If you’ve been on social media at all in the past year, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of TikTok. The app, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, has quickly become one of the most popular platforms online, with more than 1 billion users worldwide.
And while it’s primarily used for entertainment purposes (users share short videos of themselves lip-syncing or performing stunts), many people are wondering if it’s possible to make money on TikTok. So, how much do TikTokers make? Let’s take a look.
What is TikTok, and how does it work?
Before diving into how much money TikTokers can make, let’s first look at the app itself. TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to share short videos of themselves. The videos are usually around 15 seconds long and often feature people lip-syncing or dancing to popular songs. TikTok also has a number of built-in effects and filters that users can apply to their videos.
TikTok is available on both iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play Store. Once you’ve installed the app, you’ll need to create an account and set up your profile. You can then start browsing videos, following other users, and liking and commenting on videos. If you want to create your videos, you can do so by tapping the “+” icon at the bottom of the screen. This will open up the TikTok camera, where you can record your video. Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy.
Now, we go to the most important question:
How Much Do TikTokers Make?
That depends on a variety of factors, including your number of followers, the country you’re in, and the type of content you create. For example, US-based users with over 10,000 followers can make up to $5,000 per post, while those in China with over 1 million followers can earn up to $50,000 per post. The bottom line is that if you’re creative and have a sizable audience, you can make quite a bit of money on TikTok.
Now, with the TikTok Creator Fund, TikTok pays between $0.02 and $0.04 for every 1,000 views. After hitting a million views, some quick calculation suggests that you might anticipate receiving $20 to $40.
Let’s dive further into the ways you can make money on TikTok…
How do people make money on TikTok, and what are the most popular ways to do so?
There are a few different ways that people make money on TikTok.
Brand Deals and Sponsorships
The most popular method is through sponsorships and brand deals. TikTok users with a large following can partner with brands and companies to promote their products or services in their videos. These deals can be negotiated directly with the brands or through TikTok’s own Creator Marketplace, which connects brands with TikTok creators.
However, TikTok users with a small following can use TikTok affiliate marketing strategies to promote affiliate products while generating leads for their business.
TikTok Shops
Another way to make money on TikTok is by selling products. This can be done either by promoting products in your videos or through TikTok’s Live Shopping feature, which allows you to sell products directly to your fans while streaming live. You can also sell merchandise through TikTok, such as t-shirts, mugs, and phone cases, with TikTok’s Merch by Creator program.
Become an Influencer
You can also make money on TikTok by becoming a TikTok influencer. This involves working with brands to promote their products or services to your followers. You can also work with brands to create sponsored videos or even just mention them in your videos. This can be a great way to make money on TikTok if you have a large and engaged following.
According to growth marketer Zach Grove, it’s possible for even a new Tik Toker to earn $1K from a single product review video with the right strategy.
TikTok Creator Fund
Finally, you can earn money on TikTok, through the TikTok Creator Fund, by becoming a creative content creator. The TikTok Creator Fund is a way for TikTok to invest in its top creators so that they can continue to make great content for the platform, which also enables creators to monetize their material.
To be eligible for the TikTok Creator Fund, the user must be based in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, or Italy, must have a Pro account, must have at least 10,000 followers, and have received at least 100,000 views in the past 30 days. The biggest money will go to those with more than 1 million followers. TikTokers’ earnings range will differ depending on several variables, including their locations and points of view.
Additionally, you must be 18 years of age or older and adhere to the terms of service and community guidelines for TikTok. Furthermore, you ought to create fresh content if you want to earn money from your efforts.
What are the risks and challenges of making money on TikTok?
Like any social media platform, there are a few risks and challenges associated with making money on TikTok. First and foremost, you need to be aware of scammers and fraudsters who may try to take advantage of you. There have been reports of people being scammed out of money after agreeing to promote products that don’t exist or being asked to pay for goods and services that were never received.
Second, you need to be aware of the potential legal challenges associated with making money on TikTok. This is particularly true if you plan on working with brands and promoting their products in your videos. You need to make sure that you’re not violating any laws, such as those relating to advertising, and that you’re not breaching any of TikTok’s terms and conditions.
Finally, you need to be aware of the potential reputational risks associated with making money on TikTok. If you’re promoting products or services that are controversial or could be seen as harmful, this could damage your reputation and negatively affect your career. You need to be very careful about what you promote and only agree to promote products or services that you’re comfortable with.
Despite these risks and challenges, there’s still a lot of potential to make money on TikTok. If you’re creative, have a large following, and are careful about the products and services you promote, you could be successful in making money on TikTok.
Is TikTok a sustainable income source?
This is a difficult question to answer, as there is no set amount of money that someone can make on TikTok. It depends on many factors, such as the size of your following, the engagement rate of your videos, and the brands you’re working with. Generally speaking, the more followers you have and the higher your engagement rate, the more money you can make.
That said, TikTok is not a sustainable income source for most people. The vast majority of users will not make enough money to live off of, and even those who are successful in making money on TikTok will likely only make a part-time income. If you’re looking to make a full-time income from TikTok, it’s important to be realistic about your expectations.
Conclusion
If you’re not already making money on TikTok, there’s no harm in starting. However, it’s important to set realistic expectations and be aware of the risks and challenges associated with making money on the platform.
Remember, most people will not make enough money to live off of, and even those who are successful in making money on TikTok will likely only make a part-time income. With that said, if you’re creative, have a large following, and are careful about the products and services you promote, you could be successful in making money on TikTok.
Ervin Kalemi
