Are you trying to find ways to make money on TikTok? There’s a fast and exciting way that more people are taking: become a TikTok influencer! TikTok with its huge user base and potential for viral content is a prime platform for creators to build a loyal following and earn income. Let’s get started with these strategies to start your TikTok influencer journey and turn your passion into profit!
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What is a TikTok Influencer?
A TikTok influencer is someone who has built a strong following by creating videos that really connect with their audience. Because their followers trust them, they can influence opinions or even inspire buying decisions. These influencers often focus on specific areas like fashion, beauty, or fitness, where they’ve become well-known.
Furthermore, when they partner with brands, they use their popularity and the trust they’ve earned to promote products. Ultimately, their strength lies in how well they communicate and persuade their followers in a natural and relatable way.
Benefits of Becoming a TikTok Influencer
Becoming a TikTok influencer can bring you many valuable benefits and opportunities that can elevate both your personal and professional life and below are three main benefits that you can easily get when becoming a TikTok influencer.
Gaining Fame and Recognition
TikTok is all about engaging and creative content. When you consistently produce videos that captivate and entertain, you’ll start to see your visibility soar. The platform’s algorithm promotes videos that attract attention, so your unique content can quickly reach a large audience. As more people discover and interact with your posts, you’ll build a strong personal brand and gain widespread recognition.
Increasing Income Opportunities
With a large and engaged following, you will become a prime candidate for brand partnerships and sponsored content since brands tend to collaborate with influencers who can reach and resonate with their target audience. You can earn money through various channels, including sponsored posts, brand collaborations, and affiliate marketing.
Additionally, TikTok’s Creator Fund provides financial rewards based on your video performance. The rule is that as your follower count and engagement grow, so do your income opportunities.
Opening Doors to New Opportunities
Being a TikTok influencer can lead to compelling opportunities outside the platform. As your influence expands, you might get more chances to collaborate with other creators, attend exclusive events, or even make guest appearances on podcasts and TV shows.
We can see it clearly via Charli D’Amelio – one of TikTok’s biggest stars – case. Charli D’Amelio used her huge follower base to branch out into mainstream media and her influence led to collaborations with major brands like Dunkin’ and Hollister. She also made guest appearances on shows such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” These opportunities not only enhanced her career but also positioned her as a valuable factor in the entertainment and marketing industries.
How to Become a TikTok Influencer?
There are many things to consider when becoming a TikTok influencer and each step plays an important role in helping you stand out from the crowd. In this part, I will list things you should focus on to increase your chances of success on TikTok.
Develop a Consistent Posting Schedule
To maximize engagement on TikTok, it’s important to post at the times when your audience is most active. The best times to post on TikTok generally fall between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in your audience’s local time zone because users are most active during morning and evening hours when they’re starting or winding down their day.
Specifically, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday tend to be high-engagement days. You can also use scheduling tools like TikTok’s built-in scheduler or third-party apps like Hootsuite to help you automate your posts, ensuring consistency.
Focus on a Unique Niche
Choosing a specific niche allows you to target a particular audience, making it easier to build a loyal following. It means you should focus on what you’re passionate about, such as beauty, fitness, or comedy rather than trying to cater to everyone. Sticking to a niche helps establish your authority and makes your content more consistent, which followers and brands appreciate.
For example, if your niche is art, you can consistently share your creative process, tutorials, or speed-painting videos, attracting a dedicated audience interested in your style and techniques. Over time, this will position you as a go-to artist on TikTok for people who appreciate your craft, making you more appealing to brands or businesses seeking to collaborate with artists.
Here are a few popular niches to consider if you’re looking for inspiration:
- Beauty & Skincare – Share makeup tutorials, skincare tips, and product reviews.
- Fitness & Wellness – Offer workout plans, healthy eating tips, and motivation.
- Comedy – Post funny skits, parodies, or relatable humor.
- Travel & Adventure – Showcasing beautiful destinations, travel hacks, and vlogs.
- Food & Cooking – Share delicious recipes, cooking hacks, and restaurant reviews.
- Tech & Gadgets – Review the latest gadgets, and share tutorials and tech news.
- Fashion & Style – Post outfit inspirations, styling tips, and fashion trends.
- Art & Design – Showcase your creative work, process, and tutorials to inspire others.
Follow Trends
TikTok trends shift quickly, which means what’s popular today might be forgotten by the end of the week. Therefore, you must keep up with these trends by monitoring the ‘Discover’ tab regularly to find trending hashtags, effects, and songs in your region. Also, aim to jump on trends within the first 24 to 48 hours of their emergence to capitalize on peak interest.
The good news is that most trends on TikTok are easy to adapt to any niche. The key is to create content that’s funny, relatable, or engaging, which will encourage users to share and interact with your videos. This kind of engagement pushes your content into the algorithm, helping it reach even more people.
You can also use trending songs in your videos is another way to increase your chances of landing on the For You page. You can find trending hashtags, effects, and songs by checking out the ‘Discover’ tab located in the bottom menu bar to stay updated on what’s popular in your region.
Be Creative and Unique
While following trends is important, standing out requires creativity. TikTok users are drawn to unique, authentic content. Don’t just copy what’s trending but find ways to add your personal touch to it since originality will help you stay memorable.
For example, if you create cooking videos, instead of just following a recipe, you could add a bizarre voiceover or include humorous step-by-step instructions to set you apart from other cooks and keep your audience remembering you coming back for more.
Keep Communication and Networking
TikTok isn’t just about posting content; it’s about creating a community. On average, it takes around 3 to 6 months of consistent engagement to start building a solid community on TikTok. You can engage with your audience through comments, likes, and even direct messages to build stronger connections and help maintain a loyal following.
Additionally, keep communicating with your followers by hosting TikTok LIVE and responding to comments, opening Q&A sessions, or encouraging followers to share their thoughts makes your audience feel more involved in your content. Networking with other influencers in your niche can introduce you to new audiences. By collaborating with fellow creators through duets or joint videos, you can cross-promote and grow your reach even further.
How Much Can Influencers Make from TikTok?
TikTok influencers’ income can range widely, from a few hundred dollars to millions per year, depending on several key factors. For example, influencers with more than 100,000 followers typically earn between $200 and $20,000 per sponsored video. However, what an influencer actually makes can depend on a few things including:
- Number of Followers: Influencers with millions of followers generally earn more per post due to their extensive reach. For example, influencers with 1 million followers can charge anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 per sponsored post, depending on their engagement rates.
- Engagement Levels: Those with highly engaged audiences (who frequently like, comment, and share) can charge a premium for their content. If you have about 50,000 followers but a highly engaged audience might earn around $500 to $2,000 per post.
- Type of Brand or Product: High-end brands or luxury products usually pay more for influencer partnerships.
- Niche Content: Influencers in specific niches might earn less per post, but they can still make a good income if they have a dedicated, loyal audience.
How to Make Money as a TikTok Influencer?
If you’re looking to turn your TikTok fame into a source of income, you should consider these effective strategies, which are used by many successful influencers:
Join the TikTok Creator Fund program
Joining the TikTok Creator Fund can be a good way to make money directly from your content if you’re already gaining traction on the platform. When you join, TikTok pays you based on how many views your videos get. This is great if your videos regularly attract a large audience, as it lets you earn without needing brand partnerships or ads.
However, earnings from the Creator Fund can be unpredictable and vary month-to-month. To overcome this, consider combining the Creator Fund with other income streams, like brand partnerships, selling merchandise, or engaging fans through live streams and TikTok gifts. This way, you’re not solely dependent on the fund, creating a more stable and diverse income strategy.
Promote Your Videos
Promoting your TikTok videos is essential for growing your audience and increasing engagement, which in turn boosts your earning potential. Here are 3 effective strategies I recommend:
- TikTok Ads: There are some of TikTok’s ad options you can use to promote your content, such as In-Feed ads or Branded Hashtag Challenges. These paid ads allow your content to reach users beyond your followers, making them ideal for launching new content or riding popular trends to increase visibility.
- Cross-Promotion on Other Platforms: Sharing your TikTok videos on other social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter can help drive traffic to your TikTok account and attract new followers. Besides, you can repurpose TikTok content as Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts to expand your reach.
- Collaborate With Other Creators: You can partner with influencers or creators within your niche to co-create content. This collaboration exposes your videos to their followers, helping you gain new audiences and boost your engagement rates through shared content.
Sell Merch
Selling merchandise is a direct way for influencers to monetize TikTok following. You can start by designing branded products such as clothing, accessories, or digital goods that resonate with your audience. For example, @tootymcnooty, a popular TikTok creator known for their quirky and humorous animated content, sells merchandise featuring their unique illustrations and popular characters to make their fans feel more connected to their world. As a result, their income has increased up to 30%.
You can use platforms like Shopify and Teespring to make it simple to create an online store and connect it with TikTok, allowing your followers to purchase directly through links in your bio or videos. Additionally, take advantage of TikTok’s shop features, like in-app product links and live streams, to promote your merch and make the buying process easier for fans.
LIVE Gifting
TikTok LIVE Gifting lets your viewers send virtual gifts during your live streams, which can be converted into real money. You need to remember that the more involved your viewers are, the more likely they are to send gifts, boosting your potential earnings. Top influencers can earn anywhere from $500 to $2,000 in a single live session, depending on their engagement and follower count.
To maximize your earnings, focus on making your live streams engaging and interactive by hosting regular sessions, responding to your audience’s comments, and delivering content that is both entertaining and informative. Engaging streams will lead to more virtual gifts, which means more money in your pocket.
Work With Brands
To collaborate with brands effectively, you must identify those whose products or services match your content and audience. For example, if you’re a fitness influencer, approach sportswear or supplement brands for sponsorships and create a pitch that highlights your unique value, such as your engagement rates or content style, and propose specific collaboration ideas like sponsored workouts or product reviews.
Once you secure a partnership, focus on delivering high-quality content that integrates the brand naturally. This could be through sponsored posts, live demos, or exclusive affiliate offers. To make collaboration more effective, maintain clear communication with the brand to ensure their expectations are met. By consistently showcasing your value and aligning with brands that resonate with your audience, you’ll increase your chances of securing more lucrative collaborations.
Examples of Successful Influencers on TikTok
To better understand what makes a TikTok influencer stand out, consider a few examples of those who have mastered compelling content and strategic collaborations. These influencers have gone from zero to hero on TikTok by taking advantage of their personal brands.
#1 Dylan Mulvaney
Dylan Mulvaney has become a well-known TikTok user, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community, where she shares her experiences as a transwoman. Her openness and vulnerability in revealing her transition have touched millions, making her a beloved influencer.
Dylan creates a real space for her followers with her “Days of Girlhood” series, where she shares her journey while combining humor, education, and personal tales. In 2024, she partnered with Ulta Beauty to launch a limited-edition Pride-themed makeup collection. This collaboration reportedly generated over $500,000 in sales within the first month. It not only highlighted her influence in the beauty industry but also donated a portion of the sales to LGBTQ+ organizations.
#2 Tefi Pessoa
Tefi Pessoa has become a favorite on TikTok for her funny and insightful reactions to pop culture. Her unique ability to break down celebrity news with a mix of humor and detailed analysis keeps her audience interested and coming back for more.
Also, her new podcast series, “Pop Culture Rewind,” where she dives deeper into celebrity stories and trends reached over 1 million downloads within its first three months, showcasing her ability to extend her influence beyond TikTok and capture a wider audience through different media.
#3 Ian Boggs
Ian Boggs is known for his visually stunning short films and creative skits. He brings sci-fi and fantasy stories to life, making his TikTok content feel like bite-sized movies. His engaging narratives and visual effects make his content feel like mini-movies that captivate audiences.
In 2024, Ian partnered with Netflix to create a series of short-form videos to promote a new sci-fi show. This earned him a contract reportedly worth $300,000. These videos garnered over 20 million views collectively on TikTok and significantly boosted the show’s visibility among younger audiences, proving the power of his storytelling to drive engagement and influence streaming content promotion.
Wrap Up
To sum up, becoming a successful TikTok influencer involves a mix of creativity, strategic planning, and genuine engagement with your audience. By following these steps and consistently refining your approach, you can grow your influence on TikTok and unlock multiple revenue streams. Start building your TikTok presence today and see where it takes you!
