TikTok often looks like an easy way to make some serious cash.
From starring in movies and TV shows to developing clothing lines, those who have made it big on the social media platform have expanded their empire into major money makers – and sometimes all it takes is one viral video to launch your career.
But while TikTok can rocket you to stardom, it is hard to say how much you can earn exactly from the app alone, and how much sponsored posts and being part of the ‘creators fund’ realistically pay.
It all depends on how far your reach is what kind of niche you have, and the way you want to make your money.
What is TikTok’s creator fund?
Established in 2020, the TikTok creators fund was made to reward users who have an established following for using the app. However, to be part of that exclusive community, you will need around 100,000 authentic followers – so not bought bots.
However, the fund does not seem to be a lucrative as it’s presented to be, with top TikToker Preston Seo, who now has 2.5 million TikTok followers telling Business Insider that between January and May 2021, the fund paid him a total of about $1,664.
Other top TikTokers such as Hank Green announced that the fund he received was between $0.02 and $0.03 for every one thousand views on the platform.
Making money from TikTok’s ad-revenue sharing programme
As the app grew in popularity, TikTok announced in 2022 that brands could buy ads alongside ‘the top 4%’ – those who have at least 100,000 followers – of content in different categories.
This would take the form of ad revenue through a contextual advertising programme called TikTok Pulse and act as another way to make money through the app.
The creator who appeared before the in-feed ad would get 50% of the revenue.
However, the payments have been dubbed as ‘disappointing’ by content creators, with some telling Business Insider that they had only received between a few pennies and $17 in their first two monthly payments from Pulse.
Virtual TikTok ‘gifts’ as monetisation
TikTok also allows content creators to receive gifts during livestreams, which can be converted into cash.
For example, Jakey Boehm, an Australian ‘sleepfluencer’ who livestreams on TikTok while trying to sleep as fans do their best to keep him up reportedly earned $34,000 from TikTok Live in a single month.
Earning through sponsored TikTok ads
Any brand can sponsor a TikToker to advertise their items, whether it be fashion, food or skincare. Companies such as Gymshark, Chipotle and even Rhianna’s makeup brand, Fenty Beauty, use influencers to advertise their brand.
However, the amount they will pay a TikToker depends on the reach and the level of engagement that the creator can bring to the company. For example, a content creator could post a ‘get ready with me to…’ video where they only use products from the brand which will bring more advertising.
Other ways a sponsored post works could be through reviews of products and challenges, such as the Chipotle Lid Flip.
A sponsored or ad post can be spotted through the hashtags #ad or #sponsored, and of course, hitting a minimum of 1,000 followers doesn’t guarantee sponsors – you’ll need a niche to attract their attention.
According to the influencer marketing software company Social Book, those who have a ‘Nano’ following, which is in the range of 1,000 to 10,000, can make around $25 to $125 (£20 to £100) per sponsored TikTok post. You can spot these by #ad or #sponsored hashtags.
How to make money through TikTok
Sign up for the TikTok Creator Fund, which TikTok says is ‘our way of celebrating and supporting creators for your dedication, ingenuity, and spirit’.
- You will need to be 18 or over
- Live in the US, UK, Germany, Italy, France or Spain
- Have 10,000 authentic followers
- Have at least 100,000 authentic video views in the last 30 days
Other ways to make money are through:
- Creating brand sponsored content
- Become an affiliate marketer
- Sell your own merch
For those who have a bigger following, of between 10,000 and 100,000, the average these ‘Micro’ TikTokers are making is around $30 to $400 (around £25 to £320) per post.
While Social Book states this means Micro TikTokers could earn a minumum $50,000 (£40,000) a year, at the lower end of the scale, that equates to about five sponsored posts a day.
A ‘Macro’ TikToker has more than 100,000 followers and can make around $1,200 to $2,500 (£950-£2,000) per post, which could mean earnings of up to around $400,000 (£320,000) per year.
‘Mega’ TikTokers can earn more than $2,500 per post, putting them at around a million dollars a year at a little over a post per day.
But it’s not just the US where you can see this type of money. UK influencers have seen a substantial payout.
According to The Tab, TikTok stars across the UK are making thousands of pounds per post.
One influencer, @rhia.official, posts videos of her mainly unboxing mystery gifts, has around 15.5 million followers and 418 million likes. She reportedly earned more than £12,000 per sponsored post in 2023.
Another influencer, Kyle Thomas has 35.1 million followers on TikTok and 1.6 billion likes posts videos of animals and animal welfare, said he earned almost £30,000 per post on TikTok in 2023.
However, these are people at the top of the game. TikTok is no guaranteed way to earn a living.
Exploding Topics reports the average amount a TikToker makes is around £12,000 and £20,000 – so not enough to quit your day job.
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