11 Ways to Make Money on TikTok That Actually Work in 2025

The Creator Income Problem No One Talks About

TikTok fame doesn't pay the bills—at least not automatically. Despite having over 150 million monthly users in the US alone, most TikTok creators are still struggling to monetize effectively. According to recent creator economy reports, only about 4% of content creators earn enough to make a living wage from social media, even with thousands of followers.

I've watched countless talented creators burn out trying to convert views into actual income. That's because most advice online is either outdated or only works for mega-influencers with millions of followers. But here's the truth: there are real, working strategies that creators at any level can use to monetize TikTok in 2025.

11 Proven TikTok Monetization Strategies That Work Right Now

1. TikTok Creator Fund: The Reality Check

The Creator Fund is TikTok's direct payment program, but don't expect to get rich. Most creators report earning between $0.02-$0.04 per 1,000 views—meaning 1 million views might only generate $20-$40.

• Age 18+
• Minimum 10,000 followers
• At least 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
• Account in good standing

2. Brand Partnerships: The Income Backbone

Sponsored content remains the most reliable income source for mid-level creators. Brands typically pay $200-$2,000 per post for creators with 10,000-100,000 followers, depending on engagement rates.

• Search your niche's hashtags to find brands already working with creators your size
• Use TikTok's Creator Marketplace if you qualify (10,000+ followers)
• Create a simple media kit highlighting your engagement rate (not just follower count)
• Directly approach brands with specific collaboration ideas (not generic requests)

Authentic partnerships consistently outperform obvious ads. One study found that authentic-looking sponsored content gets 32% more engagement than highly produced commercial content.

3. Affiliate Marketing: The Passive Income Stream

Affiliate marketing lets you earn commissions on products you recommend. Commission rates typically range from 5-30%, depending on the product category.

• Create authentic "before and after" demonstrations
• Film genuine reaction videos to products (first impressions work amazingly well)
• Create solution-focused content addressing specific problems your audience has
• Use LinkTree or Beacons in your bio to organize multiple affiliate links
• Always disclose affiliate relationships (use #affiliate or #ad)

Amazon Associates, ShopStyle Collective, and LTK are all creator-friendly affiliate programs that work well with TikTok.

4. Digital Products: The Scalable Solution

Creating and selling your own digital products gives you complete control and higher profit margins than affiliate marketing.

• Presets and templates (editing, productivity, planning)
• E-books and guides based on your expertise
• Online courses teaching your specific skills
• Membership sites offering exclusive content

One beauty creator I know makes over $7,000 monthly selling a $17 makeup tutorial template package—more than she earns from brand deals with 230,000 followers.

5. TikTok LIVE Gifts: The Engagement Accelerator

LIVE gifts are virtual items viewers purchase and send during your livestreams. These convert to diamonds, which you can exchange for real money.

• Schedule livestreams at consistent times so followers know when to tune in
• Create interactive elements like games, Q&As, or challenges
• Acknowledge gift-givers by name (viewers who feel seen give more)
• Use countdown timers for specific goals to create urgency
• Promote your upcoming livestreams in regular content

Creators with just 5,000-10,000 engaged followers report earning $50-$150 per hour-long livestream using these techniques.

6. TikTok Shopping: The E-commerce Integration

TikTok Shop lets you sell products directly within the app with tagged product videos and livestream shopping.

• Tag products in multiple videos, not just dedicated "sales" content
• Use TikTok's product showcase feature to highlight items
• Host regular shopping livestreams with limited-time offers
• Emphasize scarcity and exclusivity where appropriate
• Show the product being used in different scenarios

Conversion rates for in-app shopping average 3-5x higher than directing followers to external websites.

7. Fan Subscription Services: The Recurring Revenue Model

While TikTok doesn't offer native subscriptions, creators are building subscriber bases using third-party platforms.

• Use TikTok to provide valuable free content
• Direct highly engaged followers to Patreon, OnlyFans, or Substack
• Offer exclusive content, early access, or personalized services to subscribers
• Regularly tease subscription benefits in your free content

One fitness creator with 60,000 TikTok followers built a $9,000/month subscription business offering personalized workout plans to 450 subscribers at $20/month.

8. Consulting/Services: The Knowledge Monetization

If you've built expertise in any area, consulting services often pay more per hour than any other monetization method.

• One-on-one coaching
• Content review/feedback
• Strategy development
• Technical setup and support
• Custom content creation

A TikTok growth strategist I work with charges $150 for 30-minute consultation calls and is booked three weeks out—all from leads generated through valuable TikTok tips.

9. Merchandise: The Brand Extension

Custom merchandise works especially well for creators with highly engaged communities around specific interests or catchphrases.

• Start with limited edition drops to test demand
• Use print-on-demand services (Printful, Printify) to minimize upfront costs
• Create designs that reference inside jokes or community moments
• Leverage TikTok to show the product creation process
• Feature followers wearing/using your merchandise

10. UGC Content Creation: The Hidden Opportunity

User-Generated Content (UGC) creation—making authentic-looking ads for brands without showing your face/identity—is exploding in popularity.

• Product reviews: $100-300 per video
• Lifestyle integrations: $200-400 per video
• Full commercial rights packages: $500-1,000+ per video

The best part? UGC doesn't require a large following—brands care about your content quality, not your audience size.

11. Content Licensing: The Passive Permission

When your videos go viral, media companies, brands, and content aggregators may want to license them.

• Register your most popular content with licensing platforms like Jukin Media
• Add "for licensing contact: [email]" in video descriptions
• Watermark your content (subtly) to maintain ownership signals
• Never accept the first offer—licensing fees are highly negotiable

One creator earned over $14,000 when a morning routine video went viral and was licensed by multiple brands for compilation ads.

How GhostShorts Helps Creators Monetize Faster

While researching these strategies, I discovered the biggest barrier to monetization isn't lack of knowledge—it's lack of consistent content. You simply can't monetize what you don't create.

I've been using GhostShorts to help solve this problem. It's a content automation platform that helps creators produce more monetizable videos in less time. The AI-powered editor turns scripts, articles, and ideas into fully-produced short-form videos in minutes instead of hours.

What makes it particularly useful for monetization:

• Creates consistent daily content to maintain algorithm favor
• Generates multiple video variations from one script to test what performs best
• Includes templates specifically designed for affiliate marketing and product showcases
• Allows you to create UGC content at scale for multiple brands
• Frees up time to focus on higher-paying activities like brand deals and product creation

I used to spend 3-4 hours editing each TikTok. Now I can create 5-7 videos in under an hour, which has directly increased my Creator Fund earnings and given me more content to attract brand deals.

Ready-to-Use TikTok Monetization Templates

If you're looking to implement these strategies immediately, check out our TikTok Monetization Templates collection. These include:

• Brand Deal Proposal Template
• Affiliate Marketing Video Structure
• UGC Portfolio Creator
• Product Showcase Framework
• Media Kit Generator

Each template is designed to help you start monetizing faster, even if you're just beginning your creator journey.

Start Your Creator Income Journey Today

The truth is, monetizing TikTok isn't about getting lucky with a viral hit—it's about strategic consistency. The creators who succeed financially aren't always the most famous or talented, but they are the most intentional about turning content into income.

Want to stop creating for free and start building real revenue streams? Try GhostShorts free for 7 days and see how much faster you can create income-generating content.

Remember: Every successful creator started exactly where you are now. The only difference is they took that first step toward treating their content like a business.

Connect with our creator community on LinkedIn for more monetization strategies and success stories from real creators making it happen every day.

GhostShorts Team

The GhostShorts team is dedicated to helping content creators succeed with faceless videos and AI-powered content creation tools.