TikTok is an incredibly popular social media platform that can help you to get your content in front of a larger audience. In 2020, TikTok took this a step further by announcing their “TikTok Creator Fund,” which helps creators earn money from their videos. If you are currently using the app, you may be wondering how to join the TikTok Creator Fund. In this article, we will learn more about the program and go through how to join it step-by-step. We will also weigh the pros and cons, so you can decide if joining the program would be worth it for you. Lastly, we’ll learn some of the best tips for growing your audience on TikTok.
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What is the TikTok Creator Fund?
Like many other social media platforms, TikTok knows that it would be nothing without its creators. As a result, in July 2020 TikTok announced the “Creator Fund.” This program was built to give creators a chance to earn a livelihood from posting their content on the video-sharing app. Over the next 3 years, TikTok plans to dole out $1 billion to creators who post engaging and creative content on the platform.
The program’s system is pretty simple: the more engagement you receive on a post, the more money you can earn. This is similar to earning systems on other social platforms (like YouTube). At the moment, there is no set limit to the number of creators who can join the program. This means it is a great time to join if you are considering it.
When Can You Join the TikTok Creator Program?
While there are no limits to how many creators can join, there are a few rules about who is eligible to join the program. In order to join the Creator Fund, users must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Have an account with at least 100,000 followers
- Be based in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, or Italy
- Have had 100,000 video views in the last 30 days
- Have at least one valid linked digital payment account (PayPal or Zelle)
- Meet the Community Guidelines Standards
Is the Creator Fund on TikTok Worth Joining?
Now you know what it takes to join the program, but is it worth it? There is a lot of debate between creators about the program and whether or not to join. One reason many creators dislike the program is that they believe it leads to fewer views. A popular theory that has been going around is that the program was created to help newer creators gain followers quickly. Some users believe this means that there are more videos in people’s feeds than usual, causing them to spend less time on each video.
TikTok denies this claim. They maintain that joining the program will not negatively impact your view count in any way. Based on the experiences of actual users, the results of joining the Creator Fund on TikTok can vary. You may see a spike in views or you may find that your view counts fall. The only way to know for sure is to join and find out for yourself.
How to Join the TikTok Creator Fund
To join the program, you need to apply through the TikTok app with a Pro account. If you don’t already have a Pro account, don’t worry! The process of switching is very fast and easy. The next steps in the application process are:
- Open TikTok and select “Me” to get to your own profile. Tap the three horizontal lines at the top right corner to get to your account settings.
- Tap “Creator Tools” and then select “TikTok Creator Fund.”
- Confirm that you are 18 or over and accept the terms.
- Now all you have left to do is wait for TikTok to tell you whether you have been accepted or not.
Don’t be too disappointed if your application is rejected the first time. You can reapply after 30 days.
How Are Creator Fund Payments Calculated?
With so many creators being paid for content, you may be wondering how these payments are actually calculated. According to TikTok, funds are based on many different factors, including video views, engagement, and adherence to community guidelines. Essentially, the more engagement on your posts, the more money you can expect to earn.
That being said, the TikTok Creator Fund “Pot” is constantly fluctuating. Based on the way your videos (and the platform itself) perform, your paycheck can vary. While the amount may fluctuate, any funds you receive will appear in your dashboard three days after your views have been accrued. You may then withdraw your money for up to 30 days after your video was posted.
Tips for Growing Your Audience on TikTok
Many users may want to sign up for the program, but don’t have enough followers yet. When first starting out on any social media app, growing your audience may seem like a daunting task. However, with some effort, patience, and lots of great content, you will see your follower counts steadily rise. Here are a few of the best tips for increasing your followers on TikTok.
Identify Your Target Audience
In order to create and post great content, you need to know who you’re creating it for. Before you start creating content, take a moment to build some profiles of your target audience. Once you have these profiles in mind, you can start to research what these kinds of viewers like to see. Tailoring your content to the people most likely to follow you is an effective way to get more followers.
Participate In Trends and Challenges
One of the most popular parts of the TikTok app is participating in challenges and following trends. Participating can help you to show off your personality and let you appeal to a wider audience. This is one of the best ways to get your videos in front of more people. These challenges and trends are always accompanied by special hashtags. Videos that use them can end up on the ForYou page, which is the goal for most creators.
Post at the Right Time
It’s not just about what you post, but also about when you post. When you are doing the audience research mentioned earlier, be sure to check into when your followers are the most active. You can easily do this by checking your audience insights in the TikTok app. The best time to post can vary by audience, but the most engagement is generally on weekday mornings. Posting when your followers are active can help your videos to get more engagement. This, in turn, will help them end up in even more people’s feeds.
Use the Best Hashtags
Hashtags are a powerful tool for getting your content in front of an audience. Using the best hashtags on TikTok can help users find and engage with your content. Challenges, trends, and even brands have their own unique hashtags that creators can use to join in on the conversation. Just like with other social media platforms, it’s best to start with smaller niche hashtags and work your way up to popular hashtags as you gain more views and followers.
Cross-Promote Your Videos
If you are trying to grow your audience on multiple social media sites, you can use them all to cross-promote your content. For example, when you post on TikTok, you can share it on other sites, like Instagram and Twitter. In fact, many users share their TikTok videos on Instagram’s Reels feature. This gives you a better chance of sharing your content with as many people as possible. Someone who follows you on Instagram may follow the link and end up following you on TikTok as well.
Engage With Other Creators
Even though the main focus is posting videos, it is important to remember that TikTok is still a social app. Connecting with other creators can not only help you to come up with ideas for content but will also allow you to build social connections. Creators can collaborate (usually with the duet or stitch feature) and introduce themselves to a larger audience. This provides an opportunity for both creators to get more views and, hopefully, more followers.
Using TikTok to Grow Your Audience
TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps and its popularity is still growing. With over 130 million active users in the US alone, posting on TikTok is a great way to grow your audience. Through its TikTok Creator Fund, the platform aims to help its creators earn money for posting quality content. The more engagement a post has, the more the creator will earn. That being said, coming up with ideas for content and posting consistently can be difficult. If you need some help with your social media content creation, check out SEO Design Chicago. Our creative and knowledgeable team will work with you to create high-quality content for all of your social media profiles.
FAQ:
- What is the TikTok Creator Program?
- How can I join the TikTok Creator Fund?
- Is the TikTok Creator Program worth joining?
- How are Creator Fund payments calculated?
- How can I get more followers on TikTok?
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