The Many Ways Brands And Creators Earn Money On TikTok

TikTok is one of the most inclusive platforms where every kind of person and every kind of idea is welcomed. This platform has been a source of earnings for many creators out there. People started making videos on TikTok for the sake of fun and as a part-time hobby. Later, the platform gave them more than what they earned in their full-time jobs. So, they left those 9-5 jobs and became full-time TikTokers.

Well, there is no such thing as a full-time TikTok because this is not a job. There are no time limitations to making videos for TikTok, as you can make videos whenever you like. However, the platform demands consistency to maintain the flow of content for the viewers.

As we said, every idea is welcomed on this platform, so there are many ways for brands and creators to earn money from TikTok. Here, we explore some of them!

Ways Brands And Creators Can Earn Money From TikTok

TikTok offers exciting opportunities for both brands and creators to monetize their accounts on the platform. However, the goals and priorities for a brand and a creator are different on TikTok. While understanding the needs of both domains, we have categorized the ways into the following:

Monetizing TikTok for Brands

Since TikTok has a massive user base with 900.7 million active users, it is a goldmine of opportunities for brands to reach new audiences. Here are some ways for brands to earn money on TikTok.

1. TikTok Shopping

For brands, TikTok is the best way to showcase their products. It will serve as a virtual store shelf. Your viewers will discover you and purchase products from your brands if they find them according to their taste. It will be easier to get sales through TikTok, as the app keeps the viewers glued with billions of videos. Between these videos, one of your brand’s products will show up, enticing the audience to make the purchase.

Here’s how it works:

Brands set up their storefronts within TikTok, showcasing their product lineup.
They can tag products in organic videos or run dedicated shopping campaigns.
Creators can partner with relevant brands to promote their products through shoppable links or sponsored content.
Users can browse product catalogs, watch product demos, and even make purchases directly on TikTok.

2. Brand Partnerships

TikTok is best for business partnerships as you can find many creators in your specific niche. In simpler words, brand partnerships on TikTok connect brands with relevant creators whose audiences and values align with theirs. This mutually beneficial collaboration offers various possibilities for the brand. But, the brand must know what kind of partnership suits their goals.

Brand partnerships on TikTok are of many types:

The Sponsored Posts – Here, the creators feature a brand’s product in a dedicated video, highlighting its benefits and encouraging viewers to learn more.
The Product Placement – Here, brands subtly integrate their products into the creator’s usual content, offering a more organic and relatable approach.
The Hashtag Challenges – Challenge videos get more engagement on TikTok, so brands launch hashtag challenges, encouraging creators to use their products and generate user-generated content.
The Collaborations – In this, brands and creators work together on creative campaigns, like designing limited-edition products or hosting live events.

3. TikTok Ads

If we talk about ads, TikTok Ads are a lot different than Facebook Ads. It is more comprehensive and targets the right audience. Well, the number of audiences you reach through a TikTok ad is way more than that of any other platform. The journey of Hyundai on TikTok clearly shows how ads have helped them gain reach in North America by targeting the native TikTok community. TikTok Ads offers a diverse array of ad formats tailored to grab attention and drive results:

Popular Ad Formats:

In-feed Ads – Short, catchy videos seamlessly integrated into the user’s feed, like native content.
TopView Ads – High-impact full-screen video ads that appear as soon as the app opens.
Branded Effects – Customized filters and interactive elements users can play with, boosting brand recall.
Branded Hashtag Challenges – Encourage user-generated content and organic reach through fun, engaging challenges.
Spark Ads – Interactive shopping ads showcasing product features and prices, allowing users to purchase directly.

4. Livestream Shopping

What happens here is that the brands get to stream live videos of their events or products. It serves as a real-time shopping experience within TikTok, where brands can interact directly with viewers and convert interest into sales instantly.

Here’s How Livestream Shopping Works:

Brands host live events showcasing products, featuring demos, answering questions, and offering exclusive deals.
Products are displayed with buy buttons, allowing viewers to purchase items directly during the stream.
Creators can collaborate with brands on live events, leveraging their audience and personality to drive engagement.

5. Content Marketing

Well, you might have heard about content marketing before. In TikTok, what you do is build trust within the community using content marketing techniques. You sell your products but also become a thought leader so that your potential customers trust you. Content Marketing on TikTok allows you to showcase your brand expertise and connect with audiences on a deeper level.

Content Strategies For Marketing Your Brand:

You make educational videos where you share tips, tricks, and behind-the-scenes insights relevant to your industry.
Add product tutorials to show how to use and care for your products, highlighting their benefits.
Use storytelling and compelling narratives to connect with viewers emotionally and build brand loyalty.
Offer behind-the-scenes exclusive access to your company culture and values.
Increase community engagement by responding to comments, answering questions, and participating in conversations.

Monetizing TikTok for Creators

According to Social Blade’s latest count, there are around 1.2 million TikTok content creators. Whew! This is where this TikTok army has reached. If you have the creative edge, then you should join TikTok as a creator. This community has more room for talented and passionate creators like you.

1. TikTok Creator Fund

This program offers a direct reward for high-quality, engaging content. However, entry isn’t for everyone because there is an eligibility criteria for creators to fulfill before joining. This soundrestrictive? Well, where the platform helps creators grow, it also wants to maintain quality for the viewers. The eligibility requires a minimum of 10k followers and 100k views on videos in the past 30 days.

There is no set range of income, as the earnings are based on a combination of video views, engagement, and adherence to Community Guidelines. It has the potential for significant income without relying on external partnerships. But for some creators, it is a red flag where they go through a high entry barrier, no guarantee of acceptance, and opaque earning calculations.

2. Affiliate Marketing

Being a creator with more followers, you have the edge to become a brand ambassador within your niche. Promote other brands’ products through unique affiliate links embedded in your videos or bio.

What does it take?

You need to earn a commission for each sale generated through your link.
A wide variety of brands to collaborate with, performance-based income, requires less upfront investment.
The worst part is that it is dependent on sales conversions, potentially lower income than other options, and requires transparency about sponsored content.

3. Sell Your Own Products or Services

Creators also have the perk of turning their TikTok presence into a direct sales channel. Use TikTok Shopping to showcase and sell your creations, from merchandise to online courses.