How Many Followers Do You Need on TikTok to Start Making Money?

Want to turn your TikTok passion into a money-making opportunity? A common question many creators have is: how many followers do I need to start earning on TikTok?

The short answer is you need a minimum of 10,000 followers to qualify for TikTok‘s Creator Fund, their official monetization program. But high view counts on your videos matter more than just your follower number.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll break down exactly how many followers you need to get paid on TikTok, the role video views play, top tips to increase your earnings potential, and everything else you need to know about monetizing your TikTok audience.

By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap to start earning as an influencer on one of the fastest-growing social media platforms today!

An Inside Look at TikTok’s Creator Fund

TikTok’s Creator Fund allows popular creators to earn money from their videos. It‘s TikTok‘s first official monetization program and provides a way for the platform‘s biggest stars to generate income directly from their audience.

To participate in the TikTok Creator Fund, you must meet these eligibility requirements:

• Have at least 10,000 followers on your TikTok account
• Reach a minimum of 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
• Post original content that follows TikTok’s community guidelines
• Live in a country where the fund is available (US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, etc.)

TikTok determines how much each creator earns based on the engagement and views on their videos. Things like likes, shares, comments all contribute to your earnings from the fund.

Payments are calculated monthly based on your performance and distributed to creators through PayPal or direct deposit. According to TikTok, top creators participating in the fund can earn up to $4 million per year from their videos.

While 10,000 followers is the minimum to get started, it’s certainly not a guarantee you’ll immediately start raking in big bucks. The Creator Fund rewards creators who consistently post viral content that gets high view counts.

Next, let’s look closer at why your video views matter more than just having lots of followers.

Why Your Video Views Matter More Than Follower Count

Simply having 10,000+ followers doesn’t automatically mean you’ll earn significant income from the Creator Fund. The metric TikTok looks at closest is your per-video view count.

Views indicate your content is resonating with users and getting distribution on TikTok’s “For You” page, where videos can go viral. More eyeballs on your videos directly translates to higher revenue potential.

For example, Creator A has 50,000 loyal followers but averages just 500 views per video. Creator B has 15,000 followers but gets 150,000 views on each viral video. Creator B is likely earning significantly more from the Creator Fund even though they have far fewer followers.

This is why successful TikTok creators put tremendous effort into understanding their audience and participating in trends. Producing content people want to watch over and over is key.

Check out how follower count stacks up against average video views for some top TikTok creators:

Creator	Followers	Average Video Views
Charli D’Amelio	146M	20M
Bella Poarch	87.7M	65M
Spencer X	51.9M	20M
Addison Rae Easterling	86.2M	12.4M

As you can see, massive followings and high engagement go hand-in-hand for top earners on TikTok.

Let’s go over some pro tips to scoring more views and followers on your videos.

Expert Tips to Gain More Followers and Views on TikTok

Building a highly engaged audience on TikTok takes time and strategy. Here are some best practices from industry experts:

Leverage Trends Strategically But Authentically

Hopping on viral trends is a great way to get more eyeballs on your content. But inauthentically forcing trends will backfire, says digital marketer Jonathan Martinez.

“Viewers can sense when someone is just trying to chase a trend for views. Find creative ways to put your unique spin on trending sounds, hashtags, and effects,” Martinez advises.

A good benchmark is 50% evergreen content that expresses your brand, and 50% timely, trend-based content to capture interest.

Hook Viewers in the First 5 Seconds

TikTok’s short video format means you have just seconds to grab an audience. “Master the art of opening hooks to immediately captivate viewers‘ attention,” suggests social media consultant Leila Lewis.

Examples are using shock factor, humor, surprise elements, suspense, or other tactics to start strong. This builds intrigue to keep watching.

Optimize Your Videos for Discovery

Appearing on TikTok’s “For You” page for broad distribution is critical. Social media strategist Jay Lin says you should always include relevant hashtags and captions so the TikTok algorithm can pick up your content and share it widely.

Collaborate With Other Creators

Find creators with a similar niche and collaborate on content. according to Lin, “Cross-promoting through collaborations exposes you to each other‘s follower base. It’s a win-win for expanding your reach.”

Duets are an especially powerful collaboration format on TikTok.

Go LIVE Frequently

Broadcasting live is a great way to engage directly with your audience and get on the “For You” page. Digital marketer Savannah Sanchez recommends going live at least twice per week.

“Leverage LIVE to reveal more of your personality. Audiences connect more with creators they feel they ‘know,’” notes Sanchez.

Interact With Followers

Reply to comments, follow back other users, and actively engage your community. TikTok expert Cayley Clarke says this gives followers a deeper connection with you and makes them more likely to stick around.

Additional Ways to Monetize Your TikTok Following

While the Creator Fund is TikTok’s official program, plenty of other money-making opportunities exist for influencers on the platform.

Brand Sponsorships

Partnering with brands is a lucrative avenue as you build your audience. A rule of thumb is you need at least 10,000 very engaged followers before seeking sponsorships, according to industry experts.

As a influencer, you can earn anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per sponsored post or ad campaign. Rates vary based on your niche, content quality, and follower count.

LIVE Gifting

TikTok LIVE allows followers to purchase and send virtual gifts to show support during your livestreams. As the stream host, you earn a portion of gift revenue. Top broadcasters can make thousands per session.

Gifting is now available for creators 18+ with at least 1,000 followers who have hosted at least 3 LIVEs in the past month, per TikTok’s guidelines.

Affiliate Marketing

You can earn commissions promoting brands, products, or services through TikTok affiliate links.

Affiliate marketing works well for recommendations around fashion, tech, beauty, and other niches with purchase opportunities relevant to your audience.

Selling Merchandise

As your personal brand grows, creating custom merchandise like t-shirts, phone cases, and other swag is a way to monetize your most loyal followers.

Promote merch drops in your TikTok content and sell through sites like Teespring without holding inventory.

Publishing Sponsored Content

Brands may hire you to create sponsored posts promoting their products or campaigns. Rates vary greatly based on your audience size and engagement levels.

Micro and nano influencers can earn around $20 per 1,000 followers. Those with 100k+ followers can command $500-5,000+ per sponsored post.

Key Takeaways on Monetizing Your TikTok Following:

• To join TikTok’s Creator Fund, you need a minimum of 10,000 followers. But high video view counts are more critical for earnings.

• Consistently creating viral, trend-based content that resonates with your audience is crucial. Active user engagement also boosts income potential.

• Other options like brand sponsorships, LIVE gifting, affiliate links, merch, and more become available as you grow your audience.

• For the best shot at monetizing your account, focus on providing value through entertaining videos. A solid content strategy will attract the loyal followers needed to turn TikTok into real profits.

The opportunities to earn real money through TikTok are stronger than ever as it continues record growth. While achieving mega influencer status takes major work, the rewards of leveraging your passion on TikTok into income are immense. Use these tips to unlock your full monetization potential!