Earning on TikTok: How to get started as a creator

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You may associate TikTok with hours wasted scrolling through short videos of everything from dogs to dance challenges, or perhaps you know it primarily as a controversial topic of debate. Either way, the social media platform has an amazing use case: making money.

Many users are leveraging TikTok to earn money and believe it or not, the platform has the potential to be quite profitable. But is it a good idea?

How to make money on TikTok

There are actually many ways to monetize TikTok, including:

• Join the TikTok Creator Fund: TikTok has a Creator Fund, which Keira Jones, a TikToker who manages and advises other TikTok brands, explained to Nerdwallet as “basically a pool of money that TikTok distributes among everyone” that is in the fund. The point is to encourage popular creators on the platform to keep posting their content. To be eligible, however, you’ll need to “have at least 10,000 followers, have received at least 100,000 video views in the past 30 days, and meet a few other requirements such as being 18 or older,” according to Nerdwallet. You can apply through the pro/creator account to start earning.
• Collection of brand partnerships: Another way to earn money through TikTok is to partner with brands. “For example, if you’re a makeup artist who posts makeup tips and tutorials on how to get the perfect winged liner, you might want to try partnering with your favorite makeup brand,” Time explained. From there, you could post a TikTok of all the products the company sends you in exchange for money. You can contact brands you are interested in working with directly, or if you have enough followers, brands may start reaching out to you. However, Jones told Nerdwallet that the latter is more likely to happen “the more niche you are,” meaning that TikTok accounts with more specific focus tend to do better with this approach than accounts with broader content.
• Selling via TikTok Shopping: You can also sell products via TikTok, thanks to the app’s built-in e-commerce platform. Not only can you promote products using TikTok, but creators “can also easily link to products featured in their videos,” noted Time. The products don’t have to be yours — you can tap into TikTok Affiliate, which you can use “can also easily link to products featured in their videos,” Time added.
• Promote songs: Another option to earn money on TikTok is to promote songs in the videos you make. “Music marketers and record labels regularly pay TikTok users to post on the app in an effort to make a new track go viral,” according to Insider. You’ll need to apply as a TikTok creator to get this potential income, but after that you can earn “up to $250 per video with TikTok’s PlaylistPush program,” Time said.
• Promote your business: You could also use TikTok to promote a business or even just a hobby you already have. By creating TikTok content, you may attract more buyers or customers and generally expand your reach. “It’s an incredible way to drive traffic to other channels — on your website, mailing list, or YouTube channel,” Jones told Nerdwallet. One TikToker estimated that 80% of his revenue is driven by TikTok referrals, NerdWallet reported.

How much can you earn from TikTok?

How much you can cash out can vary greatly. For creators, it largely depends “on how many followers and video views they have and how they monetize their TikTok,” Time said.

For example, a water park influencer with 9 million social media followers earned up to $20,000 for a single sponsored post, according to Insider. Meanwhile, an artist with just over 40,000 followers earned $574 from the TikTok Creator Fund.

For the promotion of the song, someone “with 200,000-300,000 followers who gets between 20,000 and 30,000 likes on a video could earn $200 for promoting a song”, the insider reported. While for those “who have 50,000 to 150,000 followers, rates are more variable, but can come down to anywhere from $20 to $150.”

What should you consider before you start trying to make money on TikTok?

If you’re interested in trying to capitalize on TikTok, it helps to come in with a plan. Start by considering your goals and which method of earning makes the most sense for you. Are you OK with boosting someone else’s brand or do you prefer to establish and promote your own business? Also consider how many followers and engagement you already have, as you’ll typically need to hit benchmarks to open up certain opportunities, like applying for TikTok’s Creator Fund.

It can also help to have a niche. Discover what you are passionate about and what value your content can provide. “Your niche will likely lend itself to certain revenue opportunities more than others,” noted Time. “For example, if all of your videos feature you dancing, promoting a song might be an easy fix.”

And while this is all a business, seasoned TikTokers say it’s important to stay authentic and remember to have fun with the whole thing. If TikTok doesn’t seem like a natural fit or you’re struggling to gain traction, remember that there are plenty of other ways to earn money, online or offline.

Becca Stanek has been an editor and writer in the personal finance industry since 2017. Previously, she served as managing editor for investing and savings content at LendingTree, editor at SmartAsset and writer for The Week.