In less than five years, TikTok has grown into one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. As of 2023, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users globally, making it one of the top 5 social networks along with giants like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube (https://www.enterpriseappstoday.com/stats/tiktok-statistics.html).
With such a massive user base, many creators are realizing they can make money by building an audience on TikTok. The app provides various monetization features that allow influencers to earn an income. This article aims to analyze how many TikTok followers you need to start making money on the platform through its different money-making options.
TikTok Creator Fund Basics
The TikTok Creator Fund is a program launched by TikTok that pays creators for the videos they post. It aims to support emerging and established creators who are seeking to earn revenue directly from TikTok.
To join the TikTok Creator Fund, creators need to meet certain minimum requirements:
- Have at least 10,000 followers
- Have at least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
- Be 18 years or older
- Post original content in line with TikTok’s community guidelines
- Be based in an eligible country such as the US or parts of Europe
TikTok determines how much each creator gets paid based on factors like the number of video views, engagement, and overall performance on the platform. Creators can expect to earn around 2-4 cents per 1,000 video views through the program.
Payments are processed monthly and earnings can be withdrawn through online payment platforms like PayPal. There is no minimum payout amount, so creators get paid even if they’ve only earned a few dollars.
Sponsored Content
Sponsored content refers to posts, videos, or other content created by a TikTok influencer to promote a brand or product. The influencer is paid by the brand to create this branded content. According to Impact.com, the average cost for a sponsored post on TikTok is $500-$2,000. The actual rate depends on the influencer’s follower count and engagement levels.
For influencers with 100k-500k followers, sponsored content rates typically range from $200-$500 per post. Influencers with 500k-1 million followers can charge $500-$1500, while those with 1-5 million followers often charge $1000-$3000 per sponsored post. Mega influencers with over 5 million followers can command $5000 or more for a branded TikTok post according to Izea.
In addition to one-off posts, many brands also contract influencers for long-term sponsorships that include multiple posts over weeks or months. The overall contract price is usually negotiated based on the expected number of posts and the influencer’s standard post rate.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing has become a popular way for TikTok creators to monetize their audience and content. With affiliate marketing, creators earn a commission when their followers purchase products or services through special links. According to research, the average TikTok affiliate marketing view rate is around 2.5-5% for accounts with 10,000-100,000 followers. However, the view rate can be higher or lower depending on factors like niche and content quality.
Most experts recommend having at least 10,000 engaged followers before pursuing affiliate marketing on TikTok. This provides enough potential customers to start seeing solid returns. As your follower count grows to 25,000, 50,000 or higher, you can negotiate higher commission rates with brands. Top affiliates on TikTok with 500,000+ followers often have 10-25% conversion rates on their links.
Some of the top affiliate programs on TikTok include Amazon Associates, Shopify, Tapfiliate, CJ Affiliate, Rakuten, Awin and more. By sharing your custom affiliate links and product recommendations, you can start earning passive income from TikTok.
TikTok LIVE
TikTok LIVE allows creators to broadcast live video streams to their followers. Viewers can purchase virtual gifts and send them to creators during a LIVE stream as a way to show support and appreciation.
Gifts are purchased using TikTok Coins and converted into Diamonds when sent to creators. Diamonds have monetary value and can be redeemed by creators for real money. The value of each gift in Diamonds depends on its type – more expensive gifts yield more Diamonds.
To start earning money from LIVE streams, you’ll need to have a decent sized follower base. According to Megadigital, you’ll want at least 1,000 followers before LIVE gifting becomes a viable source of revenue. The more followers you have, the greater your earning potential.
Once you hit 10,000+ followers, LIVE gifting can become quite lucrative. Top creators easily earn thousands in Diamonds per broadcast. However, it does require consistently hosting engaging LIVE streams and interacting with viewers.
Brand Partnerships
One of the most lucrative ways for TikTok creators to earn money is through official brand partnership deals. Brands will partner directly with creators to produce sponsored content that promotes their products or services. According to TikTok’s Branded Content Policy, creators must properly disclose these paid partnerships by using #ad or #sponsored in the caption.
Typically, creators need a minimum of 50,000-100,000 followers before most brands will consider partnering for sponsored content. The larger your audience, the more potential reach you have to influence consumers. Top creators with millions of followers can earn thousands of dollars per branded TikTok video.
Key factors that help creators land brand deals beyond just follower count are creating consistent, high-quality content in a specific niche and having strong engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares. Brands want to partner with creators who have built trust and loyalty with their target audience.
Selling Own Products
One great way for TikTok creators to generate revenue is by selling their own products or merchandise. This allows creators to tap into their audience and turn followers into paying customers. According to this source, creators can easily add their products to their TikTok profiles using TikTok’s affiliate program. This allows seamless promotion to followers.
To successfully sell your own products on TikTok, you’ll likely need a substantial following. Experts recommend at least 10,000 followers before trying to push your own merchandise. This ensures you have enough of an audience to generate consistent sales. However, the more followers you have, the greater your earning potential. Creators with follower counts in the hundreds of thousands or millions can build very lucrative ecommerce businesses through TikTok alone.
Other Monetization Methods
In addition to the main monetization methods on TikTok like brand partnerships and selling products, there are some other ways TikTok creators can earn money:
Tipping – TikTok allows fans to send tips to creators during live streams. This feature is only available to accounts with at least 100,000 followers that are in good standing. Tips are enabled through third-party services like TikTok Live Subscriptions.
Cameo – Popular creators can earn money by selling personalized video messages to fans through services like Cameo. Rates vary based on the creator’s fame and demand.
Licensing content – Creators can license their popular TikTok videos to be used in ads, TV shows, etc. Marketplaces like Jukin Media connect creators with licensing opportunities.
In general, creators need at least 100,000 engaged followers before other monetization methods beyond brand sponsorships become viable. At 500,000+ followers, additional opportunities open up, like fan subscriptions and consistent brand partnerships. But ultimately success depends more on the creativity and ingenuity of each creator.
Follower Ranges by Revenue
Research provides some insights into the follower ranges needed to achieve certain revenue goals as a TikTok creator. However, actual revenue depends heavily on factors like engagement rate, content quality, niche, and monetization methods.
Here is a summary of estimated follower ranges by revenue potential, based on TikTok benchmarks from leading analytics platforms:
Revenue Potential | Follower Range |
---|---|
$100 per month | 1,000 – 10,000 followers |
$500 per month | 10,000 – 50,000 followers |
$1,000 per month | 50,000 – 100,000 followers |
$5,000 per month | 100,000 – 500,000 followers |
$10,000+ per month | 500,000+ followers |
The averages for top earning creators on TikTok based on followers are:
- Minimum: 100,000 followers
- Average: 500,000 followers
- Top Earners: 1 million+ followers
However, these are just estimations. Consistently creating quality content and actively building engagement can allow creators to monetize lower follower counts. The key is focusing on value for the audience rather than vanity metrics.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a variety of ways for TikTok creators to monetize their accounts and start earning an income. The number of followers needed to get paid depends greatly on the monetization method.
For TikTok’s Creator Fund, you’ll typically need a minimum of 10,000 followers. But the amount you can earn depends more on engagement and video views. Sponsored content deals are possible starting around 30,000 followers. Brand partnership opportunities tend to open up around 100,000 followers. Selling your own products can be lucrative at any follower count. TikTok LIVE gifts can earn money when you have as little as 1,000 dedicated fans.
While follower count is important, what matters most is creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience and drives engagement. Focus first on providing value through your videos. Building an authentic community of fans who genuinely enjoy your content? That’s the key to long-term monetization success on TikTok.