How to Enable Monetization on TikTok and Earn from Video Views

TikTok has long been popular among media buyers, yet it still falls into the non-mainstream sources category. There's little publicly available material on the current state of the platform — and that needs to change.

Recent research shows that TT's audience has grown to 1 billion monthly active users, with reach expanding to 160 countries. The platform has also launched a new monetization format for creators — and that's exactly what we're going to talk about. 

How Monetization Works on TikTok

In February 2023, news broke about the beta launch of a new monetization program called Creativity Program. It's positioned as an additional income tool for creators who produce high-quality, longer-form videos. 

Through the program, creators can earn on every video that the algorithms approve for monetization. Participants also get access to a dedicated dashboard where they can track projected earnings, performance metrics, and other analytics. 

Basic account requirements:

• US-based TT profile;
• 18+ age;
• 10,000 followers;
• 100,000 views in the last 30 days.

Both existing Creator Fund participants and creators with no prior monetization history can apply for the beta. Simply go to the Creator tools section and submit an application. Keep in mind, though, that once approved, you won't be able to revert to the previous monetization format. 

According to TikTok's help center, the Creativity Program offers the potential to earn up to 20 times more than before. However, creators need to produce videos longer than 1 minute in order to meet audience needs. 

Earnings depend on the quality of qualified views and RPM (Revenue per Mille). RPM is tied to user engagement, content authenticity, users' region, and other factors. 

Based on creator feedback, beta invites are being actively sent out in other regions as well. For example, some creators from South Korea have also received invitations, though the requirements there are stricter — at least 50,000 followers. There are also rumors that applications are being accepted in France and Brazil.

Once you receive an invite, you need to accept the terms, verify your phone number, and connect a payment method. PayPal is the most commonly used payout option among creators. Payments are made in USD on the 15th of each month. 

How Much You Can Earn on TT: 2 Cases

Anyone who has looked into monetization on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts knows that the numbers are usually not as exciting as they might seem in theory. Earning even $3,000–5,000 per month requires millions of views. 

That said, since all a creator needs to do is keep producing videos, the extra income is never a bad thing. Though, as with any monetization model, there are hidden factors at play. For instance, creators often complain that many videos over a minute long simply don't get monetized. 

Experienced TikTokers note that a video typically needs to hit 2,500+ views before monetization kicks in. And for some reason, "qualified views" tend to account for roughly half of the total view count. 

Some creators do manage to earn decent money through the monetization program. But RPM figures vary significantly. In the screenshot below, a creator is being paid $0.37 per 1,000 views.

$5,155 for nearly 14 million views doesn't look impressive at first glance, but statistically the creator is pulling in a few hundred dollars per day. That's a solid number for an additional profile monetization stream.

Another TikToker shared a screenshot of their earnings on a forum, showing an RPM almost twice as high. The figure of $2,300 for 4 million impressions looks considerably better. 

RPM depends on many factors, but it can reach a couple of dollars — in which case the payout becomes much more attractive. 

We analyzed a large number of cases and found that monetization quality is heavily influenced by qualified views. The more views you get, the better your chances of seeing three-digit figures in your stats. 

For comparison, YouTube also offers monetization for short-form videos — but the numbers are even lower. The screenshot shows a payout for 16 million views, and it's not exactly motivating enough to invest heavily in production. 

If you have an account that meets TikTok's requirements, here's a useful tip. Keep in mind that TT limits monetization on viral videos. So monitor your stats closely and submit an appeal against any block immediately. That way, you'll have a better chance of earning before the final freeze kicks in. 

Monetization on TikTok looks attractive and essentially provides passive income. In practice, however, profit figures vary significantly and depend on a range of factors. It's also unclear when — or whether — the monetization program will become permanent. So test it while you still can.