What Safety Steps Should Creators Take Before Running TikTok LIVEs for Clients?

For a marketer, breaching the gap between the product and the audience is everything. TikTok LIVE offers an incredible opportunity to showcase products to potential new customers in a way that posts and stories cannot.

This feature offers the opportunity to create a way of direct communication where users can interact with the creator, get introduced to new products, ask questions, and get entertained.

Unlike other features, going LIVE presents a different dynamic that can leave creators unprotected due to the real-time unedited format.

So here are some of the best safety steps:

Lock Down Your TikTok Live Chat Before You Go Live

TikTok Live has a massive audience that is waiting to being entertained, who click on lives out of curiosity and get influenced to add a product to their cart.  

Leaving your settings uncheck can have negative outcomes while streaming that can easily be avoided by taking the following measurements:

• Limit Commenters: Set comments to “followers only” or approved users to limit disruptions.

• Add keyword filters: To block profanity, spam and competitor mentions, limit certain words

• Assign a moderator: Delegate someone who manages the chat in real time to delete unwanted comments.

• Turn on moderation tools: Add a 5 second chat delay so the moderator can manage the chat in time.

As a creator, using this outlet to advertise products can be highly profitable, but is necessary to prepare beforehand to avoid trolls, scammers, and spam.

Vet Guest Requests Before Joining

So many creators use the Multi Guest option within TikTok to more closely interact with their viewers; this can be a great dynamic to drive interest in the stream. However, not everybody should be let in.

Letting random users to join to interact with the creator on screen can lead to inappropriate content that can get the account flagged.

How to avoid this PR risk:

• Only allow people you know: Trusted creators, verified partners or vetted community members.

• Off screen reminder: Let the guest know this is a brand safe space to set expectations.

• Ignore unknown request: Don’t accept live join request from unfamiliar acounts during a brand steam.

Control What’s in Frame and On-Mic

Creating a suitable environment where to do a LIVE is crucial; the creator’s background can become a topic of discussion if the users notice something out of the ordinary.

What is barely notorious for some people can still be screenshotted and zoomed, to then be shared online, creating a negative cascade of effects that can impact the creator and damage a product launch.

To take in count:

• Scan your environment: Check for logos, screens, addresses, or confidenctial information before going live.

• Hide the background: Use virtual backgrounds or branded sets for client work to avoid accidental leaks.

• Do not disturb: Mute notifications and calls while being on stream to avoid sharing personal information.

Personal details or unreleased products in the background can become a liability once live. To avoid controversy or break contracts, it is better to take these safety measures when working with companies.

Build a “Plan B” for When Things Go Wrong

Controlling the environment can decrease the chances of making mistakes; however, TikTok LIVEs can be unpredictable, nonetheless.

If the creator finds themselves in trouble, having a protocol on what to do when that happens is a great tool to protect the client and the creator.

What to consider:

• Default Reply: Set up an automatic message that can be use if the chat becomes hostile

• Have an out: Knowing how to end the live when necessary or ban a user if needed

• Document incidents: Take screenshots, note the timespan and report to TikTok or the client ASAP

• Do a tech check: A few minutes before the LIVE starts, do a safety check to prepare the audio, framing, guest list.

Having the tools to prepare for an uncomfortable situation that can make it easy on the creator can positively impact your audience's perception despite the mistake itself.

Bottom Line:

• Set up your devices for a smooth start, whether is the comment section, keyword filters or moderation tools

• Vet your guest like it represent a PR risk by only allowing known users in, doing an off screen into and rejecting unknown requests

• Control the frame to avoid controversy, scan the area for unwanted material, use virtual backgrounds, keep note of what not to mention and mute devices.

• Create an efficient plan B by setting up a default reply for inconveniences, knowing how to end the live, documenting incidents, and running a safety check.