Working similarly to a TV shopping channel, TikTok Live blends the worlds of shopping and entertainment by giving small businesses a direct line to their audience.
With the feature, customers can discover new products, interact with sellers, and make purchases through TikTok Shop, all without leaving the app. This unmatched convenience is helping to fuel the social commerce boom in the UK and offering huge opportunities to sellers who know how to use the live video tool well.
If you’re interested in converting scrolls to sales, this guide covers everything you need to know about selling products on TikTok Live. We outline how to use the feature in simple steps, explore some best practices, and even identify common mistakes that are best left on the cutting room floor.
💡Key takeaways
- TikTok Live is free to use, making it much more affordable than traditional marketing methods.
- You need to be at least 18 years old and have 1,000 followers to use the feature.
- The social commerce market is currently booming in the UK, making it a great time to embrace platforms like TikTok Live.
- Before you set up a TikTok Live, you’ll need to create a TikTok Shop account and optimise your profile.
- For best results, you should schedule regular sessions, shout out viewers by name, and invest in a professional set-up.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
What is TikTok Live Selling?
TikTok Live selling is a rapidly growing social commerce strategy which gives creators with over 1,000 followers a platform to promote and sell products via live video streams. Unlike traditional TikTok videos, it’s an interactive, real-time shopping experience; viewers can ask questions, tap on product pins, and buy products directly from the seller without leaving the stream.
TikTok Live sessions blend entertainment with the convenience of online shopping, making it particularly appealing to younger demographics. Think of it as Gen Z’s answer to the home shopping channel, where viewers can see their favourite creators demonstrate products authentically.
One of TikTok Live’s best features is its seamless integration with TikTok Shop — TikTok’s in-house ecommerce platform. Sellers can link their TikTok Shop products to the stream, transforming their Live into a digital storefront and creating a seamless shopping experience for viewers.
By offering unmatched convenience and harnessing the power of influencer marketing, social commerce strategies like TikTok Live are witnessing a major boom in the UK. Over half of UK consumers have already made a purchase directly through a social or entertainment platform, and the market is projected to reach £16 billion by 2028, making now the optimal time for sellers and brands to cash in on the trend.
Why TikTok Live works for small businesses
Unlike huge companies, small businesses excel when it comes to connecting to customers on a personal level, which is why TikTok Live can be such a powerful marketing tool for smaller sellers. The platform lets viewers peek behind the curtains of brands, whether it be by showcasing employees or the studio. This human element helps foster trust and loyalty and makes it easier for businesses to build a community around their brand.
TikTok Live is completely free to use, too. This makes for an unbeatable return on investment (ROI), especially in comparison with costly marketing methods like digital or print ad campaigns.
Its low barrier to entry doesn’t compromise exposure either. Successful live streams can attract an average of 50 to 500 concurrent viewers, with spikes during peak engagement. Due to TikTok’s slick sales journey, discoverability can translate to immediate sales, giving small businesses a powerful and cost-effective way to grow their revenue.
Breaking through on the platform isn’t always easy, however. Running successful TikTok Lives is time and energy-intensive, with the most effective brands running multiple live streams a month. The TikTok algorithm favours content that embraces trending sounds and formats, making the marketing strategy less suited to brands with a more educational or informational tone.
Learn more about how to use TikTok for business success.
How do I get started on TikTok Live?
Getting started with TikTok Live isn’t as simple as just hitting record. Here’s how to use the platform to its full potential in six simple steps.
Setting up TikTok Shop
Before you can even think about live streaming, you need to have a functional TikTok Shop. Your TikTok Shop will act as your digital storefront, giving you a place to manage products, inventory, and orders.
Setting up a TikTok Shop account is easy. All you need to do is visit the TikTok Seller Centre, verify your identity by uploading a government-issued ID or business registration documents, and provide basic business details.
Once your seller account is verified, you’ll need to link it to your personal or business TikTok profile. This will enable you to tag products in your live streams. Then, add your product listings by uploading high-quality images or videos and entering detailed descriptions and pricing information.
Optimise your profile
Now you’ve got the basics covered, it’s time to optimise your storefront. Your profile will be the first port of call for customers after they exit your Live. Not only can it be used as a powerful way to build credibility, but it can also help guide viewers towards your shop.
With only 80 characters available in your bio, every word counts. So, make sure that you state what your business does as clearly as possible, and use relevant keywords where possible. Your bio is an excellent way to communicate your brand’s unique voice, so don’t be afraid of showcasing your personality, either. Finally, conclude with a clear call-to-action and a link — whether you want to advertise a special deal or funnel viewers to your new collection.
With TikTok being a visual platform, the profile picture you choose matters. Use a professional image that clearly reflects your branding, and ensure your design will be easily recognisable at a small size.
Prepare your setup
The environment you record in has the power to make or break viewer engagement. To avoid distracting your viewers with an unprofessional setup, you should focus on three main elements: lighting, sound, and camera quality.
Getting your lighting right will help you transform a dark, grainy stream into a professional broadcast. You don’t need to invest loads of money in a fancy setup, either. We recommend using natural light when possible, or investing in a ring light or softbox for a more polished look.
Next, ensure your audio quality is crisp by using a high-quality external microphone instead of your phone’s built-in mic. To avoid shaky footage, we also advise using a tripod stand to keep your camera steady. By taking these measures and keeping your background clutter-free, you can help your viewers focus on what really matters: the products.
Choose which products to feature
Certain products perform better on camera than others. So being tactical about which ones you choose to feature is another effective way to drive engagement.
“Show, Don’t Tell” products, which demonstrate their own benefits in action, typically get the best engagement on TikTok Lives. This could include makeup, clothing, kitchen gadgets, or any other products with a visual or functional benefit. By showing the product in action, instead of just using words, viewers can visualise its potential and envision using it themselves.
Failing this, showcasing products that are already popular is a great way to springboard off existing demand and capture a larger audience. TikTok Live can also be a great place to offer exclusive deals or drum up excitement for new products, so bear this in mind if you’re eager to secure immediate sales.
Start your Live
Now that you’ve got your ducks in a row, it’s almost time for the fun bit: starting your TikTok Live.
However, to maximise your engagement, we recommend posting a TikTok video a few hours ahead of your live stream to notify your followers. You can also use TikTok’s in-house “Live Event” feature to schedule and promote your stream ahead of time.
Also, while live streams may seem spontaneous, having a general outline of the topics you’ll cover and products you’ll showcase will prevent awkward silences and help you stay on track.
Then, when you’re ready to go, simply:
- Tap the + button on your TikTok app
- Scroll to the LIVE tab
- Customise the stream details with a catchy title and cover image
- Tap the “Go Live” button to record
Engage your audience
Instead of hitting record and hoping for the best, there are a number of tried-and-tested strategies you can use to keep viewers interested and increase your chances of securing a sale.
First things first, we recommend talking to your viewers directly. Greet them when they enter the Live, answer as many questions in the chat as possible, and give them shout-outs if they’ve made a purchase. Doing this will help your viewers feel more valued and will also help them build a personal connection with your brand.
Using interactive features like polls and Q&As is also an effective way to boost participation. Instead of passively watching the content, these features help viewers join the conversation, making them less likely to continue scrolling.
Best practices for TikTok Live selling
Selling on TikTok Live may seem a lot less formal than traditional marketing methods, but that doesn’t mean you should just hit record and hope for the best. Here are some extra tips to help you hit the ground running.
- Promote your live session – Don’t leave attendance down to TikTok’s algorithm. Build excitement ahead of time with engaging teaser videos, and cross-promote your live session on your other social media channels to expand reach.
- Time your livestream wisely – The best time for going live will depend on your audience. However, you’re likely to capture more engagement in peak times, which generally include mornings from 6 am to 11 am or evenings from 7 pm to 11 pm.
- Stream consistently for the best results – TikTok Lives work best when you schedule regular sessions, instead of the occasional one-off. Weekly or even daily livestreams could be a good strategy to consider if your schedule allows it.
- Track your performance – Measure the success of your TikTok Live by paying attention to views, engagement, new followers, and conversions. By keeping a keen eye on these insights, you’ll be able to refine your strategy over time.
- Develop a clear monetisation strategy – Selling without a clear strategy is a recipe for failure. Maximise your earning potential by creating a sense of urgency for buyers. This could be by offering exclusive discounts, running flash sales, or creating limited-time bundles.
What should I avoid when selling on TikTok Live?
While TikTok Live offers exciting opportunities, a few missteps can quickly derail your efforts. Avoid wasting time and potential sales by steering clear of these pitfalls.
- Poor lighting or audio – A low-quality production can quickly turn viewers off. Make small investments in your lighting, audio, and camera equipment to make your stream seem professional.
- Ignoring viewers’ comments – TikTok Live’s biggest selling point is its interactive nature. So, when a viewer takes the time to ask a question, make sure you value their enquiry by responding to them and shouting them out by name.
- Going live inconsistently – Irregular and sporadic live streams make it difficult to build a loyal audience. Creating a consistent schedule increases your chances of getting picked up by TikTok’s algorithm, too.
- Relying on pre-recorded content – Authenticity is paramount on TikTok Live, so using pre-recorded video or static images can instantly disconnect you from your audience and even lead to severe penalties.
- Going off topic – Don’t give viewers an excuse to scroll on. Avoid discussing topics or promoting products that aren’t directly linked to your live stream.
Lights, Camera, Action!
If you’re selling visually appealing products and already have a small following on TikTok, using TikTok Live should be a no-brainer. With a straightforward setup process and a suite of powerful free tools, the platform is a great way to gain some exposure and drive traffic to your ecommerce website.
By showcasing your products authentically, reaching out to viewers directly, and being mindful of your content and monetisation strategy, you can’t go wrong. Don’t expect to get it perfect the first time, though. Just get started, learn from each session, and watch your business grow!
