How to Make Money on TikTok
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TikTok is one of the fastest-growing and newest social media platforms with users from many generations. There are several ways you can make money on TikTok as an influencer or business owner when you’re not camera-shy.
Some options let you start earning rewards without an audience. In other situations, you can use your TikTok presence to direct traffic to your existing website.
10 Best Ways to Make Money on TikTok
There are a variety of ways to earn income from social media whether you have a new or established channel.
1. Consult New Channels
Consider being a TikTok consultant, after becoming quite familiar with the platform and possessing the talents to add followers. New channels and those with stagnant growth hire consultants to bring fresh ideas and look for ways to improve future videos.
Consulting and marketing are high-income skills that can help you make plenty of money in most niches, including social media videos.
Your primary tasks usually entail:
- Branded Effects (2D, 3D and augmented reality [AR])
- Branded Hashtags
- Create content ideas
- Manage ad campaigns
The channel owner will implement your creativity to help viewers interact with their videos. You can also help them reach more potential followers by increasing the number of impressions from people who haven’t visited the platform before.
Consider reaching out to channels directly or working through a consulting agency. Another possibility is by bidding for assignments on Upwork which can be an excellent platform for new and experienced freelancers.
2. Earn TikTok Coins
Viewers can donate TikTok Coins during live streams or uploads when your channel has at least 1,000 followers. This is the minimum channel size to start hosting live videos and you can receive up to $100 per transaction in customer tips.
Fans buy coins they can donate to their favorite creators as they please while watching videos. This is an exciting option to get money from strangers although you must be at least 18 years old to collect donations.
The digital currency deposits into your TikTok Diamonds ledger. Ultimately, you can receive diamonds from other activities and convert these units into real money through PayPal.
3. Enable TikTok Ads
Channels with over 100,000 followers can apply for the Pulse program to run monetized ads in their videos. If approved, you can earn up to 50% of the ad revenue.
Posting ads is an effective way to generate consistent income although the TikTok strategy is for well-established channels. Further, the platform tends to publish ads in the top 4% of videos to get the most exposure.
You can also pay to create your own ads so your small business can get more exposure. It’s also possible to promote your channel and self-produced content that’s exclusive to TikTok. This option costs money but can expand your brand and increase your audience size.
In my experience, ads are an easy way to make money but they can be annoying to your viewers but the income potential is relatively low with a small channel. As a result, this high qualification standard helps ensure you don’t run ads until you can earn a respectful income.
Until you get a big channel, you can be more successful by promoting products or offering services that help your users are willing to pay for.
4. Join the TikTok Creativity Program
The platform offers the Creativity Program (previously the Creator Fund) that awards high-performing content with a monetary payment. The income potential depends on the level of user engagement and how long they spend watching it.
This is the most common way for many to receive money directly from TikTok instead of viewers or brand sponsorships.
You can apply after satisfying these requirements:
- Have at least 10,000 followers
- Receive at least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
- Are at least 18 years old
- Live in the United States
Videos longer than one minute can make money as the platform seeks to encourage in-depth content so users spend more time on the site. This platform is famous for short videos but wants to expand its offerings to attract more users.
The minimum redemption is $10 and your funds are withdrawable by PayPal or Zelle. Your funds are payable 30 days after the month ends.
5. Manage a TikTok Account
Serving as a social media manager can be an easy side job where you interact with viewers so the channel creator can focus on producing videos. One option is serving as a TikTok moderator by managing comments during live streams.
In most cases, the channel owner hires you directly and transfers certain permissions to your account. You may also be able to access the channel’s TikTok Ads account to design and schedule advertising campaigns.
Creator and business accounts also have analytics tools that you can use to learn more about the average channel viewer. Depending on your client’s needs, you may also manage ads or generate activity reports that help the channel owner assess the viewership trends.
5. Partner with Brands
Content creators and influencers can partner with brands to produce sponsored videos. Typically, you will mention how a specific product or service solves a solution or review a product. Video makes it easy to demonstrate the usefulness and value of a featured item.
The traditional way of forging brand partnerships is to communicate directly with a brand. Typically, you will receive pitches from companies as your channel grows. You can charge more as your broadcasting reach expands.
Another option is to connect through brands on the Creator Marketplace. Only personal accounts can apply at this time. Companies may reach out to you to run a brand campaign where you run videos for a set amount of money. You may also be able to collect tips.
I like the marketplace feature as it can be easier to learn about new brands in your niche. It can also be easier to reach media contacts when you don’t have a networking connection. Further, this platform has tutorial videos that can help you learn how to negotiate with brands.
There are several other ways you can advertise for companies on different online and local platforms. Diversifying your income streams can help you generate recurring revenue.
7. Refer Friends to TikTok
The TikTok Rewards loyalty program is open to all users even if you have no followers. However, you may need to be at least 18 years old for certain point redemption methods.
This program lets you earn reward points by referring friends to join TikTok. There is no limit to how many new users you can refer in most countries but they must use your link within 24 hours of downloading the app.
Simply send your unique referral link or invitation code by text or email. In addition to earning refer-a-friend points, you can collect bonus points by watching videos each day and completing other short tasks in the mobile app.
The pay potential isn’t the highest, but it’s free money as you don’t have to create content to earn. Your redemption methods include PayPal Cash, bank account deposit, coupons and mobile top-ups. The precise options differ by country.
8. Sell a TikTok Account
Once you get a big channel or earn consistent revenue, you might consider selling your TikTok channel to another entrepreneur willing to expand it to the next level. This income strategy can take months or years although it can be a fun way to flip money.
There are several online marketplaces where you can list your channel. I suggest researching a few platforms to compare current prices and seller fees. Using one that verifies that seller and buyer’s profile can help you avoid scams as well.
For example, you can earn approximately $10 for every 10,000 followers. Most people wait to sell when they have at least 100,000 followers and make $100 or more.
You can charge more if you earn consistent revenue, such as an ongoing brand partnership. Another option is to include your TikTok account when selling your entire business. The transaction may also include a profitable blog and social media channels.
This pay potential is smaller than other money-making ideas on TikTok but it can be better than closing your account as you receive a final reward for your hard work.
9. Sell Products
Video lets you interact with potential customers in more ways than written posts or photo ads. It’s a prime opportunity to direct viewers to your business website or an online marketplace to sell products from home.
In fact, the social media app states, “While TikTok has been great for individual growth, it has also helped many homegrown brands to flourish. Starting your own small business is one of the most popular ways you can earn money on TikTok.”
You may consider referencing or linking to these platforms:
- Amazon store
- Business website
- Patreon channel
- Personal blog
- Substack
Your promotional capabilities can depend on whether your channel is a creator or a business account. There are several overlapping tools but each has different analytic and monetization options.
Another option for small channels with less than 1,000 or 10,000 followers is to pay for advertising. Your brand will be visible on frequently watched videos. Consider spending a small amount for several ads to see which ones spark the most engagement.
10. Use Affiliate Links
Affiliate marketing is another effective way to earn money as you can earn high-paying commissions and don’t have to make a product. With this strategy, you can include a referral link in your TikTok bio when you have at least 1,000 followers or a business account.
You can also mention website addresses in your videos but are unable to include clickable links. While you can generate traffic from verbally mentioning a link a time or two, you may include visual clues that help the viewer correctly spell and remember it to visit later.
Consider using a TikTok template that you can download from Canva and other free or premium platforms that makes it easier to highlight where you want viewers to go next.
You will have more success with this strategy when you have a large following and videos that appear at the top of the algorithm. That’s because not every viewer will click through your link but a high volume means more potential conversions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are several questions that TikTok content creators ask about how much money you can make on social media.
Many creators report earning between $0.02 and $0.05 per 1,000 views. However, the earnings are more lucrative through the Creativity Program by posting videos at least one minute long.
The TikTok income streams are relatively low compared to other platforms including YouTube, so selling products or using affiliate links is more profitable.
No, TikTok requires having at least 10,000 followers to start receiving payments through its Creator Fund and Creativity Program. Further, you need 100,000 followers to earn ad revenue from the Pulse program.
The only way to get paid directly from TikTok with fewer than 1,500 followers is with the TikTok Rewards program by referring friends to join. Additionally, you are eligible to run live streams once you have 1,000 followers and viewers can leave optional tips.
You are also welcome to promote products in your videos and bio with any channel size, although you may need at least 1,000 followers to leave a link in your bio.
You will need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the last 30 days along with a creator account to apply for the Creator Fund or Creativity Program.
As the Creator Fund will potentially close at the end of 2023, you may explore the Creativity Program first. You will need to make videos lasting at least one minute, instead of short videos. However, many channels report earning more per view for the extra effort
Yes, you can start receiving tips from viewers when you surpass 1,000 followers. It’s also possible to promote products, produce sponsored videos and use affiliate links. Finally, channels with at least 100,000 followers can make money from ads.
Can You Really Make Money on TikTok?
There are several ways to earn a small income from TikTok. It’s important to diversify your income streams and remember that you won’t get rich quickly.
Further, it is easier to earn more per video once you have 10,000 followers as you’re eligible for more programs and brands are more likely to sponsor your channel.