How to Make Money on TikTok: Turning Content Into Cash

Are you a content Creator wondering how to make money on TikTok? If you have the right strategy, the platform can be a serious income generator. 

TikTok was once a playground primarily for entertainment and music, but it’s evolved since its humble beginnings. Now, it’s one of the top platforms for Creators to build an engaged niche community and let their creativity run wild. 

It’s also a thriving ecosystem for Creators to turn passion into profit. And as the platform has matured, it’s become an essential part of many Creators’ businesses. 

If you’re creating quality content on TikTok, growing your following, and refining your strategy, it might be time for you to consider the platform’s money making potential. Below, we explain how to make the platform profitable and break down the monetization strategies to add to your Creator toolkit.

TikTok 101: The Best Features For Creators

TikTok was launched in September 2016 by the company ByteDance, who also owns the content platform, Lemon8. It became instantly popular after it merged with the musical app, Musical.ly. Now, TikTok is a go-to place for Creators to grow their following, especially since TikTok’s 4.25% engagement rate is the highest amongst social media platforms. 

For Creators who are learning how to make money on TikTok, the platform has a range of features to help you produce better content, grow your following, and engage your audience, including:

• Short-form videos up to 10 minutes: Though TikTok is known for its short, bite-size videos, users can actually upload videos up to 10 minutes in length! This extra time gives Creators freedom to produce more in depth video content.  
• Music integration: TikTok has a licensing agreement with major music publishers, which allows Creators to use music in their videos without paying royalties. Leveraging trending audio can help Creators improve the reach of their videos. Some music Creators have even gained success and notoriety because their music went viral on TikTok!
• Discoverability: TikTok’s for-you page (FYP) curates a personalized content feed for each user based on their interactions and interests. Their highly developed algorithm helps niche Creators gain more visibility and followers by serving their content to their target audience. 
• Collaboration: Users and Creators can collaborate with others in “duets,” engaging each other in an intriguing dialogue and helping each other get more exposure. 
• Trends: Trends move quickly on TikTok, but Creators can go viral and tap into niche communities by taking advantage of these trends.
• Niche Communities: TikTok’s micro-communities allow Creators to connect with a specific audience. For example, #booktok is a sub community that focuses on books and literature, which has amassed over 112 billion views.

How to Make Money on TikTok with Influencer Campaigns

Are you a fashion influencer or food influencer wondering how to make money on TikTok? You can earn income on TikTok with influencer campaigns regardless of your influencer niche—in fact, any type of Creator can earn money on TikTok.

Collaborating with brands is a powerful way to make money on TikTok. Brands are particularly interested in partnering with TikTok Creators because of their strong engagement rates and viral potential. These partnerships can range from one-time collaborations to long-term brand ambassadorships, and often involve product promotion through high quality content to an engaged audience. The key to success here is to choose brands that align with your niche and values, ensuring your content feels authentic to your audience.

In addition to a content partnership, here are a few other ways to partner with brands to make money on TikTok:

• Sponsored Challenges and Hashtags: Brands often create sponsored challenges or hashtags on TikTok and pay Creators to participate. By participating in these challenges and incorporating the brand’s message or product creatively, you can earn money while engaging with your audience in a fun and interactive way.
• Takeovers: Some brands pay Creators to take over their TikTok account for a day or a set period. During the takeover, Creators can engage with the brand’s audience and create content that showcases the brand’s offerings. 
• Giveaways: Partnering with a brand on a giveaway on TikTok is a fantastic way to engage your audience and promote products or services while fostering a sense of community. By partnering effectively with the brand and running an exciting giveaway, you can boost engagement, gain exposure, and strengthen your relationship with your TikTok audience.

How to Make Money on TikTok With Affiliate Marketing

One of the most effective strategies for making money on TikTok is affiliate marketing. Since TikTok thrives on trends and authentic product reviews, affiliate marketing is particularly well-suited for TikTok. And TikTok’s diverse user demographics provide an audience for nearly every niche. Creators can tap into this broad spectrum of interests to promote products that align with their audience. 

If you’re curious about how to make money on TikTok using affiliate marketing, here are a few strategies for driving affiliate sales on TikTok:

• Promote products organically: Driving affiliate sales is all about creating buzz and excitement, so integrate product promotions into your content organically. Select products that closely match your niche and appeal to your target audience. Authenticity is paramount, so opt for products or services that you genuinely endorse and believe in. Your enthusiasm will shine through in your promotions, making them more convincing.
• Create engaging affiliate content: TikTok’s short video format encourages Creators to create an interesting hook that captures the audience’s attention. Craft compelling and visually appealing content that effectively communicates the benefits and utility of the affiliate products or services. Use catchy music, eye-catching visuals, and concise messaging to captivate your audience.
• Integrate affiliate links tactfully: Incorporate your affiliate links thoughtfully within your TikTok video descriptions, and use a link in bio tool to house all your affiliate links in one place. Make sure to add compelling CTA’s to drive your audience to these links and create urgency by talking about deals and trending products. 
• Track and optimize performance: Keep a close watch on key metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and earnings. Use these insights to refine your approach and optimize the most effective methods.

How to Make Money on TikTok With the Revamped TikTok Creator Fund

If you want to know how to make money on TikTok, be sure to sign up for the revamped TikTok Creator Fund, which is now known as the Creativity Program Beta. The platform launched the program in July 2020 to reward Creators for their original, creative, and authentic videos. 

How does it work? This program pays Creators monthly dividends based on their total views on eligible videos. 

If you meet all the requirements, you can apply through your account. It’s important to note that videos created before the application and approval for the Creativity Program Beta aren’t eligible for earnings, nor are Livestreams, Duets, or Stitches. And what you can earn is based on a variety of factors, including audience engagement and views.

How Many Followers Do You Need on TikTok to Make Money From The Creativity Program?

If you’re wondering how many followers you need on TikTok to make money from the Creativity Program Beta, there’s a minimum requirement; according to TikTok, you must have at least 10,000 followers to apply for this program. 

Aside from a minimum follower count, you have to meet these other eligibility requirements for TikTok’s Creativity Program Beta:  

1. You have to have a Pro or Creator account.
2. You are at least 18 years old. 
3. You reside in one of the following markets: U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Korea, or Italy.
4. Your views have to be authentic. So, no buying views or followers. 
5. Your account is in good standing and complies with TikTok’s community guidelines and TikTok’s terms of service. 

These requirements are set by the platform and here’s no getting around them. However, a substantial following paired with good social media strategy is the basis of how to make money on TikTok.

How Many Views on TikTok Do You Need to Make Money From TikTok’s Creativity Program Beta?

Let’s get straight to the point: you need at least 100,000 views over the last 30 days if you’re curious about how many views on TikTok you need to make money through the Creativity Program Beta.

If you’re worried about achieving this high milestone, keep in mind that TikTok videos continue to have a very strong viewership. According to a survey by SocialPilot, “in the last year more than 1 billion videos have been viewed every day.” That’s a large part of the TikTok viewing pie you can tap into! 

Once you meet the requirements, you can apply to TikTok’s Creativity Program Beta to draw income from your content.

How to Get Paid For TikTok Creativity Program Content

Now that you know how to make money on TikTok with the Creativity Program Beta, here are the specifics on getting paid. TikTok pays their Creators on a monthly basis and Creators can withdraw their funds at any time. Funds are located within the program dashboard and for each video created, funds are available for withdrawal 30 days after posting. You’ll need a Zelle or PayPal account in order to receive your money, and there’s a $10 minimum withdrawal amount. 

Here’s how to find your TikTok Creativity Program dashboard:

1. Log into your account and tap on the profile button in the lower right corner of the screen.
2. Tap on the hamburger menu, or three lines, at the top right of the screen.
3. Tap on “Creator tools.”
4. Tap on “Creativity Program Beta.”

Your Creator tools menu contains everything you need as a content Creator utilizing TikTok. You’ll find your analytics, Creator portal, and post promotion options, among other tools.

How to Make Money on TikTok Live

TikTok Live allows users and Creators to connect with their followers in real-time. Creators can chat with their fans, host a Q&A session, do a tutorial, and more! Essentially, anything you can record, you can share during a TikTok Live event. In fact, they’re particularly powerful for product promotions and live shopping events, as 50% of TikTok users have bought something after watching a Live. 

How to make money on TikTok Live involves engaging with your audience during live streams, and utilizing a range of in-app features. These features include TikTok gifts, a virtual currency that can be redeemed for money. Audiences can purchase “coins” through the app, that they can exchange for “gifts” (like virtual diamonds), and then they can send these gifts to Creators during their live streaming sessions. Keep in mind, though, that TikTok takes a 50% commission from these gifts. 

If you’re interested in earning more through TikTok Live, make sure to promote your livestream in advance. A week or two before, let your followers know you’re hosting a Live. Ask for any questions they might have before and let them know what they can expect. 

To use TikTok Live, you have to be 18 and older and have at least 1,000 followers. 

How to Make Money on TikTok with TikTok Series

TikTok Series is a relatively new feature on the platform that launched in Spring 2023. This feature allows Creators to create longer-form content and charge audience members for access to premium, gated content, giving Creators another venue for monetizing content. Though similar to other long-form content formats such as YouTube Originals, TikTok Series videos are different from other platforms as they are optimized for mobile viewing through the TikTok app.

TikTok Series gives Creators more creative freedom by expanding potential video length. While the standard video function allows up to 10 minutes of video on TikTok, Series provides Creators 20 minutes of recording time. Creators can include up to 80 videos in each Series, creating a “collection” that functions like a season of a TV show. By putting these Series behind a paywall, Creators can decide whether subscribers pay per video or per collection of content. Creators can set their own prices, and TikTok allows Creators to charge subscribers between $0.99 to $189.99. 

While Creators get to keep their revenue, TikTok takes a cut for processing and other fees—expect to pay the platform up to 30%. However, Series has an established following and is a no-brainer if you’re wondering how to make money on TikTok. 

Keep in mind that TikTok Series requires an application process. The eligibility requirements are similar to applying to the Creator Fund. 

• You have to be 18 or older. 
• Your TikTok account is older than 30 days.
• You have at least 10,000 followers and 1,000 views or more in the last 30 days. 
• Your account is in good standing.

Additionally, TikTok only allows certain types of accounts to partake in Series. You must have a public-facing, personal account. Business, private, and political accounts cannot participate in TikTok Series.

How to Make Money on TikTok from Selling Digital Products and Merchandise

Harnessing the power of digital products and merchandise are two more ways that Creators can learn how to make money on TikTok.

Digital Products

The creation and sale of digital products represent an enticing opportunity for Creators with specialized knowledge or skills. Delve into your unique expertise and craft digital offerings that cater to your niche. Suppose you’re a culinary wizard; you can develop comprehensive recipe books, complete with step-by-step cooking tutorials and personalized tips. These digital products not only showcase your expertise but also offer tangible value to your followers.

To effectively market these digital gems, weave them seamlessly into your TikTok content. Share bite-sized previews of your recipe book’s delectable dishes or tantalizing glimpses of your expert tutorials. The key is to pique your audience’s interest and demonstrate the genuine worth of your digital products. You can then provide a link in your bio that directs intrigued viewers to your online store, where they can easily acquire your offerings.

Merchandise

By developing custom merchandise, you’re providing your audience with a tangible connection to your content.

Effective branding is crucial here. Design merchandise that not only reflects your personality but also aligns with your content’s message. If you’ve built your TikTok persona around positivity and motivation, your merchandise should radiate those same vibes. Your merchandise is an extension of your online persona, and a statement piece for your followers.

TikTok videos provide the perfect canvas for showcasing your merchandise in action. Create engaging videos that spotlight your products, illustrating how they integrate seamlessly into your followers’ lives. Allow your viewers to envision themselves wearing your apparel, sipping from your mugs, or proudly displaying your phone cases. By infusing your merchandise with your brand’s essence and using TikTok to showcase your products, you can foster a genuine connection with your audience and, in turn, boost sales.

How Much Does TikTok Pay?

Now that you know how to make money on TikTok, you may be wondering how much does TikTok pay. While there’s not an exact number, and each monetization avenue produces different results, Creators suggest that the platform pays between two and four cents per every 1,000 views. 

But getting paid by TikTok through their Creativity Program or gifts is only one small method. Influential TikTok Creators are bringing in huge incomes through brand partnerships and by becoming brand ambassadors. For example, Charli D’Amelio is one of TikTok’s biggest and most followed Creators. She started posting lip-syncing and dancing videos on the platform in 2019, and has since accumulated over 150 million followers. She has had brand sponsorships with Morphe cosmetics, Pura Vida, and Hollister, just to name a few. Charli reportedly makes $100,000 per sponsored TikTok video. 

Final Thoughts on How to Make Money on TikTok

TikTok stands out among other social media platforms as it offers exciting opportunities for Creators to monetize their content. To succeed, you need to be creative and dedicated, and deeply understand the audience you want to attract. Whether you’re an expert content Creator or just starting out, TikTok is the ideal platform. If you’re patient and persistent, you have the opportunity to build a successful following.