Make money off of TikTok: How to take posting from a hobby to a job
There are many different ways to monetize TikTok, from sponsored posts to affiliate marketing
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One of TikTok’s most popular content creators, Daniel Macdonald, speaks to FOX News Digital about his "zero to 100" social media fame by asking supercar drivers what they do for a living.
A social media influencer, a nonexistent job years ago, is now the title of millions.
Even if you aren't an "influencer," many companies use social media as part of their marketing strategy to make money, spread awareness and potentially gain customers.
Posting on TikTok can go from a fun hobby to a serious source of income as you build your brand.
Making money on TikTok begins with building your brand. (CFOTO / Future Publishing / Getty Images)
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If you want to monetize your TikTok, here are tips on how to do so.
- Build your brand
- Collaborate with other creators
- Create sponsored posts
- Go live and collect gifts
- Try affiliate marketing
- Sell through TikTok Shop
- Join the Creativity Program Beta
1. Build your brand
Step one to monetizing your TikTok comes way before you make your first dollar.
Before doing anything else, you will need to build your brand. Brainstorm and think about the type of content you want to create.
When you are first starting out, you'll want to really focus on your niche. If your account covers too many topics at the start, it's going to be hard for it to grow.
Once you decide on the type of content you want to create, come up with a plan. How many times a week are you going to post? What are your first posts going to be? One huge key to growing a following is posting consistently, which can turn out to be a lot of work. That's why planning is so important, and allotting time each day to really focus on your brand.
2. Collaborate with other creators
As a small creator, one of the best ways to grow your following is by collaborating with others.
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It can be intimidating to reach out to other creators, but this is a vital step in growing your following.
Try to find people with a similar follower count as you to collaborate with. A great place to start is people in your area that you can potentially meet up with to create content.
TikTok can be a side hustle or even a full-time job if you monetize correctly. (Matt Cardy / Getty Images)
Collaborating with others has the potential to really grow your audience.
To find people to collaborate with, simply browse social media. Also, keep a look-out for events in your area, like social media conferences or seminars where you could meet a lot of people you can collaborate with in the future.
3. Create sponsored posts
One way to make money on TikTok is through sponsored posts. Many brands have turned to influencers to market their products.
In a sponsored post, a brand will pay you to feature their product in your content.
When looking for companies to reach out to, think about ones that fit the theme of your brand. You want to pick companies that are going to seamlessly intertwine with your content. Choose brands that sell products your followers will be interested in learning about and potentially buying.
Before reaching out to brands, it's helpful to have a media kit ready. A media kit will include things like information on your brand, how many followers you have and past companies you've worked with. There are many templates for media kits online you can use if you are having trouble setting yours up.
Once you have your media kit and list of brands you want to reach out to, look for their PR contacts and begin sending out emails.
Even if you are just starting out, don't be afraid to reach out to brands. All it takes is a quick email. (iStock / iStock)
If you hear a no or get no response at all, don't get discouraged. With hard work and consistency, brand deals will begin to roll in.
4. Go live and collect gifts
Many TikTok influencers make money by going live. When you go live on TikTok, viewers can send you gifts that can be exchanged for real cash.
Going live is another great opportunity to collaborate with others.
Some people go live on a daily basis and make a large majority of their TikTok income this way.
5. Try affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is an easy way to make money on TikTok by advertising the products you already use.
With affiliate marking, you'll earn a small commission by referring products to customers.
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When a customer uses one of your affiliate links or codes to buy a product, you'll receive a small amount of money from that sale.
TikTok users can make money through affiliate marketing. (iStock / iStock)
6. Sell through TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop allows business owners to sell their products directly through the app.
If you have a small business, TikTok Shop provides a great avenue for introducing users to your product and driving sales.
7. Join the Creativity Program Beta
TikTok's Creativity Program Beta is the replacement of the Creator Fund that was launched in 2020.
Users must apply to be part of this program. Requirements include having a U.S.-based account, having at least 10,000 followers, being at least 18 years old and earning 100,000 views in the past 30 days.
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Videos eligible for commission must have at least 1,000 views. They must not be a duet, stitch or photo mode video. Eligible videos can't be an advertisement, paid promotion or sponsored post and can't violate the Creativity Program Beta terms, the Terms of Service, the Community Guidelines or Copyright Policy, according to TikTok's website.