and prohibits impersonation or misleading identity claims. These features are currently available to global audiences.