TikTok started taking the world by storm in 2018, growing to become one of the most popular and fastest-growing social media applications in only a few years. Today, TikTok has 1.1 billion monthly active users creating, sharing, and watching content. This rapid growth has given rise, among other things, to TikTok creators (TikTokers), a new generation of social media celebrities, who earn money through creating and sharing content.
But how much do they make and what channels do TikTok influencers use to generate income? This article deeply delves into the world of TikTok influencers, looking into how much they earn, who are some of the highest-earning creators, and how you improve your earning potential.
How Much Do TikTokers Make on Average?
Now, the question “How much do TikTokers make?” doesn’t have a single right answer: the earnings will vary depending on a range of factors, some of the most prominent of which are the type of earning channels the creators choose. Let’s take a look at some of these main channels separately.
TikTok Creator Fund
TikTok Creator Fund is a program developed by TikTok with the aim to reward their community for their creativity and content creation efforts by giving content creators monetary rewards. According to TikTok itself, the payment amount in this will largely depend on the number of video views, as well as other factors. The program has a few eligibility preconditions, including location, the number of followers, and the number of views. More specifically, you need to have at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views over the last 30 days to qualify. If you meet the criteria, then, according to the reports of top-ranking influencers, the platform will pay you between $0.02 and $0.04 per 1000 views, or $20-$40 per million views. (source)
TikTok Creator Marketplace
TikTok Creator Marketplace (TMC) is another outcome of the platform’s efforts to help content creators sell their content and generate income. The marketplace is a platform where brands can meet talented creators and collaborate with them to get the word about themselves across. Here’s how it works: brands join the TMC, browse in relevant categories, and contact creators they’d like to collaborate with directly through the marketplace.
The average amount of earnings through brand deals on and off TikTok Creator Marketplace will depend on the audience size of creators, their account statistics, as well as the niche of the brand. For example, according to Forbes, Charli D’Amelio, who is one of the biggest TikTok stars, reportedly earns an estimated $17.5 million annually from brand deals.
In the case of brand deals, the amount of your earnings will vary significantly based on your following. Here are some of the average numbers depending on how large your audience is.
- Nano influencers (1,000 – 10,000 followers): up to $800 per post
- Micro-influencers (10,000 – 50,000 followers): $800 – $1,500 per post
- Medium influencers (50,000 – 500,000 followers): $1,500 – $3,000 per post
- Macro influencers (500,000 – 1,000,000 followers): $3,000 – $5,000 per post
- Mega influencers (1,000,000+ followers): $5,000+ per post
Curious to see how much you may be able to earn through brand sponsorships? Read on to see how you can calculate your TikTok earnings potential.
Gifts and Livestreams
Another way you can get paid on TikTok is through gifts and live streaming. This is another method to collect money directly on TikTok. Here’s how it works: TikTok allows users to send virtual diamonds as gifts during a live stream. The platform then uses the number of received diamonds to understand the popularity of the stream, and based on that rewards creators with diamonds which can then be exchanged for cash. Currently, each diamond costs $0.05, and your earnings will depend mainly on the number of your gifts.
Song Promotions
Music marketing on TikTok is huge, and many artists and labels work with TikTokers to promote their songs. On average, as part of the cooperation to promote a song, you may ask for $200-$300 for a song promotion per 200,000 and 300,000 followers, depending on your engagement rates and other account metrics. This means that a creator with a million followers would earn between $1000-$1500 per song promotion. (source)
Further Reading: How Much Does TikTok Pay Content Creators and Influencers?
Meet the TikTok Money Makers
Now that you know about some of the ways you can make money on TikTok, let’s take a look at people who already do. Here is a look at some TikTok stars, as well as how and how much they earn on the platform.
Charli D’Amelio
- Estimated annual earnings: $17.5 million
- Number of followers: 151.6 million
In the list of highest-earning TikTokers, Charlie D’Amelio currently occupies a special spot: she has been the highest-earning TikToker of 2022 and has been included in the list of Top 7 Highest Earning TikTokers two years in a row.
Charlie D’Amelio began her TikTok journey in 2019 by posting dance videos. Since then, her career skyrocketed, and since then she cooperated with Prada, had a McDonald’s drink named after her, and was a guest at Jimmy Fallon. She also signed a joint cooperative with the clothing brand Hollister, as part of which the clothing brand “Social Tourist” was born. She additionally formed a close partnership with EOS Cosmetics and signed a brand deal with Morphe Cosmetics.
Lastly, Charli and her sister Dixie even launched a mini-series on Hulu titled “The D’Amelio Show.” Impressive, isn’t it?
Josh Richards
- Estimated annual earnings: $5.3 million
- Number of followers: 25.9 million
Josh Richards is a Canadian TikToker who rose to prominence on the platform through his lip-sync, singing, and dance videos, becoming the beloved creator of many over time. He has since then also created a YouTube channel, where he occasionally posts long-format videos.
Due to his large following and engaging content, Josh attracted the attention of brands like HouseParty and Reebok, signed a song deal with Warner Records, and created his influencer merch line.
Co-founding of Ani Energy, an energy drink company, marked Josh’s entrance into the entrepreneurial world. He then went on to co-found Talent X, a talent management company, as well as the VC firm Animal Capital.
Addison Rae
- Estimated annual earnings: $5.98 million
- Number of followers: 88.8 million
Addison Rae Easterling, known more commonly as Addison Rae, is a TikToker-turned-actress who gained millions of followers on TikTok through her dance videos.
Brand deals at the beginning of her career included clothing brand, Fashion Nova, watches and accessories company Daniel Wellington, with which she created influencer merch, as well as sports clothing brand Reebok.
Since then, she has created her makeup line, Item Beauty, as well as cooperated with Pandora, Vital Proteins, and American Eagle. In 2021, she appeared in “He’s All That,” a romantic comedy film by Netflix, where she had the leading role.
Further Reading: 19 Famous TikTokers to Follow and Learn From
How Much Do TikTokers Make in Different Countries?
Another significant factor in deciding how much TikTokers can earn is your location: different markets you’ll work with will have different standards and price points. For example, in the US, creators with 10,000 followers can make, on average, up to $5,000 per post, depending on their engagement rates. In China, TikTokers with 1 million followers can earn up to $50,000 per post. (source)
Additionally, depending on your location, you may or may not be eligible for TikTok Creator Fund payments or Livestream gifting. This, based on how large your audience is and how many views you get, can significantly contribute to your earnings.
How Much Do TikTokers Make in Different Niches?
The niche in which creators work has always been one of the most determining factors of the amount of their income on social media, and TikTok is no exception. However, the effects of niche as an earning factor are somehow indirect, as it is connected to the engagement rate of the creator.
Now, because of the TikTok creator fund and the importance of audience size and engagement rates, the most popular niches have the highest earning potential on the platform. This is true for other social media platforms as well: the more people watch your content and engage with it, the higher you can demand for partnerships.
Currently, some of the more popular niches on TikTok are dancing, comedy, arts and crafts, cooking, and fashion. The creators in these areas have a significant earning potential, which will change depending on their audience size and levels of engagement. Creators in these niches, who have between 1,000 – 10,000 followers, can make as much as up to $800 per post. The earnings grow from there, and depending on their brand collaborations and performance metrics, reach as much as $5,000+ per post.
Further Reading: TikTok vs. YouTube: Which Is the Best for Content Creators in 2024?
How to Calculate Your TikTok Earnings Potential?
When it comes to your TikTok earning potential, there are a few methods you can use to calculate how much approximately you can make on the platform.
To calculate your earning potential through the TikTok Creator Fund, take a look at the performance of your videos over several 30-day periods. If the numbers of your views are more or less consistent, calculate the potential earnings with the $0.02-$0.04 per 1 million views formula. This is quite a straightforward method.
Calculating potential brand earnings can be slightly harder, especially if you are just starting to look for brand deals. That’s why we are recommending using an influencer rate sheet to understand the average prices for influencers.
What’s important to know is that your potential earnings through brand sponsorships will depend on two factors: the number of your followers and your engagement rate. Your engagement rate can be calculated with the following formula: [(Number of hearts + number of comments)/number of followers] x100. You can use this formula to calculate the engagement rate of a single post or your entire account. The higher the engagement rate, the more brands will be ready to pay for cooperation.
Further Reading: 20 Easiest Ways How to Go Viral on TikTok
How to Make Money on TikTok?
Brand partnerships are the most well-known earning method on social platforms, but they are not the only ones. In fact, there are quite a few methods you can utilize to boost your revenue through TikTok. Let’s look at some working methods.
Affiliate Marketing on TikTok
Affiliate marketing is another form of brand deal. The main difference is that here, you earn from the brand not for creating the content, but when a purchase is made on their website with your affiliate link or code. These links or codes can work indefinitely, as part of a longer affiliate marketing campaign, or be short-term. In both cases, you earn a commission, which reduces the risk both for you and the brand.
Sell Merchandise and Digital Products
Influencer merch is gaining popularity, and it’s the right time to join the club. You can promote and sell merchandise and digital products related to your content, such as clothing, accessories, digital posters, e-books, and more, to improve your earnings.
Crowdfunding Your Projects
Have projects you want to bring to life? Ask your loyal followers to support you! You can create fundraisers on platforms like GoFundMe or Kickstarter. Then, promote your cause by creating engaging videos telling about your project. Whether it’s a creative endeavor, a business idea, or a social cause, crowdfunding can help you raise the necessary funds, and make your followers feel involved in your life!
Subscription Model with Patreon
Many TikTok creators use subscription platforms like Patreon to offer their subscribers exclusive content for a monthly fee. From behind-the-seen footage to tips and tricks related to your content (e.g. latest fashion trends, if you are a fashion creator), there are many creative steps you can take to encourage your followers to become paying customers.
Further Reading: 8 Easiest Ways How To Make Money on TikTok in 2024
Conclusion
For content creators looking to improve their earnings, TikTok is a goldmine (pun intended). With a strategic approach, patience, and enough effort, you can start earning through the platform quite soon. And the more popular you become, the more opportunities will come your way. Keep this in mind as you work to grow your channel, and continue to produce quality content. Good luck!
Author Bio
Ana Hoffman is a digital marketing specialist at ViralMango, dedicated to crafting captivating campaigns that deliver value to businesses and users. With an innovative approach, Ana excels at uncovering untapped channels for exponential company growth.
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