According to Forbes, TikTokers are earning up to $100,000 – $250,000 per branded post. Some TikTok “celebrities” are even earning $500,000 per post!
These TikTokers do not have years of experience in content creation or hold a four-year marketing degree from reputable colleges (not undermining the value of that😬)
But the truth is — TikTok has empowered ANYONE and EVERYONE to make crazy amounts of money. There are no formal requirements — quite literally.
All you need is some quick wit, aesthetics, and an internet-enabled mobile phone!
How does it really play out, though? What are the steps you gotta take to bag such huge amounts of money?
Well, that’s exactly what we’ll discuss in this post. We’ll show you how to begin your journey on TikTok and share some really good ways to make money on TikTok.
Let’s get started!
Summary
How to earn money on TikTok - The Basics
If you’re completely new to TikTok, first you have to install the app from Google PlayStore and then create an account. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create an account on TikTok:
- Choose a Niche: Identify what you’re passionate about or knowledgeable in. Whether it’s comedy, beauty, education, or gaming, finding your niche is crucial.
- Create a Compelling Profile: Use a clear profile picture, a catchy username, and a bio that clearly defines your content. Think of it as your elevator pitch to potential followers. Do not opt for difficult-to-remember or difficult-to-type business names.
- Understand TikTok’s Algorithm: TikTok’s algorithm is powerful but time-sensitive. The only way to thrive on the platform is to ensure consistency. So, we recommend posting regularly. Engage with trends, use popular hashtags, and collaborate with others to increase your visibility.
Some key tips to optimize your TikTok profile for increased discoverability are as follows:
- Use niche-relevant, specific keywords in your bio.
- Keep an eye on trending hashtags and include them in your bio or latest posts
- Create attention-grabbing thumbnails for your videos
- Follow and collaborate with other creators in your niche
- Post consistently for at least a month
The rest you’ll figure out along the way. Or you can always DM us!
9 Ways to Make Money on TikTok
Now, let’s jump into the 9 effective ways to make quick money on TikTok.
1. Join TikTok Creativity Program
Creators who consistently post new and unique videos can sign up for TikTok’s creativity program. As a part of this program, you could earn up to $4 – $8 per 1000 views. It’s basically an improvement of the TikTok Creator Fund that paid only $0.02 – $0.04 per 1000 views.
So, as a result of this new program, TikTokers who earned only a few dollars per month despite having millions of views per video, are now earning thousands of dollars for the same content. It’s really been a game-changer.
The eligibility criteria for this program is:
- Content must be US-based
- You should be 18 years or older
- You should have at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 total video views over the last month
There are some requirements for the video length and other metrics. You can dig deeper into these details on TikTok’s official page on Creativity Program.
2. Create TikToks for Exclusive Paid Content
Exclusive paid content refers to paid workshops, courses, digital products, templates, videos, and other such content. This means you can create TikToks that promote your paid content and direct your TikTok audience to the paid content.
For example, let’s say you have a website and you offer paid English language courses. You can create short TikTok videos with snippets of those lessons — or perhaps conduct short live teaching sessions. At the end of these videos, add links to the paid courses and support it with an encouraging CTA.
This monetization approach allows you to generate income in multiple ways. Say if you do not have 10,000 followers on TikTok currently, you can continue publishing your TikToks that redirect audience. Eventually, you will have 10k following on TikTok and can begin earning from this channel too!
Here are some actionable tips for this earning method:
- Identify what kind of exclusive content your audience values and is willing to pay for.
- Promote your paid content through engaging teasers on your main TikTok profile.
- Regularly interact with your fans during live sessions to enhance the sense of community and encourage support for your exclusive offerings.
3. Sell Merch
Another powerful way to monetize your TikTok presence is by selling merchandise related to your content. Whether it’s custom-designed apparel, accessories, or other merchandise, your fans can become your customers, proudly sporting items that represent your unique brand.
For example, let’s say you’re a fitness influencer known for your unique workout routines. You can create merchandise like branded workout gear, water bottles, or motivational posters that resonate with your fitness-focused audience.
You can promote this merch when demonstrating exercises in your videos. It encourages your followers to join the fitness movement by sporting your branded gear.
Now — since you won’t be an established brand like GymShark or Nike — what you can do is opt for mainstream aesthetics merch. Try to go for things you see trending, such as:
- Bottles or shirts with trending quotes
- Hoodies with a famous TikTok quote or a catchphrase you’re known for
- Aesthetic stickers, wristbands, or headbands that you think people will adore
- Notebooks with eye-catching or resonating designs
When you’ve settled on what you want to sell, utilize print-on-demand services that handle production and shipping. In this way, you will be selling while focusing on creating content. Some examples of such print-on-demand services include Printful, Teespring, or Merch by Amazon.
4. Create In-feed Ads
Monetizing your TikTok account goes beyond organic reach – it’s about partnering with brands and leveraging in-feed ads. TikTok’s in-feed ads smoothly integrate into users’ For You page, offering a direct way to showcase products or services to a vast audience. Here’s how you can leverage in-feed ads to boost your income:
- Switch to a Pro Account: Upgrade your TikTok account to a Pro Account to gain access to TikTok’s Creator Marketplace, where brands actively seek collaborations with content creators.
- Build a Strong Profile: Brands are attracted to creators with a consistent aesthetic and engaging content. Focus on building a strong profile that reflects your niche and captivates your audience.
- Collaborate with Brands: Join TikTok’s Creator Marketplace and explore collaboration opportunities with brands relevant to your content. Participating in brand campaigns can earn you compensation for creating and promoting sponsored content.
- Create Engaging Ad Content: Craft in-feed ads that blend well with your usual content style. Your audience is more likely to engage with ads that feel authentic and align with your creative approach.
Here are 10 examples of TikTok in-feed ads that can serve as an excellent inspiration for your own.
5. Go Live for Virtual Gifts
Virtual gifts are digital items or animations that viewers can purchase and send to content creators during a live stream. These gifts are a form of in-app currency, and each gift has a different value in terms of coins. Viewers can buy coins with real money, and then use those coins to purchase and send virtual gifts to their favorite creators during live broadcasts.
Now, when viewers send virtual gifts, creators receive a corresponding amount of diamonds, which are a virtual currency within TikTok. Creators can then convert diamonds into real money. Also, these gifts are displayed in the live chat for everyone to see. This public display encourages interaction and can motivate others to send gifts as well.
The question is – WHY would anyone send you any virtual gifts at all?
Well, that would only happen if they genuinely appreciate you on the platform, benefit from you in any way, and would like to encourage you to keep doing your thing. You need to have a connection with them. For this, you need to have a strong TikTok brand identity (even if it’s your personal brand) and a strong community.
Since it’s not easy to do both, we can help you take a powerful start. Head onto this page to learn how.
6. Collect Tips
TikTok offers a feature that allows your audience to show their support by tipping you directly during your live streams. Think of it as a digital tip jar where your viewers can contribute to recognize your talent and efforts. Here’s how you can encourage and collect tips from your supportive audience:
- Enable Virtual Gifts: Make sure to enable the “Gifts” feature during your live stream. This allows your viewers to send you tips in the form of virtual gifts that can be converted into diamonds.
- Engage and Entertain: The more engaging and entertaining your live stream, the more likely viewers are to tip you. Showcase your unique talents, answer questions, and create a lively atmosphere to encourage audience participation.
- Express Gratitude: When you receive tips, express genuine gratitude. Acknowledge your viewers by name, thank them for their support, and create a positive and appreciative vibe in your live sessions.
- Set Tip Goals: Establish tip goals for your live streams. For example, you can set a goal for a certain number of tips or diamonds during a session. This adds excitement and encourages viewers to contribute to your goals.
7. Patreon Subscriptions
Patreon is a membership platform that allows creators to earn income by offering exclusive content, perks, and experiences to their dedicated fans, or “patrons.”
Creators, whether they are artists, writers, musicians, or any other content producers, can set up a Patreon account to receive ongoing financial support from their audience.
This opens up an opportunity for TikTokers to diversify their incomes — particularly for the following types of creators:
- Educators & teachers
- Entertainers in a specific niche
- Consultants
- Community builders
- In-depth content producers
- Artists
- Musicians
The methodology of this is similar to exclusive paid content. You can offer different subscription tiers on Patreon, each with its set of exclusive benefits. This could include early access to TikTok content, behind-the-scenes footage, or personalized shoutouts.
And then, promote this on TikTok.
8. Watch TikToks on Other Apps
This is an indirect way to earn money via TikTok and not as reliable as other methods. Basically, you can register on third-party apps to earn money by simply watching TikToks. These apps basically help rising TikTokers gain a stable following and viewership on TikTok, so they can monetize their accounts. You get paid for helping them achieve that.
Some influencer marketing agencies like Ubiquitous also run paid TikTok watching programs from time to time. So, you can sign up for that too.
Apart from this, you can register your TikToks on other platforms than TikTok where brands can ‘buy’ your TikTok video.
9. Promote Audio & Get Paid
If you’re a creator with a knack for music or unique sounds, TikTok offers a way for you to get paid by promoting your audio. TikTok’s Creator Fund includes a feature that allows you to earn money based on the popularity of the sounds you create. Here’s how you can turn your audio creativity into a revenue stream:
- Create Original Sounds: Develop unique and catchy sounds that resonate with your audience. Whether it’s a catchy tune, a catchphrase, or a sound effect, originality is key.
- Participate in TikTok Challenges: Encourage the use of your audio by participating in or creating TikTok challenges. The more users engage with your sound, the higher the potential earnings.
- Join the TikTok Creator Fund: To be eligible for the Creator Fund’s audio feature, ensure your TikTok account meets the criteria. This includes having at least 100,000 followers, being 18 years or older, and consistently producing original content.
- Promote Your Audio: Share your sounds across your social media channels, encouraging other TikTok creators to use them. Increased usage contributes to higher earnings through the Creator Fund.
Final Words
Before we sign off, there’s one more way to earn money on TikTok: signing up for affiliate programs. What you can do is review products voluntarily and tag brands, so they notice you and you attract the right attention. Or you can sign up for their official affiliate programs and earn through that.
With that said, now you know how to earn money on TikTok. We hope you make the most of it. Remember, most viral TikTok videos have always been about aesthetics and effects. If your script and idea is a 10, but the video quality, frame, or effects are subpar — you won’t be able to get any real attention. So, make sure you put out visually-pleasing or visually wow-worthy content. Good luck!
