How Do People Make Money on TikTok?
TikTok has exploded in popularity over the past few years, becoming one of the most powerful social media platforms in the world. With over 1 billion active users, it has turned into a money-making machine for creators, businesses, and influencers alike. But how exactly do people make money on TikTok?
If you’re looking to monetize your TikTok presence, whether as a content creator, business owner, or marketer, this guide will walk you through the best ways to make money on TikTok, step-by-step strategies, and tips to maximize your earnings.
1. How Much Money Can You Make on TikTok?
Before diving into the different income streams, let’s look at how much money you can make on TikTok.
✅ TikTok Creators make anywhere from a few hundred to millions of dollars per year.
✅ Top influencers earn between $50,000 to $500,000 per brand deal.
✅ The TikTok Creator Fund pays between $0.02 to $0.04 per 1,000 views.
✅ Live streamers can earn thousands per month through gifts and tips.
Your earnings will depend on your follower count, engagement rate, niche, and monetization strategy. The more creative and strategic you are, the more you can earn!
2. 10 Best Ways to Make Money on TikTok
1. TikTok Creator Fund
TikTok pays creators for their content through the TikTok Creator Fund. This program rewards creators who have:
✔ At least 10,000 followers
✔ At least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
✔ Are 18 years or older
✔ Meet TikTok’s community guidelines
You can apply through the TikTok Creator Fund dashboard in the app. However, the earnings are relatively low (about $20 to $40 per 1 million views), so most creators combine this with other income streams.
2. Brand Sponsorships & Partnerships
Influencer marketing is one of the biggest money-makers on TikTok. Brands pay influencers to promote their products through sponsored posts, product placements, or collaborations.
💰 How much can you make?
- Small creators (10K-50K followers): $100 – $500 per post
- Mid-level influencers (100K-500K followers): $1,000 – $10,000 per post
- Top influencers (1M+ followers): $50,000+ per post
How to get brand deals:
✔ Grow your audience in a specific niche (e.g., beauty, fitness, tech, fashion)
✔ Create high-quality, engaging content
✔ Reach out to brands directly or sign up for platforms like TikTok Creator Marketplace, Upfluence, and AspireIQ
3. Selling Products Through TikTok Shop
TikTok allows users to sell physical or digital products directly through the TikTok Shop feature. Creators can tag products in their videos, making it easy for followers to purchase instantly.
💰 Ways to sell products on TikTok:
- Sell your own products (e.g., clothing, accessories, beauty items)
- Sell digital products (e.g., ebooks, online courses, presets)
- Use print-on-demand services (e.g., Printful, Teespring)
Creators with large, engaged audiences can make thousands per month selling their own products!
4. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to make money on TikTok, even if you don’t have your own products. You earn a commission every time someone buys a product using your unique affiliate link.
💰 Best affiliate programs for TikTok:
✔ Amazon Associates (3-10% commission)
✔ TikTok Shop Affiliate Program
✔ ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, and Rakuten
How to succeed:
- Find high-demand products in your niche
- Create TikToks reviewing or demonstrating the product
- Add your affiliate link in your bio or the TikTok Shop
Some TikTokers make $5,000+ per month just from affiliate commissions!
5. Going Live & Earning Gifts
Creators can go live on TikTok and receive virtual gifts from followers, which can be converted into real money. Viewers purchase “coins” from TikTok and send them as gifts to their favorite creators.
💰 How much can you make?
- Each TikTok “coin” is worth about $0.01
- Top live streamers make $1,000 – $5,000 per week through gifts
Pro Tips:
✔ Interact with your audience while live streaming
✔ Go live at peak times (evenings and weekends)
✔ Offer exclusive content to encourage more gifts
6. TikTok Ad Revenue (Pulse Program)
TikTok shares ad revenue with top-tier creators through the TikTok Pulse program. If your videos perform well, TikTok will run ads on them, and you’ll earn a percentage of the revenue.
✔ You need at least 100,000 followers to qualify
✔ Ad revenue varies based on views & engagement
Some high-performing creators earn thousands per month just from ad revenue!
7. Offering Coaching or Consulting
If you have expertise in a specific area, you can use TikTok to promote coaching, consulting, or mentorship services.
Examples:
✔ Fitness trainers offering personalized workout plans
✔ Business coaches selling mentorship programs
✔ Social media experts selling TikTok growth strategies
Creators can charge $50 – $500+ per session, depending on their expertise!
8. Selling Online Courses
If you’re an expert in any skill (marketing, finance, art, cooking, etc.), you can create and sell online courses to your TikTok followers.
Popular platforms:
✔ Teachable
✔ Udemy
✔ Gumroad
Many TikTok educators make $10,000+ per month selling courses!
9. Monetizing YouTube with TikTok Traffic
Many TikTokers use TikTok to drive traffic to their YouTube channel, where they can earn ad revenue from YouTube’s Partner Program.
✔ Short TikTok videos help grow a YouTube audience quickly
✔ YouTube pays $3 – $5 per 1,000 views
✔ Some TikTokers make six figures per year from YouTube ads
10. Creating & Selling NFTs or Digital Art
TikTok has a growing NFT community where creators sell digital art, collectibles, and NFTs. Some influencers have made millions selling exclusive digital content!
3. How to Succeed on TikTok & Maximize Earnings
🔹 Pick a Niche – Focus on a profitable niche like finance, fitness, beauty, or business
🔹 Post Consistently – At least 1-3 high-quality videos per day
🔹 Engage with Followers – Reply to comments & interact with fans
🔹 Use Trending Sounds & Hashtags – Helps boost discoverability
🔹 Promote Your Offers – Sell products, promote affiliate links, or drive traffic to other platforms
Final Thoughts: Is Making Money on TikTok Worth It?
Absolutely! Whether you’re looking for a side hustle or a full-time income, TikTok offers huge opportunities for creators to make money online.
By combining multiple income streams—like brand deals, affiliate marketing, TikTok Shop, and live streaming—you can turn TikTok into a profitable business and even become a full-time content creator.
So, are you ready to start making money on TikTok? 🚀
