How creators make money on TikTok

(InvestigateTV) — While some of us would love to become a rich, overnight TikTok sensation, the reality is that very few are successful enough to quit their day job..

Kim Palmer with NerdWallet said it really all comes down to building an audience, which means creators need to have a significant number of viewers who also share, like, or engage with their content.

Once an account has more than 10,000 followers and at least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days, it becomes eligible for the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, which pays for successful videos.

“So, the number one way is to actually use your platform on TikTok to sell your own products and services. So, if you have a business, TikTok is essentially a free way of finding new customers, reaching a new audience,” Palmer said. “So, that’s a popular method, but then you can actually become a content creator and make money that way.”

Palmer said content creators can also partner with businesses that are looking to build their own audience. Many will pay for videos that reach their target audience, but again there have to be enough followers to make that work.

There’s also the TikTok Shop to think about.

“TikTok shop is really useful for people that have something to sell. You can sell directly through the TikTok platform,” she explained. “It’s called TikTok shop and that just makes it an easy way to connect and sell your product if that’s something that you already have in the works.”

She said creators striving for an income stream must be patient because it is usually a pretty slow process to earn enough money to be a worthwhile side hustle.

Palmer shared that the most successful videos tend to be authentic and high-quality videos that people want to engage with.

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