TikTok isn’t just for dance videos or memes. It’s a platform where you can earn real income if you know how to leverage its tools.
With over a billion users, it offers multiple ways for content creators, influencers, business owners, or even casual users to monetize their presence.
And do you know the best part? – You don’t need millions of followers to start earning. With the right strategy, consistency, and engagement, you can turn your TikTok account into a source of income.
From brand partnerships to selling products directly, this guide breaks down actionable methods to turn views into revenue.
Let’s explore the strategies that work.
13 Proven Ways to Make Money on TikTok
Below are 13 ways to make money on TikTok, including direct earnings from the platform and external monetization strategies.
1. Join the TikTok Creator Funds Program
Formerly known as Creativity Program Beta, this allows users to earn when they publish high-quality quality long-form videos (one or two minutes).
However, you must meet the following criteria before you can be eligible:
- Be in an eligible country (e.g., US, UK, France, Germany)
- Must be 18 years old
- Should have a minimum of 10,000 followers
- Have at least 100,000 views in the past 30 days
Earnings depend on qualified views, engagement, and region. The minimum Payout is $10. From research, you can earn $0.02–$0.04 per 1,000 views (this may vary)
2. Partner with Brands for Sponsored Posts
If you’re consistent on a particular niche – let’s say Food – some brands are ready to pay and partner with you to earn a review and possible engagement from your followers.
The good thing is that most brands don’t care about the number of followers you have as long as you’ve got engagement on your posts.
Here are possible tips you can put into practice to attract sponsorships:
- Build a niche audience
- Post consistently
- Engage with your followers
- Use TikTok’s Creator Marketplace to connect with brands
- You can join influencer platforms like AspireIQ.
The pay may vary based on your reach and the size of the brand you’re working with: For instance, 50k to – 100k followers may earn you between $100 – $500 with company A while company B might bid higher/lower.
3. Earn Tips via TikTok Live (Live Gifts)
You’ll be able to go live on TikTok once you get to 1,000 followers. While on live stream, users can send you virtual gifts which you can convert to real money.
To benefit from this feature, you’ve to come up with something interesting to engage and keep viewers glued. Else little or nothing will be gifted to you.
Meet the following requirements to qualify:
- Get 1,000 followers
- Be 18 or older
- Don’t go against TikTok guidelines.
You can shout out your top gifters and engage actively with questions.
4. Selling Your Products/Services
TikTok is a great way to get referrals if you are already selling merchandise, physical goods, or offering any services online.
For instance – if you sell hair at wholesale price, you can make short clips showcasing available hair and a cheap price and upload them to TikTok to attract customers.
To further leverage this, you can add the location of your physical store and also make a waybill available to those who stay at a far distance.
Likewise, if you own a blog, YouTube channel, or other channels – TikTok is a great way to drive traffic to them.
You can:
- Add the link to your online store in your bio
- Use TikTok Shop for direct sales
- Promote your products through engaging videos
Likewise, you can design custom merch via Printful or Teespring. Promote it in videos.
5. TikTok Shop Affiliate Program
TikTok lets creators earn commissions by promoting products from TikTok Shop. You don’t need your store—just sign up, select products, and start marketing.
You can visit the site to get started – https://business.tiktokshop.com/us/affiliate
6. Promote Affiliate Products
You can earn commissions by promoting products and including affiliate links in your bio or video descriptions.
Some popular affiliate programs include:
- Amazon Associates
- ShareASale
- CJ Affiliate
7. Collect Tips and Donations from third-party websites
Fans can support you through platforms like:
- Patreon
- Ko-fi
- Buy Me a Coffee
Share your links in your bio and mention them in your videos.
8. Build and Sell TikTok Accounts
This idea involves growing and selling TikTok accounts to brands or creators who don’t have the patience to grow an account from scratch.
This could take months to achieve but it’s worth it especially when the following and engagement is large. You can also buy from sites like 123Accs, or Accfarm and resell for profits.
9. Consulting and Coaching
If you have expertise in TikTok growth, content creation, or a niche skill, offer coaching or consulting services.
You can charge for:
- 1-on-1 consultations
- Social media strategy guides
- Online courses
10. Monetizing Through UGC (User-Generated Content)
Brands need authentic videos for marketing. You can create UGC content for brands without posting it on your own TikTok. They pay you for the content, and they post it on their accounts.
11. Running TikTok Ads for Businesses
If you understand TikTok Ads, offer ad management services. Businesses need help setting up and optimizing TikTok ads to drive sales and engagement.
12. Join TikTok Series
Around July 2023, TikTok released a monetization program that allows users to create content that lives behind a paywall.
However, there are some criteria you must meet to apply:
- Must be 18 years
- Account must be older than 30 days
- Should have 10K followers
- Must have published 3+ public posts in the last 30 days
- You must have 1000+ views in the last 30 days
Creators who don’t have up to 10K followers can still apply if they can present proof of premium content they’ve sold on other platforms.
You can get more info on this program here – https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/introducing-a-new-way-for-creators-to-share-premium-content-with-series
13. Grow and Promote a Music Account
As an artist, TikTok is one of the fastest ways to get popular in this dispensation. Simply create a viral sound and make money as people stream your songs.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Upload original tracks or curated playlists. Earn royalties via DistroKid or TuneCore.
- Tag artists or labels to increase visibility.
FAQs
How do I get paid from TikTok?
TikTok pays through PayPal or direct bank deposits for Creator Fund, LIVE Gifts, and other programs. Externally through sponsorships, affiliate programs, or selling products.
How many views do I need to get paid on TikTok?
The Creator Fund requires 100k views in 30 days. Brand deals can start with as few as 10k views if engagement is high.
How much does TikTok pay per 1,000 views?
Between $0.02 and $0.04 through the Creator Fund (This varies based on engagement, region, and content type). Brand deals pay significantly more.
How many TikTok followers to get paid?
Minimum 10k for the Creator Fund. Brands may partner with accounts as small as 1k if content aligns with their audience.
Conclusion
Making money on TikTok requires strategy, not luck. Start by picking one or two methods that fit your niche. Post consistently, analyze performance metrics and adapt.
While earnings vary, even small accounts can monetize through creativity and audience trust. Stay patient, experiment, and prioritize value over virality. Your content is the product—treat it that way.
