It’s no secret that TikTok has taken the social media world by storm. And as mainstream interest grows in this platform, so do your options for making money through it.
Maybe you're already creating content on TikTok and want to see if you can turn your hobby into an actual side hustle. Or, if you think you have what it takes to make it big on TikTok, you stand to make some major cash.
You can make money on TikTok — so pull out your ring light and start filming!
Step 1: Understand the TikTok Platform
TikTok is a social media platform focused largely on short-form video content and live video content. Like any social media network, users can follow accounts they enjoy and can like, share, or comment on content. It's is a fun platform to get creative on, thanks to a variety of musical clips, special effects, and filters that creators can use to make their content stand out.
If you feel overwhelmed by the platform, don't worry! There are tons of creators who share helpful tips on TikTok about how to become a professional creator, like this TikTok101 by @jera.bean. Sit back, relax, and soak in the knowledge.
Once you have a strong understanding of how TikTok works, you can begin to take steps to make money yourself.
Not sure how much you should expect to make? Here's a transparent look at exactly how much Erika earns on TikTok and other social media platforms.
@erikakullberg How much I get paid from social media 🤯 The amounts are just what platforms pay and don’t include sponsorships, which is another way creators get paid! @Creators Agency ♬ original sound – Money Lawyer Erika
Step 2: Identify Your Niche
There is a wide world of creators on TikTok who cover almost every topic imaginable. People choose to follow creators who narrow in on what interests them, so being too broad isn't the way to get many TikTok followers. You want to create content that is narrow and deep here, not wide!
While it may be tempting to choose a niche that feels like it has the most potential to catch attention on the platform, you need to pick one that really resonates with you. The more passionate you are about the content you create and the greater expertise you bring to the table, the more your TikTok videos will make an impact on your target audience.
Not sure where to start? Here are some great niches that lend themselves well to video content.
- Beauty
- Fashion
- Food
- Travel
- Finance
- Humor
- Books
- Movies
- Music
- Gaming
- Art
- Home decor
Step 3: Define Your Brand
Once you decide what your niche is going to be, you can think carefully about how to craft a personal brand around that niche. For example, if you are going to create beauty content, you want to make sure that your hair and makeup always look polished in videos. If you plan to create food content, you can benefit a lot from giving your kitchen a little refresh and making sure it is clean, nicely decorated, and well-lit. Your branding will extend to your handle name, the music you choose, your background, what you wear, and how you present yourself overall.
With over 7 million followers, @alixearle is a great example of a creator who has a very strong personal brand: fun, down-to-earth, and glam. Her trademark GRWM (“get ready with me”) videos are beloved for the personal look they give into her life while she spills all her beauty and style secrets.
Step 4: Create Compelling Content
It can be tempting to produce as much content as possible to keep your followers engaged, but sloppy content won’t get you very far on TikTok. The app has over 1 billion users, so it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. Slow down and focus on producing fewer, higher-quality videos in lieu of quickly churning out one random, hurried video after another.
To make a plan for creating compelling content, check out some of the top content creators in your niche and study the type of content they produce. This doesn’t mean you should copy them (originality will get you a lot further), but you can get an idea of what their similar audience resonates with and what steps they take to make their content really shine.
Alongside paying attention to what they do right, it can be really helpful to take note of what you think you can do better and how you can stand out.
Step 5: Grow Your Following
While many TikTokers start out hoping to go viral, that’s generally the exception rather than the rule. You need to anticipate slow and steady growth to make money on the app, which will be the hardest part of the journey. Don't give up if it takes time to attract the right followers!
When publishing your content, pay attention to what hashtags and trending challenges are currently trending. That way, you can plan content that will resonate with the current cultural zeitgeist. You can also take note of what songs and sounds are trending on the app, as TikTok’s algorithm often promotes videos using those elements more heavily.
When you do start to get engagement on your videos, it is imperative that you engage back. While big content creators can’t respond to every comment or direct message they get, smaller ones can. Engaging with your audience is one of the best ways to build a loyal following that wants to keep showing your account support.
If you really want to invest in growing your TikTok account, you can always put some money behind your content. Paying for TikTok ads is a great way to expose more people to your content. You can treat your TikTok channel like any other type of small business and create a marketing budget to help speed up growth.
Step 6: Choose How to Monetize
The neat thing about making money on TikTok is you have a few options for how you can monetize. Here are some ideas to get you started on the financial side.
Make money on TikTok: Brand partnerships
Like social media creators on any channel, TikTok creators have the option to partner with brands through sponsored content arrangements.
Sometimes brands will reach out directly, but if there is a brand you are excited about, you can also reach out to them. The size of your audience and you engagement level will determine what you charge for a sponsored post. A creator with 100,000 followers might expect to make about $1,000 for a brand deal, whereas a creator with 1 million followers could charge $10,000.
Keep in mind that your niche matters as well. Some niches pay more than others and brands that are closely related to your niche will pay more than brands that are not. For example, if you do makeup tutorials, Sephora would be willing to pay more than Adidas to be featured on your platform.
Remember the goal for any company is to get their brand in front of as many potential customers as possible.
Often, brands send products for content creators to feature in their TikToks and may require certain hashtags or for the creator to promote the content a certain number of times. When you work with a brand, expect them to review and approve your content before sharing it to make sure they are happy with it.
And remember — you need to disclose any sponsored content so you don’t mislead viewers into believing you are promoting a brand with no incentive!
Make money on TikTok: Affiliate marketing
If you don’t have a strong following yet, brands may not be willing to invest in you just yet. One way to make money and illustrate to brands that your account has selling power is to take advantage of affiliate marketing. You can promote products you love and use to your audience.
When you provide affiliate links when promoting products and someone makes a purchase using your link, you will earn a commission. This can be either a percentage of the sale or a set dollar amount. As you grow your following, affiliate income can really add up. And as a bonus, you will have the data you need to show brands that you have an engaged audience that trusts your product recommendation.
To make things really easy, TikTok actually offers its own affiliate program that you can use without even leaving the app. With TikTok Shop, you can showcase and sell products for your community to purchase. TikTok provides you with all the resources you need to get really good at affiliate sales. You gain access to detailed performance analysis so you can track what works well for your audience and can use TikTok’s campaign promotion tools.
Make money on TikTok: Sell products and services
If you're a business owner already or sell things on Etsy, you probably don't want to start by promoting other people's products. If you have a product that really pops on camera, make TikToks showing how to use it, style it, or otherwise promote it!
If you have a service that benefits from detailed explanations before customers are on board, take advantage of having a captive audience to walk them through how your services can benefit them.
Also, TikTok users love behind-the-scenes videos! They have an authentic feel that helps people get to know you and your brand.
You can then include a link to your website or shopfront in your profile.
Keep in mind that with a small following, you can only include a non-clickable link in your profile. Once you upgrade to a business account and have at least 1,000 followers, you can add a clickable link, which will likely lead to more users getting to your site.
Related: How To Start an Etsy Shop
Make money on TikTok: Creator Rewards Program
As a way to reward original, high-quality content, TikTok's Creator Rewards Program pays eligible creators a certain amount per thousand views — somewhere between 50¢ and $1.
You have to meet several criteria to be eligible for the program. You must be in a country where the program is available, be over the age of 18, boast 10k followers, and have 100k views in the last month. You also have to be using a personal account (as opposed to a business account) and be in good standing.
The Creator Rewards Program encourages original, longer content, so if you want to apply for the program, plan to film and post videos longer than 60 seconds. They reward higher-quality content, so avoid posting lots of mediocre videos onto your profile to get more views because you won't make more money that way!
TikTok relies on user-generated content, so it's in the company's best interest to keep creators like you satisfied and motivated to keep making good content.
Make money on TikTok: Paywalled Series
The TikTok Series feature is a way for creators to provide collections of exclusive content to paying subscribers.
To be eligible, your account must be public and older than 30 days, you have to be over the age of 18, have 10k or more followers, have 3+ public posts in the last 30 days, and have at least 1,000 views in the last month.
Viewers can only unlock your content if they purchase access, which they can do on your profile. You can only have one Series, but it can hold up to 80 videos ranging in length from 30 seconds to 20 minutes.
If you're serious about taking the next steps and becoming a prolific TikToker, the Series feature is a great way to earn some more money from the platform!
FAQs
How long does it take to start making money on TikTok?
It's hard to say. Remember that the more people view your content, the more money you can make. It might take you a few months or a few years, and it really depends on how quickly you can hit those numbers of watchers and followers.
Just create high-quality content, pay attention to what is resonating with your audience and be yourself.
Related: 12 Passive Income Ideas
Learn With Erika
- Free Travel Secrets Workshop
- Learn how to use the fine print to book your next vacation practically for free with Erika's step-by-step system
- Free 5 Day Investing Challenge
- Learn how to get started as a beginner investor and make your first $10,000
- Free 5 Day Savings Challenge
- Discover how you can save $1,000 without penny pinching or making major life sacrifices
- Join Erika Kullberg Insiders
- Ask investing questions, share successes and participate in monthly challenges and expert workshops
…
