TikTok is the latest social media platform, and that means another great opportunity for you to market your brand and monetize your TikTok videos as an influencer. Not all social platforms work the same when it comes to monetization, though, and TikTok is one of the more complex.
This is because TikTok as a platform is fast-paced and simplistic. Its purpose is to keep users watching. You have just a few seconds to hook your viewers in, otherwise your efforts are wasted.
So, what’s the best way to monetize TikTok creator video? Here’s a guide to get you started with success in mind.
What is TikTok? Getting to know the viral video platform.
TikTok is a social network built for Gen Z. It’s short videos and auto-scrolling feature keep users’ eyes glued to the screen for hours on end. It’s the only platform that can truly keep up with the demographic’s attention span—wanting something quick, entertaining, and possibly educational all in about 30 seconds.
Several TikTok stars have risen to fame and wealth over the past couple of years like Addison Rae and Charli d’Amelio. Based on the success of these two, you can see exactly who this platform is geared to and the type of content that works best.
Numerically, the demographic is people between the ages of 16 and 25. The app has about 1.2 billion users and pays up to $125 per video for micro-influencers (that rate increases significantly with more subscribers/followers/views).
Can you get paid on TikTok? Yes, and it depends on the value of your content.
To get a strong TikTok account monetization strategy going, there are a few preparations you need to make. That includes profile, content type, and growth potential.
The Basics of a Good Business TikTok Profile
As a brand, you have a couple options for creating a profile that resonates with TikTokers. The first way is akin to Wendy’s Twitter account, or even the Ryanair TikTok page. You need to make people see the company as something interesting, engaging, and with personal as opposed to one that just wants to sell a product. Wendy’s used Twitter to create a sassy, confrontational personality that users really love. Ryanair uses TikTok to be self-aware, making fun of themselves while keeping each video relevant to the airline industry.
The second option is to make an account as an individual content creator, not a brand. For example, you post content as the owner of a business instead of posting as that business. This way is easier for users to relate to since it’s human-to-human, but you run the risk of blowing your potential by always promoting the same products. When users catch on to your intent, they will more than likely unfollow and report you. That doesn’t mean this isn’t a good method, it just means you need to tread the fine line of being a business and a person.
The Importance of SEO
There is such a thing as TikTok SEO, but it isn’t as important as it is on other platforms. Having said that, you shouldn’t ignore it. You need to make sure your posts have the right hashtags and your profile is filled out in order to start trending on the For You page. This is one is a long-term game. You won’t see immediate results, and that’s mostly due to the TikTok algorithm which focuses heavily on views more than anything else. Interactions, like commenting and messages, comes second. And SEO comes in third place.
Having Unique TikTok Content
Unique content doesn’t mean “do something that no one else is doing”. It means something along the lines of “create engaging content you’re passionate about”.
You need to be interested in the content you’re producing, otherwise there’s no motivation behind your posts which will come across to viewers. To use influencer campaign tactics appropriately, you need to possess passion behind your content; show your viewers something personal.
The types of content that gain the most traction on the platform are skits and quick tips. You can venture off into your own genre of content if you like, but these two are the ones that gain the most views and become viral.
Setting Up for Viral Growth
After creating a killer profile and deciding which type of content your page will mostly post, you are ready to go viral. And that takes time.
TikTok’s algorithm is unique in that it focuses primarily on views. So, for a video to go viral, it needs to reach a certain ratio of views from TikTok users who watch at least 95% of your video. That means shorter, entertaining content is easier to go viral. Exposure is what’s most important on this platform. Don’t focus too much on getting followers, that will come organically. Focus, instead, of creating content that people will watch in its entirety.
A good strategy is to post a video every single day for about 30 days. These 30 days also give you time to create a backlog of content to publish. This way, you don’t have to focus on creating something new every day or risk your influencer status if that does happen. In this time, you’ll get live insight into what type of content gets the most views. Focus on creating more of those videos because that’s what will make you money on TikTok.
Creating new content that maintains your viral status or helps you grow will come easier as you post more often.
How to make money on TikTok? You have a few options.
Supplements and e-commerce products take the top spots when it comes to selling products on TikTok. Courses and other product types have a lower rate of success, but it’s still possible to sell them with a bit more effort (especially if you link to an Instagram account or YouTube channel).
Link Out to Sell Products
Be aware that if you are a supplements brand, you cannot use TikTok’s ad platform to promote your products. You’ll have to promote them organically on your personal page.
TikTok is full of accounts for quick tips on healthier living, which makes it a great home for supplement sellers. The same goes for e-commerce products. Add a link to your profile (TikTok doesn’t support in-video links yet) for your online store and you’ll see more traffic as video views go up.
There’s also merchandise integration directly in the app, but it’s very limited at the moment and only supports custom/branded t-shirts. This is something TikTok will improve soon, so stay on the lookout for the update.
For direct product sales, it’s easier to link out to an Instagram or YouTube page. Other social media platforms are friendlier to influencers and brands who want to sell in-app. Luckily, there’s a button in your TikTok profile that links to both of these competing platforms, making it even simpler for you to send over potential customers.
Affiliate Marketing
As a secondary method, you can set up an affiliate marketing program for other TikTok influencers to use. This is an indirect method for monetizing TikTok traffic but works well.
Audio Sponsorships
As a brand, you won’t be able to use copyrighted music in your videos. But as an individual, you can reach out to artists about sponsoring their music in your videos. There’s no official way to do this, but it does have some financial benefit if you can make the right connections.
Live Stream
Livestreaming can be a lucrative method if you have the followers to make it so. It’s donation-based, so the stream needs to be interesting and worthwhile for people who join to want to donate. Donations come in the form of TikTok currency, so you’ll have to cash it out for real money. If you’ve got the traction, then go live. It’s a great small, secondary source of income.
TikTok Ads
Ads and sponsored posts are still being figured out on the platform. They need to look and feel organic. If you’re confident you’ve got the right type of content to make compelling ads, then make use of the platform.
Making money on TikTok is possible. Get your profile right and you’ll see results.
Focus on content—creating, posting, analyzing, and bettering. Don’t worry about the number of followers or likes or comments. They will come naturally. As you gain momentum on TikTok, your other social media accounts will benefit from new followers as you reach a million views. Marketers are homing in on the still up-and-coming platform as it navigates the combined worlds of e-commerce and social media.
Once you figure out the winning scheme for your brand, the path forward is lined with cash. When linking out to your online store, you’ll need a reliable payment gateway that’s fast and easy to use—especially when handling payments from younger, more skeptical generations.
DirectPayNet will get you set up with a merchant account that makes the checkout experience simple and ready to accept an incoming high-volume wave of transactions. Get in touch with us today about our merchant services and start monetizing on TikTok like a pro.
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