How to Make Money on TikTok – Best Ways

Since its launch in 2017, TikTok has gained popularity and users quickly. It has around 2 billion users worldwide, most of whom belong to Gen Z. However, beyond entertainment, you can utilize it for marketing, sponsored posts, and ads to earn money.

According to some statistics, influencers with more than a million followers can earn up to $5000/month. TikTok also introduced a new feature, “Creator Fund,” for users to monetize and earn money. Despite this, there are also many other options available for every kind of TikTok creator to earn money.

In this guide, I will discuss all the possible and authentic ways through which you can know how to make money on TikTok. 

How can you make money on TikTok? So, there are different ways and strategies to earn money. No matter whether you are an influencer or a business, TikTok allows you to join the creator fund or other ways to make money on TikTok.  However, I have mentioned some ways in detail to earn money on TikTok. 

1. TikTok Creator Fund/Creativity Program

TikTok’s Creativity Program pays creators based on video views and engagement metrics. This revamped version of the Creator Fund offers more substantial payouts than its predecessor, with a focus on rewarding longer-form content (videos over one minute).

Eligibility Requirements:

• At least 10,000 followers
• Minimum 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
• Account age of at least 30 days
• At least 5 videos posted in the last 30 days
• An account in good standing (no community guidelines violations)
• Age 18 or older

How Payments Work?

• Earnings vary significantly based on content performance and region.
• Earnings are calculated based on a combination of views, engagement rate, and watch time.
• Higher completion rates (viewers watching your entire video) lead to increased earnings.
• Payouts typically process monthly with a minimum withdrawal threshold.

2. Partnership With Business

Most new or old businesses want to showcase their products on social media to drive more sales. So, if you have a trusted audience that engages with your videos, you can partner with any brand to advertise their products in your videos.

These partnerships can become your primary income source once you establish credibility in your niche.

Types of Brand Partnerships:

• One-time promotions: Single videos featuring a product or service
• Ambassador programs: Ongoing relationships where you regularly promote a brand
• Co-created content: Working directly with brands to develop creative campaigns
• Event appearances: Representing brands at physical or virtual events
• Product development: Collaborating on limited-edition products or collections

You don’t need to wait for brands to approach you. Once you’ve built a solid following (even 5,000-10,000 engaged followers can be enough), proactively reach out to companies that align with your content niche and audience demographics.

3. Sell Products Through TikTok Shopping

TikTok also allows brands to sell products on the platform since 2021. You can start as a newbie, or if you already own a business, then it is perfect for you to reach a large audience and drive more sales to your business.

Setting Up TikTok Shop:

• Apply for TikTok Shop access through the Creator Center (requirements vary by region).
• Connect your business account to a compatible e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc).
• Complete the verification process (business license, tax information, payment details).
• Upload your product catalog with high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and accurate pricing.
• Set up shipping and return policies that meet TikTok’s requirements.

You sell your products on TikTok just after creating a shop. You can also run advertisements in multiple for reaching more and more customers over the platform.

4. Run TikTok Ads

Advertisements are one of the best sources to attract new users and customers. Like other social media platforms, TikTok also allows you to run ads on your videos and boost them to a large audience.

TikTok Ad Formats:

• In-Feed Ads: Native-looking videos that appear in users’ For You Page.
• TopView Ads: Premium placement that appears when users first open the app.
• Branded Hashtag Challenges: Sponsored hashtags that encourage user participation.
• Branded Effects: Custom AR filters and stickers that users can apply to their videos.
• Spark Ads: Boosting your organic content to reach a wider audience (ideal for creators).

You can drive traffic to your TikTok shopping tab, e-commerce store, and website which not only increases the sales but also increases the traffic to these pages. In this way, you can make money on TikTok easily with a little investment. 

The targeted advertisements can significantly expand your reach and drive conversions:

• Create an attractive ad content that blends naturally with TikTok’s format.
• Direct traffic to your e-commerce store, website, or TikTok shopping tab.
• Test different ad formats (In-Feed Ads, TopView, Branded Effects).
• Track performance metrics to optimize your campaigns.

While this requires an initial investment, the return can be substantial when executed properly. The TikTok holds at almost every kind of audience, you just have to choose a specific and run ads.

5. Sell Multiple Products 

When your account grows and users engage with your account and videos, you can use TikTok as a marketing tool to launch your own online business.

Once you’ve established a loyal following, launching your merchandise can be incredibly profitable. This strategy converts your brand into tangible products that fans are eager to purchase.

Types of Merchandise That Perform Well:

• Apparel: T-shirts, hoodies, hats featuring your catchphrases or signature designs
• Accessories: Phone cases, stickers, pins, tote bags with your branding
• Digital Products: Presets, templates, e-books, or courses related to your content
• Limited Edition Collections: Seasonal or themed releases that create urgency
• Collaborations: Co-branded items with other creators or brands in your niche

Setting Up Your Merchandise Business:

• Print-on-Demand Services: Partner with platforms like Printful, Printify, or Spring (formerly Teespring) to minimize upfront inventory costs.
• Custom Manufacturing: Work with manufacturers for unique, higher-quality items once you’ve validated demand.
• E-commerce Integration: Set up a dedicated website using Shopify, WooCommerce, or similar platforms.
• Order Fulfillment: Determine whether you’ll handle shipping yourself or use a fulfillment service.
• Inventory Management: Start with limited quantities to test market response before scaling.

You can sell your merchandise and products to your audience. In this way, you can take advantage of TikTok despite its entertainment and make it a platform to earn money. Promote your products through your videos to increase sales. 

6. Join the Affiliate Program

If you don’t own your own business or products, don’t worry, you can also make money through the affiliation program.

You can just promote other brands’ products and earn a commission when someone buys the products through your affiliate link. To do this, you will need a loyal and trusted following so that they can buy with your link. 

Finding the Right Affiliate Programs:

• Popular Networks:
  • Amazon Associates (4-10% commission rates)
  • ShareASale (varies by merchant, often 5-30%)
  • Impact Radius (premium brands with higher commissions)
  • CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction)
  • Awin (particularly strong for European markets)
• Direct Brand Programs: Many companies offer higher commission rates through their own affiliate programs
• Subscription Services: Platforms like Skillshare, streaming services, and software companies often pay recurring commissions

Selecting Profitable Products:

• Choose items with commission rates of at least 5% (preferably 10% +).
• Focus on products priced between $50-$200 for optimal conversion value.
• Select items that naturally align with your content themes.
• Research product quality and customer reviews before promoting.
• Consider seasonal trends and timing for specific promotions.
• Look for products with extended cookie duration (30+ days).

Those who are also working on affiliate marketing should test the potential of TikTok with proper affiliate marketing campaigns.

7. Published Sponsored Posts 

Sponsored posts are different from partnership and affiliation programs. If you have a large following and engaging users, then there are many possibilities for getting sponsored posts on your TikTok profile.

• Maintain authenticity even in sponsored content.
• Set clear rates based on your follower count and engagement metrics.
• Establish boundaries regarding what products you’re willing to promote.
• Create a media kit highlighting your audience demographics and performance statistics.

As your influence grows, you can command higher rates for sponsored content. Most small businesses offer money for sponsored posts to showcase their products in one or more videos.

They will pay you money for each of your sponsored videos. If they can’t reach you for sponsored posts, you can also offer them for sponsored videos.

8. Virtual Gifts and Donations

Donations and gifting are also a new feature on TikTok where fans and users send gifts to show their love. Fans send different gifts in videos, and you will earn TikTok coins for every gift.

Understanding TikTok’s Virtual Economy:

• Coins: The currency users purchase with real money
• Diamonds: What creators earn when receiving gifts
• Gifts: Virtual items viewers send during livestreams or on videos
• Conversion Rate: Approximately 50% of gift value converts to creator earnings
• Minimum Withdrawal: Requirements vary by region (typically $100 equivalent)
• Payment Methods: Direct deposit, PayPal, or other regional payment options

Gifting is mostly used in TikTok live streams, and some user sends diamonds and jets, which give a lot of coins. When you collect enough coins in your TikTok wallet, you can redeem them for real money. Here are some of the TikTok livestream monetization requirements:

• Age 18 or older.
• Minimum 1,000 followers.
• Account in good standing.
• Compliance with TikTok’s Community Guidelines.
• Verification of identity and payment information.

Video Gift Eligibility:

The feature of video gifting was previously only limited to LIVE streams, now available on regular videos

• Must meet similar requirements to LIVE eligibility
• Videos must comply with monetization policies
• Feature available in eligible regions only

Many top TikTok creators earn $1,000-$5,000 monthly through virtual gifts alone, particularly in niches with highly engaged communities like gaming, music performance, comedy, and educational content.

9. Create a Patreon Account

A Patreon Account is a subscription-based service that allows the creator to receive funds from the fans who are called “Patrons”.

Content creators receive recurring payments every month. So, you can set membership plans for your fans to give them access to exclusive content.

It is better to set multiple membership plans to make your fans contribute accordingly.  When you build a strong connection with fans, you can earn passive income.

• Design multiple membership tiers at different price points.
• Offer exclusive content and perks to subscribers.
• Promote your Patreon across your TikTok content.
• Deliver consistent value to retain subscribers.

This approach works particularly well for creators who produce content that has depth beyond TikTok’s short-form format.

10. Promote Songs

Lastly, you can make money on TikTok by promoting new songs. Make a partnership with new singers and add sound to every one of your TikTok videos.

In this way, when you promote the songs or any other playlists, singers are more likely to pay more money, and new ones will approach you to promote their songs. The more views your videos get, you can earn. 

Types of Music Promotion Deals:

• Single Song Promotion: Creating content featuring a specific track
• Sound Creation: Developing original sounds that have viral potential
• Remix Collaborations: Adding visual content to artist remixes
• Challenge Sponsorships: Launching or participating in dance/trend challenges
• Album Release Campaigns: Multi-video series promoting new albums
• Artist Collaborations: Direct partnerships with musicians
• Music Platform Promotion: Partnerships with Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

You can promote TikTok songs in multiple ways. Here are some of those given below.

• Partner with emerging artists and record labels
• Feature new songs in your videos
• Create dance challenges or trends around specific tracks
• Negotiate compensation based on your reach and engagement

Music promotion can be especially lucrative if your content regularly goes viral or starts trends. Music promotion can be especially lucrative if your content regularly goes viral or starts trends.

All these details are about how to make money on TikTok. TikTok is not only a video-sharing or entertainment platform, but you can also make money. However, creating engaging and entertaining content is important to engage users.

When your fan following grows, you can earn money through affiliate programs. Sponsored content and partnerships. However, you can sell your products and run ads to drive traffic to your TikTok shopping tab and e-commerce store. Beyond these, there are many other ways to earn through TikTok, but all you need is a fan following.