As TikTok has become one of the biggest social media platforms, it’s also made it easier for creators to make money from their content through various methods.
Over the past couple of years, TikTok has established itself as one of the most popular social media platforms. This has made it possible for influencers such as Charli and Dixie D’Amelio, Addison Rae & Noah Beck to earn money by having people just watch their videos.
With so much traffic on the app and opportunities to reach wider audiences, many creators wonder whether they can make money from their content. But did you know there are several ways you can make money from your TikTok content?
How to earn money through the TikTok creativity program
In 2023, the TikTok Creator Fund was replaced by the TikTok creativity program which made it easier for creators to make money, as every video over one minute long earns creators a decent amount of money.
The fund allows creators to monetize their content directly from within the app, but there are some requirements you have to meet to be eligible.
Announced in a post on the TikTok Newsroom, the platform has lowered the requirements to become eligible for effects monetization.
Creators previously had to have 500,000 videos made with their effects, and now TikTok is only requiring 5 published effects with at least 3 of them used in 1,000 videos.
In order to qualify, you need to meet the following requirements:
- Be based in the US, UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, or Brazil.
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have 10,000 followers or over
- Have 100,000 video views within the past 30 days
- Post original content that’s at least one minute long
- Be active and fit within TikTok’s community guidelines
Once you’ve met these requirements, you can apply via the TikTok app through a Pro/Creator Account.
The amount you’ll earn is different for every video and every creator. The calculations are based on a wide variety of factors including the number of views, level of engagement, and alignment with community guidelines.
They also say it’s dependent on how much content is published by the community, meaning that the amount you can receive changes daily.
How to earn money through sponsorships
For TikTok stars like Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio, one of their biggest sources of income is sponsorships. Addison has worked with companies like Disney, American Eagle, and Daniel Wellington, with Charli partnering with places like Dunkin’ Donuts.
While these are of course huge companies, and not necessarily attainable for creators who are just starting out, businesses of all sizes are constantly looking for ways to promote their brands via TikTok.
Adding a business contact email to your profile will let companies know that you are open to promoting products to your TikTok following, and as your account grows, so will the number of opportunities.
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How to earn money through TikTok coins and gifts
Like platforms such as Twitch, TikTok has implemented its own Virtual Items program that allows users to give gifts to some of their favorite creators.
Users can purchase varying amounts of coins via their TikTok profile, which can then be used to purchase Gifts, a selection of different emotes that can be given to creators via live streams.
If you receive a Gift from a viewer, you receive Diamonds in return. These Diamonds can then be exchanged for real money.
While the process may be slightly convoluted, it provides a great way for followers to help your content out and show their appreciation for you directly via the app.
TikTok gifts come in a wide range of price points. There are about 100 TikTok gifts available, with prices ranging from as low as $0.012 (or 5 virtual TikTok coins) to as high as $500 (or 35,000 TikTok coins).
To view your balance:
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- Launch TikTok, and go to the profile tab.
- Click the three lines in the top right to enter settings.
- Select the balance tab, and then ‘LIVE Gifts’ to find out how many Diamonds you have or Withdraw them.
While the money may not come rolling in immediately upon starting your TikTok career, the platform is gradually introducing better and easier ways for creators of all sizes to profit from their content.
Sell and promote products through the TikTok shop
In 2023, TikTok introduced the TikTok shop – an online marketplace where brands can sell their products to TikTok users. It offers sellers a huge audience of potential customers and nets a 5% commission in return.
However, it’s not just beneficial for businesses as creators can use TikTok Shop to promote specific brands and products by linking to products featured in their videos.
In addition, there is an opportunity to earn through TikTok Affiliate. You can use the Affiliate Program to promote brands that are relevant to your followers and then earn a commission on any sales you make.
Collecting tips
If your viewers like what you’re doing, they can send you tips directly through your TikTok profile. You get to keep 100% of the tip amount (minus the Stripe processing fee).
Before you can start collecting tips you must meet TikTok’s eligibility requirements. You have to be over 18 years old, with at least 100,000 followers.
Several TikTok creators also choose to repurpose their streams by uploading them for content on YouTube, which is one of the best-paying platforms for creators. This can be done by uploading highlights of your videos to YouTube or by creating longer, edited videos.
If you want to learn more about how to use TikTok, you can check out our other guides, including how to duet on TikTok and how to Stitch on TikTok.
