Making money on TikTok in 2024 has evolved beyond just getting millions of views. While viral content is still a great way to build an audience, the most effective strategies now are focused on direct monetization and building a sustainable business.

Here's a breakdown of the best ways to make money on TikTok in 2024, including a few that might surprise you.

1. The TikTok Creator Rewards Program (Formerly Creator Fund)
This is TikTok's direct monetization program for rewarding creators for their content. The old "Creator Fund" has been replaced by the "Creator Rewards Program," which offers better cash incentives for eligible videos.


How it Works: You get paid for videos that are at least one minute long and meet the program's requirements. The rewards are calculated based on "qualified views" and a rewards-per-1,000-views metric (RPM).


Eligibility: To join, you need to be at least 18 years old, have a minimum of 10,000 followers, and have at least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days. You must also post high-quality, original content and live in an eligible country.


The Surprise: The old Creator Fund was known for low payouts. The new Creator Rewards Program is designed to offer a better and more consistent income stream, making it a more viable option for full-time creators.

2. Brand Partnerships and the Creator Marketplace
This is one of the most lucrative ways to earn money, and it doesn't always require millions of followers.

How it Works: Brands pay creators to promote their products or services through sponsored posts. The TikTok Creator Marketplace is the official platform that connects brands with creators, simplifying the collaboration process.


How to Get Started: Build an audience within a specific niche (e.g., beauty, gaming, finance, fitness). Create a media kit and professional content that showcases your style and engagement metrics. You can also proactively reach out to brands that align with your content.


The Surprise: Many brands are looking for micro-influencers (with as few as 10,000-50,000 followers) who have a highly engaged and loyal audience in a specific niche. This allows you to earn money without having to go "viral" every time.

3. TikTok Shop and Affiliate Marketing
This method turns your content into a direct sales channel, and it's becoming a dominant way to monetize on the platform.

How it Works:

TikTok Shop: If you have your own products, you can set up a TikTok Shop to sell directly in the app. You can tag your products in videos and host live shopping streams.


Affiliate Marketing: If you don't have your own products, you can become an affiliate. You'll promote products from other brands and earn a commission on every sale made through your unique link or discount code.

The Surprise: You can earn significant income through affiliate marketing without ever creating a "viral" video. By consistently creating content that showcases products and provides value, you can generate a steady stream of passive income from your sales commissions.

4. Live Streaming and Virtual Gifts
This is a way to get paid directly by your most dedicated fans.

How it Works: When you host a live stream, viewers can send you "virtual gifts" purchased with TikTok coins. These gifts can be converted into "Diamonds," which can then be redeemed for real money.


Eligibility: You need to be at least 16 to send or receive gifts, and at least 18 to withdraw funds. Having a good following (typically 1,000 followers or more) is required to go live.

The Surprise: Going live is a powerful way to build a personal connection with your audience, which in turn encourages them to support you directly. It's a great strategy for creators who are charismatic and enjoy direct interaction.

Other Surprising Ways to Monetize:

Selling Your Services or Digital Products: Use TikTok as a marketing funnel to promote your coaching, consulting, or digital products like e-books, online courses, and presets.

User-Generated Content (UGC) Creation: Many brands will pay you to create authentic, ad-style content for them to use on their own channels, even if you don't post it on your own account.

Patreon and Subscriptions: Drive your most loyal fans to an off-platform subscription service like Patreon, where they can pay a monthly fee for exclusive content and community access.

Growing and Selling Accounts: Some creators build and grow niche-specific accounts to a certain follower count and then sell them to businesses or individuals who want a head start on the platform.