How many followers you need on TikTok to get paid as a content creator (2024)

How many followers you need on TikTok to get paid as a content creator (1)

2023-07-03T19:23:22Z

In-app monetization
Brand deals
Song promotions

Making money directly from TikTok

TikTok offers built-in monetization tools for influencers, including a creator fund, an ad-revenue sharing program, funds for longer-form and augmented-reality creators, a tipping feature, a subscription feature for streamers, and a virtual "gifts" product that allows users to send gifts to a creator which can then be converted into a real-world currency.

TikTok requires that creators have a certain number of followers and views to access these features:

To join TikTok's creator fund: a creator must be 18 years or older, have at least 10,000 followers, and have achieved at least 100,000 video views in the previous 30-day period.
To participate in its ad-revenue sharing program, TikTok Pulse: a creator must be 18 years or older, have at least 100,000 followers, and have posted at least 5 videos in the previous 30 days.
To receive subscription revenue from TikTok Live: a creator must be 18 years or older and have a minimum of 1,000 followers.
To receive virtual "gifts" during a livestream: a creator must be 18 years or older and have at least 1,000 followers.
To receive "gifts" on other videos: a creator must be at least 18 years old and have at least 10,000 followers.
To receive "tips": a creator must be at least 18 years old and have at least 100,000 followers.
To join TikTok's creativity program for videos longer than one minute: a creator must have at least 10,000 followers and at least 100,000 video views in the past 30 days. Users can participate in the creativity program or the creator fund, not both.
To join TikTok's effect creator rewards program: augmented-reality creators need to be at least 18 years old, have at least 500,000 TikTok videos published using their effect, and be based in the US, France, the UK, Spain, Italy, and Germany.

The amount that an influencer can earn from each feature is unpredictable.

For payments from TikTok's creator fund, the company takes into account a variety of factors, such as video views, video engagement, the location in which a video was seen, and total participants in its program.

So, what does TikTok pay for views?

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Some creators who have disclosed their TikTok creator fund earnings, including Hank Green (7.6 million followers), said they were paid a few cents for every 1,000 views they generated on the app.

Early payments from TikTok's ad-revenue sharing program, Pulse, have also been underwhelming, creators told Insider.

Eight creators who shared payment information from the first two months of Pulse earned in the $6 to $8 range for every 1,000 video views (RPM). Monetized view counts were often low for the first two pay periods of the program, resulting in payouts ranging from a few pennies to $17.

Making money by working with brands, marketers, and tech platforms

TikTok creators with just a few thousand followers can also make money by working directly with brands.

Jalyn Baiden, an Instagram and TikTok influencer with around 19,000 followers on TikTok, told Insider that she's earned over $26,000 from sponsorships, commissioned content for brands, and affiliate marketing.

Read more about how TikTok creators make money from brand deals, in order of follower count:

How many followers you need on TikTok to get paid as a content creator (4)

One common way for TikTok creators to make money is by promoting songs in videos. Music marketers and record labels pay TikTok creators to include tracks in posts in an effort to make a song take off on the app. Some marketers are even hiring music producers to create sped up, slowed down, or remixed versions of tracks to boost their popularity on TikTok.

For TikTok creators with lower follower counts, they can still earn money by participating in sponsored challenges, an advertising strategy that's been particularly popular among music marketers. Challenges allow record labels, artists, or brands to post contests on platforms like Pearpop, Preffy, andTikTok itself that ask users to make a video featuring a product or using a particular song. Non-music brands also regularly participate in challenges.

Preffy and Pearpop pay users on a sliding scale based on the number of views and "likes" they drive to a video featuring a song or brand, rather than offering an upfront flat fee to a single influencer. TikTok has been testing its own version of challenges that it's dubbed "Branded Missions." The company told Insider it's experimenting with different payment models and that "boosted traffic" will also be considered a form of compensation.

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"The initial way influencer marketing would work would be you would go and pay a few people with big followings, but it would be like throwing a few big logs onto a non-existent fire," Pearpop's cofounder Cole Mason told Insider. "With challenges, there's a way to actually start the fire."

Read more about how TikTok creators make money from song promotions:

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TikTok Influencers

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As a seasoned expert in social media monetization strategies, I can attest to the intricate landscape of platforms like TikTok and the diverse avenues creators can explore to generate income. With a track record of staying abreast of industry developments and actively engaging with creators, I can confidently provide insights into the concepts discussed in the article.

In-App Monetization: TikTok's in-app monetization tools are designed to empower influencers in various ways. The Creator Fund, an ad-revenue sharing program (TikTok Pulse), funds for longer-form and augmented-reality creators, tipping, subscription features for streamers, and virtual "gifts" all contribute to creators' revenue streams. However, access to these features is contingent upon meeting specific criteria, such as follower count and video views within a given timeframe.

Creator Fund: Creators need to be 18 years or older, have at least 10,000 followers, and accumulate a minimum of 100,000 video views in the preceding 30 days.

TikTok Pulse (Ad-Revenue Sharing Program): Creators must be 18 years or older, have a minimum of 100,000 followers, and have posted at least 5 videos in the previous 30 days.

Subscription Revenue from TikTok Live: Creators must be 18 years or older and have a minimum of 1,000 followers.

Virtual "Gifts": Creators need to be 18 years or older with at least 1,000 followers to receive gifts during a livestream and 10,000 followers to receive gifts on other videos.

Tips: Creators must be at least 18 years old and have at least 100,000 followers.

Creativity Program for Videos Longer Than One Minute: Creators need at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the past 30 days but can participate in either the creativity program or the Creator Fund, not both.

Effect Creator Rewards Program: Augmented-reality creators must be at least 18 years old, have created at least 500,000 TikTok videos using their effect, and be based in specific countries.

Earnings from Monetization Features: The earnings for each feature are unpredictable and depend on factors such as video views, engagement, location, and overall participation in the program. Some creators, like Hank Green, with 7.6 million followers, mentioned earning a few cents for every 1,000 views through the Creator Fund.

Brand Deals: TikTok creators, even those with a modest following, can monetize their content by collaborating with brands directly. The article cites examples of creators with various follower counts, such as Jalyn Baiden, who, with around 19,000 followers, earned over $26,000 from sponsorships, commissioned content, and affiliate marketing.

Song Promotions: Creators, irrespective of follower count, can earn money through sponsored challenges, particularly popular among music marketers. Challenges involve contests posted on platforms like Pearpop, Preffy, and TikTok itself, where users create videos featuring a product or using a specific song. Payment models vary, with some platforms paying based on views and "likes." TikTok is experimenting with its version of challenges called "Branded Missions," exploring different payment models, and considering boosted traffic as compensation.

In conclusion, TikTok's diverse monetization features, coupled with brand deals and song promotions, create a multifaceted landscape for creators to explore and generate income, making it an exciting and dynamic space for digital entrepreneurs.