Of course, if you want to learn how to become a TikTok influencer, you need killer content. But how do you turn views into cash? Use these tools to your advantage.

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If you love making creative, fun videos and chatting with your followers, you might have what it takes to become a TikTok influencer. It isn’t easy to ditch the nine-to-five, but with the right strategy, you can start earning money as an influencer. You might not earn as much as  TikTok stars like Charli D’Amelio, but everybody’s got to start somewhere. If you’re looking to take content creation from a hobby to a full-time job, we’re here to help. Here’s your guide on how to become a TikTok influencer.

How to Become a TikTok Influencer in 3 Steps

TikTok is expected to have over 1.8 billion active monthly users by the end of 2022, which makes it one of the biggest social media platforms in the world. If you love filming short-form videos, this platform could help you earn money, thanks to its insane number of users.

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But this isn’t necessarily a simple path. Few content creators make full-time money out of the gates, so you’ll likely create content on the side at first. You need to learn about the business side of becoming a TikTok creator, too. That means making content people want to see and monetizing it. 

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Follow these three steps to become a TikTok influencer:

1. Set Up Your TikTok Account the Right Way

Part of any solid TikTok marketing strategy is optimizing your account from the start. TikTok buried lots of little goodies in its Account Settings, so take advantage of these tips to set up your TikTok account the right way:

• Create a Pro TikTok account: It’s free to make the switch, and a Pro account gives you access to features like Analytics, the Creator Portal, and even the creator fund.
• Fill in your TikTok profile: Open your TikTok profile and tap Edit Profile. Be sure to fill out all of the details, including your name, username, pronouns, and a short bio. You can even list the nonprofits you support.
• Remember your links: TikTok allows you to link to your YouTube and Instagram in your account settings, so be sure to add them. It also allows you to feature one link in your bio. Instead of trying to choose between all of your favorite links, use a link-in-bio tool like Hype to create a microsite that features your contact information, freebies, affiliate content, and more in one place.  
• Add a profile photo: It’s hard to relate to a blank avatar on a TikTok profile. Upload a clear photo of your face or your logo so people know it’s you.

2. Find Your Target Audience and Niche

What are you going to post about on your channel? If your feed contains tips on beauty, cooking, workouts, and celebrity gossip, it’s doing too much. You need people to know you for a specific thing, and that means picking a niche.

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If you want to boost your follower count, you’ll need to post content that vibes with your target audience. Check your account analytics to see how your followers respond to each piece of content. You can even look at metrics like engagement and video views to see what demographic likes your content. It might take some fine-tuning, but sticking with a niche and monitoring your audience engagement will help you hit the mark.

3. Create Viral-worthy Content

You can be the best cook, dancer, or makeup artist on the planet, but you can’t learn how to become a TikTok influencer without A-plus content. Content creation is no easy feat, but here are a few tips for creating viral videos on TikTok: 

• Answer questions: Go to Creator Tools > Q&A to see what questions people are asking on TikTok. Just tap “Answer question,” record your answer, and share it with the world.
• Add trending hashtags: You can’t use a lot of hashtags on TikTok, but they still matter. TikTok users find content via hashtag searches, so if you want to find new followers, hashtags are a must. To find trending hashtags, just go to the Discover area of the TikTok app — TikTok will display a feed of today’s most popular hashtags.
• Try a hashtag challenge: Do your own take of a popular TikTok challenge to get more views.
• Use TikTok live streams: If you have a devoted fanbase, try going live on TikTok. Live streams are popular in niches like ASMR, crafting, art, and cooking.
• Offer free tutorials: TikTok users tend to rewatch tutorial videos to nail all of the steps, so this is the perfect way to boost your video completion rate.
• Do a giveaway or contest: Everybody loves free stuff, so giveaways and contests are a boon for your engagement figures. But don’t turn your account into a contest feed — only offer giveaways once a quarter to avoid the spam bots that come with giveaways.
• Collaborate with other creators: Two heads are better than one, after all. Partner with other influencers to increase your audience and make a bigger splash in the TikTok app.

If you want people to see your content, you also need to master the TikTok algorithm. Tip: We have a short guide on how to do just that.

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The way the TikTok algorithm works is technically a secret, but we know it decides what your followers see in the app, so it can easily highlight or bury your content. We promise the algorithm will become your frenemy, but you’ve got to figure it out to make a living on TikTok.

But How Do You Make Money on TikTok?

That’s the million-dollar question. Unlike other social media platforms like Snapchat, LinkedIn, or Facebook, there are plenty of ways to monetize your TikTok. Here’s how you can make money on TikTok as a content creator:

Brand Sponsorships

Brands hire TikTok influencers as part of their digital marketing strategy. If you have a tight relationship with your followers, you can definitely monetize it by promoting brands on your channel.

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In our humble opinion, sponsorships are the most lucrative way to make a living on TikTok. Some creators report earning as much as $20,000 on a sponsored post, but it depends on the brand deal and how much clout you have. 

TikTok Creator Fund

TikTok was the first social platform to launch its own creator fund, which pays creators to make high-quality content. The creator fund pays out based on the number of views you get on each video, as well as your engagement rate. 

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While that might sound like a great deal, keep in mind that the creator fund doesn’t pay a lot. Influencers report earning just three cents for every 1,000 views. You won’t get rich with the creator fund alone, which is why it shouldn’t be the only way you make money from TikTok. 

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You’ll first need a Pro Account to join the creator fund. After you make the switch, go to Settings > Creator Tools > TikTok Creator Fund. If you meet TikTok’s criteria, you’ll receive a notification that you’ve been accepted into the fund.

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💡Learn more about what to expect from the TikTok Creator Fund in our guide.

SoundOn

This is a monetization opportunity just for music creators. With SoundOn, you can upload your original music to TikTok. The platform will pay you a royalty every time someone uses it in a video. You’ll earn 100% of the royalties the first year and then 90% of the royalties after that. Just go to Creator Tools > SoundOn to monetize your music.

Tips

Tips go straight to your pocket, and TikTok doesn’t take a cut at all. If you enable tips, followers can send you up to $100 per transaction, although TikTok caps Tips at $500 a day or 100 transactions in a day, whichever comes first.

Affiliate Links

Chances are good that your followers want to use the same products or equipment featured on your channel. Join affiliate programs like Amazon Affiliates to promote products on your TikTok account. Every time your followers make a purchase from your links, you’ll get a commission in exchange. 

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Of course, TikTok only allows you to feature one link on your account, so this is tricky. Not to toot our own horn, but a Hype microsite makes it a cinch to feature all of your affiliate links in one place. Our link-in-bio tool is a must for monetizing affiliate deals.

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Wondering How to Become a TikTok Influencer? Focus on Content

As a TikTok content creator, you get to entertain people for a living. But you can’t create an account and expect the money to come in overnight. You have to put in the work by: 

• Setting up your account the right way
• Finding a target audience and niche
• Creating high-quality content

You also need to monetize your content through: 

• Sponsorships
• The Creator Fund
• SoundOn
• Tips
• Affiliates

At the end of the day, creating isn’t an easy gig, but it’s fun, dynamic, and rewarding. If influencing is calling you, give it a shot. 

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Want more help along the way? Hype helps budding creators optimize their profiles, find killer content ideas, and learn how to monetize their content. Subscribe to the Hype blog now.