While the future of TikTok may be uncertain, the app is still around, and with it comes opportunities to earn money.
The app has upwards of 1 billion monthly active users. According to one statistic from Wallaroo Media, the average user opens the app eight times a day, spending an average of 95 minutes per day on the platform. That’s a lot of potential for monetization.
“Short-form content is consumed a lot faster than traditional video content, so the amount of videos consumed is much higher,” Adam Enfroy, an entrepreneur who teaches others how to grow their influence online, said in an email. “This makes it lucrative because of the faster view counts and subscriber growth.”
There are numerous ways to make money on TikTok, from selling sponsored content to promoting your products or services, soliciting donations and benefiting from the app’s income-producing services.
1. Sell Sponsored Content
One of the best ways to make money on TikTok is through partnerships with major brands. But to land sponsorship deals, TikTokers need to first build an audience. This involves a lot of work, from posting multiple times daily to harnessing TikTok trends and new features.
Some experts estimate you need at least 10,000 followers to start pitching any potential sponsors. The more followers you have, the more likely you are to get a sponsorship deal.
“Since RPMs (ad revenue per thousand impressions) are very low on the platform — 2 to 4 cents per 1,000 views — you need a ton of views to make money with ad revenue,” Enfroy said. “Therefore, building up a large following and selling sponsored content makes more sense.”
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2. Use Short-Form Videos to Promote Your Products
You can also use TikTok to promote your products through short-form videos, which are typically one to 10 minutes long.
Enfroy’s team uploads daily short-form videos on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube that highlight their expertise in online entrepreneurship and business software. The aim is to build brand awareness and encourage people to buy their business software.
According to Enfroy, his team has seen a major uptick in digital sales by amplifying their branding with short-form content.
3. Cash In on the Creator Fund
The Creator Fund is a TikTok program that helps support innovative creators (people who regularly create or share videos on the app) by giving them a payout as their following grows.
TikTok users must apply for the Creator Fund, and there are some requirements. You must be at least 18 years old, have at least 10,000 followers and have received 100,000 video views in the span of 30 days, among other things.
However, according to many creators, this avenue is not the most lucrative, offering just a few cents for thousands of views.
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4. Use TikTok as a Door to Other Online Marketing Opportunities
In addition to making money on TikTok, you can use the app to direct new users to other marketing channels, from your own blog to your YouTube channel, where you might be able to close the deal or score some conversions.
“TikTok is the entry point of online marketing,” according to Enfroy. “It is the largest pool of new users to find that can trickle down into your other marketing channels like blogs, YouTube channels and other social accounts,” he added.
5. Ask for Donations With Live Gifting
Yes, you can even use TikTok to ask users for donations directly. The app’s Live Gifts feature allows you to solicit donations while you’re live streaming on the platform.
However, you should note that your donations will come in the form of virtual coins that users choose, which eventually (after several more exchanges) can be traded for actual currency. Again, this isn’t going to be your golden ticket, but it’s another way to grow your revenue on the platform.
[Related:Guide to Deductions for Charitable Donations]
6. Use the Platform to Find New Opportunities
Many personalities like Addison Rae, a social media celebrity, actress, dancer and singer, got their starts on TikTok. Rae’s strategy of using the platform to spotlight her talent might be something others with a talent can replicate.
“She has done well on every other platform — even better than on TikTok — and is now a household name in the U.S.,” Enfroy wrote on his website. “The influencer also got invited by the well-known talk show host Jimmy Fallon and even bagged her own Netflix show recently.”
7. Work With Influencers to Market Your Products and Services
Even if you’re not a TikTok guru, you can still harness the platform’s money-making power by connecting with an influencer (or multiple influencers) to market your products and services.
In other words, if you have something to sell, you might look into working with TikTokers to sell it with the help of their influence and promotion. This, of course, involves strong networking skills.
“It’s a great platform for e-commerce brands to build brand awareness and work with influencers to market their products,” Enfroy said.
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7 Ways to Make Money on TikTok originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 04/28/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
