TikTok is a popular social media platform where users can create and share short videos. With over 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has become a hub for content creators and influencers. Many creators are now able to earn money directly through TikTok’s Creator Fund, LIVE subscriptions, tips, and branded content deals.
For creators, understanding how much they are earning on TikTok is important for managing their business and income. TikTok provides different ways for creators to view detailed analytics on their videos and track their earnings. This allows creators to assess the performance of their content and make informed decisions.
In this article, we’ll walk through the main methods creators can use to find their TikTok earnings and revenue breakdown. Whether you’re just getting started or are already earning income, knowing how to check your TikTok payouts is key.
View Earnings in TikTok Studio
TikTok Studio provides creators a centralized hub to view basic earnings data for their TikTok account. To access TikTok Studio:
- Open the TikTok app and go to your profile page.
- Tap the three dots in the top right corner to open the menu.
- Select “Creator tools” from the menu.
- Choose “TikTok Studio” – this will open the studio dashboard.
In TikTok Studio, you can view earnings from the Creator Fund, gifts, tips, and more. The “Earnings” tab shows total earnings amounts for different time periods. You can view daily, monthly, or all-time earnings totals.
The dashboard provides a quick snapshot of your earnings, but doesn’t show detailed breakdowns. For more detailed earnings reports, you’ll need to download them from TikTok Studio.
Download Earnings Reports
TikTok provides detailed earnings reports that can be downloaded from TikTok Studio. To access earnings reports:
- Log in to TikTok Studio using your TikTok creator account credentials.
- Navigate to the “Performance” tab.
- Under “Earning Reports” select the date range you want to view.
- Click “Generate”. This will compile the report data for the selected date range.
- Once generated, click “Download” to download the report as a CSV or PDF file.
The earnings report provides a comprehensive breakdown of your earnings and performance over the selected period. It includes metrics like views, likes, comments, shares, play time, engagement rate, number of followers, and crucially – your total earnings. The detailed data can help you analyze trends and optimize your content strategy. If you have trouble downloading reports, check for solutions in TikTok’s troubleshooting guide.
Earnings Breakdown
There are several ways TikTok creators can earn money on the platform:
GIFs and Tips
Fans can send virtual gifts to their favorite creators during live streams, with each gift worth a certain amount in diamonds. TikTok then converts the diamonds into real cash that gets deposited into the creator’s account. The value of gifts ranges from a few cents to over $100.
Viewers can also send direct tips to creators outside of livestreams. These tips involve users purchasing coins and gifting them to creators.
TikTok Creator Fund
TikTok launched the Creator Fund in 2020 as a way to pay video creators directly for their content. Creators can apply to join the fund once they hit 10,000 followers and have accrued 10,000 video views in the last 30 days. According to sources, the fund pays around $0.01 – $0.02 per video view.
Affiliate Marketing
Creators make money through affiliate programs by promoting brands and products. When followers click their links and make purchases, creators earn commissions. Affiliate marketing works well on TikTok due to its engaged user base.
Brand Sponsorships
Popular TikTok creators can partner directly with brands to create sponsored content. Rates vary greatly based on follower count and engagement, but top creators can earn thousands per sponsored post or video.
In summary, TikTok offers creators several monetization options including virtual gifts, tips, its Creator Fund, affiliate links, and brand sponsorships. Earnings potential scales up significantly with follower size and engagement.
Payment Methods
TikTok offers advertisers three main billing options: prepay, automatic payment, and monthly invoicing according to TikTok Billing Options | TikTok Ads Manager.
With prepay, advertisers add funds to their TikTok Ads account before running campaigns. This allows for complete budget control without worrying about thresholds.
Automatic payment utilizes a payment method on file, charging your account as you incur advertising costs. There is a $25 minimum billing threshold. Once you cross the threshold, you will be charged within 48 hours according to Automatic Payment.
Monthly invoicing is available for large advertisers spending over $40,000 per month. You will be invoiced monthly for the previous month’s ad spending.
TikTok accepts major credit cards, PayPal, wire transfers, and ACH payments. Be sure to keep your payment information up to date in TikTok Ads Manager to avoid issues.
Taxes on Earnings
Any income earned on TikTok is taxable like other forms of income. If you earn over $600 in a calendar year from TikTok, the platform will issue you a 1099-NEC form reporting your earnings to the IRS. You are responsible for declaring this income and paying any taxes owed when you file your tax return.
TikTok earnings from gifts, digital items, tips, etc. are all considered taxable income by the IRS. You must report the gross amount before TikTok’s fees or commissions are deducted. According to experts, “If you are making money from your social media activities, you need to be reporting that income on your taxes”.
If TikTok is considered a hobby for you, the income may be subject to ordinary income tax rates up to 37%. But if you meet the IRS criteria for your TikTok activities to be a business, you may qualify for deductions on expenses related to content creation. Be sure to consult a tax professional to fully understand your tax obligations.
Failing to report TikTok income can lead to interest and penalties from the IRS if discovered. Just like any other earnings, you must pay taxes on money made from TikTok. Carefully track your income and maintain thorough records to properly file your taxes.
Maximizing Earnings on TikTok
There are several strategies TikTok creators can use to maximize their earnings on the platform.
One of the most effective ways is to consistently post high-quality, engaging videos. The more views, likes, comments and shares your videos get, the more you’ll earn through the Creator Fund and other monetization methods. Post at least 1-3 videos per day and experiment to find which types of videos resonate most with your audience. Use relevant hashtags, captions and sounds to make it easy for viewers to find your content.
Leveraging influencer marketing partnerships is another great way to monetize your TikTok presence. Brands will often pay TikTok creators with large followings to promote their products. You can connect with brands directly or go through an influencer marketing platform.
Diversifying your revenue streams is key. In addition to earning directly from TikTok through the Creator Fund, you can also generate income through affiliated links, selling merch, promoting your own products/services, accepting gifts from fans and more. Don’t rely solely on one monetization method.
Interact often with your followers through Duets, comments and live streams. Building genuine connections and relationships will lead to higher engagement and earnings in the long run. Consider going live before premiering a new video.
Analyze your performance data in TikTok Studio regularly to find out which types of videos perform best. Pay attention to views, likes, comments, shares, traffic sources and audience demographics. Then fine-tune your content strategy accordingly.
Test out both longer form and shorter form video. You may find certain video lengths, formats or styles rake in more earnings. Try out new video effects, stickers, filters and tools as TikTok introduces them.
Promote your TikTok across other social media platforms to drive more followers to your profile. Let your existing audiences on Instagram, YouTube, etc. know about your TikTok presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many people have questions about how TikTok earnings work and how much money they can make on the platform. Here are some of the most common questions:
How many views do you need to make money on TikTok?
There is no definitive answer, as earnings depend on many factors like location, content type, engagement, etc. However, according to this source, you typically need at least 1,000 followers before you can start earning money directly through TikTok.
How much do top TikTokers make?
Top TikTok creators with millions of followers can earn anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands per month. However, most average TikTokers will earn much less than that.
How often are earnings paid out?
TikTok issues payouts on a monthly basis. You must meet the minimum payout threshold to receive your earnings each month.
What is TikTok’s revenue share model?
For ad revenue earned on TikTok, the company takes a cut and creators receive a certain percentage. The exact revenue share percentage depends on region and factors like ad demand.
Can you earn money on TikTok without the Creator Fund?
Yes, creators can earn through gifts, tips, sponsored content, affiliate links, etc. without needing to join the Creator Fund. However, the Creator Fund provides additional monetization opportunities.
Additional Resources
If you still have questions about earnings on TikTok, here are some helpful resources from TikTok’s official support and help centers:
The TikTok Help Center provides an overview of monetization options for creators and answers frequently asked questions.
Check the Creator Fund page in the TikTok Creator Portal for details on eligibility, payouts, and more.
You can also contact TikTok support directly via email at [email protected] for personalized help with any monetization issues.
Conclusion
Understanding your TikTok earnings is an important part of managing your account and tracking your influence and reach on the platform. By regularly checking your earnings in TikTok Studio and downloading detailed reports, you can gain valuable insights into what types of videos and content perform best. This allows you to optimize your content strategy and maximize your revenue over time.
The key steps covered in this guide include viewing your lifetime earnings and performance graphs in TikTok Studio, downloading CSV reports for granular earnings data, understanding the breakdown between gifts, tips, and more. You can also manage your payment methods and account for taxes on your earnings.
Knowing exactly how much money you are making on TikTok is the first step to building a successful and profitable presence on the platform. Monitor your earnings regularly, experiment with different content approaches, and leverage TikTok’s tools to grow your audience and income. With consistent effort, creative videos, and persistence, you can build a thriving channel that brings value to viewers while achieving your income goals.
