in 2021, tiktok hit 1 billion monthly active users, building on its early fame as people gravitated towards its light and short-form content. This rise in popularity means that tiktok is full of income opportunities, especially considering that around 37% of tiktok users in the united states earn $100,000 or more a year.
From the #tiktokmademebuyit trend to dedicated subcultures like #booktok, brands are finding creative and authentic ways to position and sell their products or services directly to tiktok audiences. you can also make engaging and useful short videos that speak directly to your audience’s interests.
but where do you start? in this article, we break down 10 strategies on how to make money on tiktok.
table of contents
- post tiktok ads
- collect tips or donations
- collaborate with a creator
- try affiliate marketing
- grow and sell tiktok accounts
- post sponsored posts
- create a patreon account
- sell your products and merchandise
- set up a tiktok store
- join tiktok creators fund
1. post tiktok ads
about 43% of tiktok users are between 18 and 24 years old. This makes tiktok a solid advertising option for brands that want to market their products to generation z. tiktok ads comes with simple and powerful tools to help you advertise to millions of users. Ad formats vary by region, but all allow you to customize your targeting based on age, location, interest, and other factors. you can select one or more formats that work best for your brand.
the most popular tiktok ad types include:
video in-feed: appears on the page for you from tiktok users who meet your targeting parameters.
Branding: This allows your ad to expand to the width of the entire screen for a few seconds. it then becomes an in-feed video ad.
tag challenges: Create engaging challenges that encourage user-generated content. these challenges appear in the discover section on tiktok. this option is only available to managed brands that work in collaboration with tiktok sales reps.
There are several more types of tiktok ads you can experiment with, but keep in mind that some are only available for certain types of accounts.
2. collect tips or donations
tiktok has introduced a tipping feature that allows selected creators to earn money from tips and donations. fans can use this feature to show gratitude to the creators they love.
Video gifts allow viewers to send virtual coins and gifts to creators. some creators may collect gifts during a live stream. gifts can be exchanged for diamonds, tiktok’s digital currency.
When you save enough diamonds, you can exchange them for real money.
Creators can also use tipping platforms to earn money. tipeee, ko-fi and buy me a coffee can be connected to your tiktok account to function as a tip jar.
3. collaborate with a creator
The latest Sprout Social Index™ shows that 33% of Gen Z and 28% of Millennials value brand/creator content collaborations. tiktok’s thriving community of content creators makes it a great channel to collaborate with influencers with highly engaged communities.
Partnering with the right creators who can authentically position your brand in front of your audience is key, as creator-created branded content has 83% higher engagement rates.
the tiktok creator marketplace is where you can connect with creators on the net. In a few steps, you can find influencers and run campaigns with them. locate creators based on business goals, budget, and industry, and find comprehensive audience and performance metrics for data-driven decision making.
tiktok has some eligibility requirements for the creator market, so only select creators can join. this reassures marketers that the creators they partner with are some of the most influential people on tiktok.
4. try affiliate marketing
Through affiliate marketing programs, creators and other businesses can promote and sell another company’s products or services for a commission.
To be a successful affiliate marketer, you must generate sales online. focus on promoting the products that best align with your target audience. Create engaging videos featuring affiliate products, showing the value and why you recommend buying them. Try promoting brands you like and trust by sharing affiliate links or codes to track purchases influenced by your account.
If a follower makes a purchase through the link or code provided, they will receive a commission from the brand for that sale. tiktok does not allow personal accounts to place clickable links inside video descriptions. But you can ask followers to copy and paste links into their browsers, or enter special codes at checkout. Sites like beacons allow you to create a free web page containing affiliate links and details of the products being promoted. if you have a business account, you can add a link in your bio.
If you’re an inside marketer, create an affiliate marketing program with clear guidelines and instructions on how to participate. invite tiktokers who align with your brand values and target audience to participate. encourage affiliates to promote the products or services that best align with your objectives and shared audience. and most importantly, implement a tracking system so you can monitor affiliate performance and commission payments.
5. grow and sell tiktok accounts
Organically growing a tiktok account could take months. however, you can purchase an established account to get an instant follower boost.
To successfully make money selling tiktok accounts, creators need to focus on niche themes that the buyer can stick with. this will make it easier for the buyer to continue posting similar content and keep followers engaged.
Brands considering purchasing an established account should perform due diligence. an account with a large following but low engagement may not provide the performance you are looking for. Also, make sure the account caters to your intended audience and that the content aligns with your brand and goals.
brands can purchase an account with active followers from platforms like 123accs, accfarm and fameswap.
6. publish sponsored posts
For smaller activations, brands can sponsor posts that sit directly on creators’ profiles. Like creator collaborations, these campaigns allow brands to pay content creators to promote their products in organic posts. Sponsor individual posts or create a series. if it starts to trend, you can boost the post to further expand its reach.
7. create a patreon account
A patreon account allows creators to generate income from fans through memberships that allow exclusive access to content. use tiktok to promote member registration.
Try to keep your subscription costs low to encourage subscribers, and consider rewarding new subscribers. For example, give away merchandising or access to exclusive content to your most loyal followers. add the link to your patreon page in your videos or add it to your bio so followers can easily subscribe when they’re ready.
8. sell your products and merchandise
merchandise, merchandise, merchandise. This tried and true strategy also applies to tiktok. turn original artwork, quotes or your brand logo into merchandising and promote it on tiktok. feature your existing products in tutorials or showcase your product along with a trend.
listen to your audience if you’re not sure what to sell. create surveys or ask them directly to find out what they might buy.
if you have a personal account, create an e-commerce website to process sales transactions and promote it on your tiktok account. add the store to your videos and encourage your followers to see your products.
if you have a tiktok business account, you can connect platforms like shopify, bigcommerce, square online and ecwid store to your account.
9. set up a tiktok store
tiktok has partnered with shopify to launch the tiktok shopping feature. brands and creators can become official tiktok merchants and sell directly in the app.
By creating a tiktok store, you can showcase products in videos in feed, lives, and product showcase tabs. If you’re eligible for this feature, you can sign up to become a seller in TikTok’s Seller Hub, where you can manage inventory, orders, creator partnerships, promotions, and more. however, the seller center is only available in certain regions.
10. join tiktok creators fund
Users with a creator account can monetize their profiles through the tiktok creator fund. creators need to meet some prerequisites to join the program and start receiving money from the platform. Members of the Creator Fund earn money based on the number of interactions they get with their content.
learn more about tiktok for business
These strategies can up your tiktok game and put you on a clear path to making money from the app. If you’re ready to take your tiktok strategy to the next level, check out our tiktok for business guide to learn how to effectively grow your business online.
how to make money on tiktok frequently asked questions
for some of the features mentioned in the monetization strategies above, you need to reach a minimum number of followers on tiktok. For example, the Creator Fund requires at least 10,000 followers to join.
on the other hand, you only need 1000 followers to receive virtual gifts on tiktok live. but to receive tips and giveaways from other types of videos, you must have at least 100,000 followers.
To join the creator fund, you must have received a minimum of 100,000 views on your videos within 30 days. otherwise, you don’t need to have a certain number of views to share links to your products in videos or your bio.
