TikTok, despite the criticism it has faced for allegedly compromised security, continues to reign as one of the most successful social networking sites on the planet. Since its inception, TikTok has tried to encourage its young, thriving user base, allowing them to promote and celebrate their freedom and creativity as they see fit.

And if not freedom of expression wasn’t luring enough, TikTok has also started paying its popular creators quite handsomely, making even the biggest video sharing platform, YouTube, jealous.

So, if you are one of the thriving stars of TikTok and want to make a living doing what you love, read on to learn all about TikTok’s payment program for its ambitious young creators.

Does TikTok actually pay?

If you’re one of the millions of social media creatures who are tired of getting scolded every other minute, you’d be happy to know that TikTok has made sure that you have an answer any time an “adult” asks you to ditch the phone and do something “productive.” Yes, that’s right! TikTok has finally announced a fund for its ingenious creators, and the total sum is not at all shabby.

As per TikTok’s very own newsroom website, the company kicked off the highly-anticipated Creators Fund in the final days of July with an initial sum of $200 million. However, after receiving an overwhelming response since the announcement, TikTok quickly improved the offering. A week later, on the 29th of July, TikTok shared that the Creators Fund is expected to grow to over $1 billion in the United States, over the next three years. Global users, too, are in for a treat, as the China-based company expects the fund to grow to over $2 billion, globally over the same three-year window.

Related: What is TikTok Creator Fund And How Does It Work?

Who has the opportunity to apply to the TikTok Creators Fund?

If you’re a citizen of the United States of America who happens to be over 18-years-old and has a considerable following on TikTok, you can happily apply for TikTok’s Creator Fund program. Now, we all know how generous TikTok is being with the Creator Fund. However, that doesn’t mean even the less popular users would be able to reap its rewards. The short-video sharing platform has imposed some staunch restrictions on the applicants, and it’s bound to discourage some budding TikTok enthusiasts.

What about TikTokers outside the US?

As of yet, the Creator Fund program has only gone live in the United States. However, that doesn’t mean TikTok is keeping other popular TikTokers out of the race. TikTok has already announced a whopping $2 billion-fund for global creators, which is bound to encourage the creative minds on the platform.

The enrollment program is set to commence in September in Europe and could trickle down to other continents in the coming months.

TikTok Creator Fund Application Requirements

As highlighted in the previous section, the Creator Fund application is only open for the citizen of the United States. So, if you’re not a resident of the said country, you probably won’t have the chance to opt for the same any time soon.

The US citizens, who are over 18, also need to have at least 10,000 followers. They must have racked up at least 10,000 video views over the last 30 days. And finally, they must regularly post original videos, which also adhere to TikTok’s community standards.

How to manually apply for the TikTok Creator Fund?

Over 18 and check all the right boxes? Then, all you have to do is successfully apply for the program. Sadly, if you’ve gone through TikTok’s newsroom article, you’d see that there’s no particular way of applying for the said Fund. Additionally, we’re also not sure whether TikTok would ever publish a clear cut procedure for the same.

Given how popular TikTok is, there is bound to be a plethora of high-profile creators on the platform, which makes it super difficult for TikTok to go through all of their profiles after they apply. Additionally, many creators, who have over 10,000 followers and 10,000 video views, are likely to feel the urge to apply for the Fund, overlooking TikTok’s requirement for ‘Original Content.’ Considering all the factors, TikTok has decided to keep the application process under wraps for the time being and only offer it to creators it sees fit.

What does ‘Original Content’ mean?

@jasonderulo

Did I win? ? @maxymaxmax

♬ Love Story – Disco Lines

Every big social media platform asks you to post ‘Original Content,’ but none of them seem to care enough to disclose the definition of it, which leads to utter confusion most of the time. And since TikTok’s Creator Fund clearly states the importance of ‘Original Content,’ we’ve taken it upon ourselves to clear the air.

‘Original Content’ refers to the content that users create by themselves, hoping to make it go viral, or just for fun. What that means is that if you create a little dance routine that is soon replicated by other TikTokers, you earn the tag of an original creator.

As you’d expect, it’s rather difficult to create such content on a regular basis, so, it’s not unusual to just participate in simple trends and routines. However, when you do, make sure to give it your very special twist to get noticed. Instead of doing a regular dance number, maybe bring your pet into the mix, or you could even ask your grandmother to make a special appearance. The goal here is to stand out in the sea of million TikTokers.

How does TikTok select creators for its Creator Fund program?

As we’ve discussed in the previous section, TikTok is yet to offer its users a way to apply for the Creator Fund manually. So, currently, TikTok is depending on its algorithm to fetch and reward its most valued creators.

TikTok is sending a notification to eligible creators, asking them whether they’d like to enroll for the Creator Fund program. Once they agree, they’d be asked to fill out a form and submit for verification. TikTok would finally ask for their email ID and subsequent details before taking them to their curated Creator Fund dashboard, which would display the total amount transferred from TikTok to the user’s account.

How long does it take to receive payment?

www.tiktok.com/@20landon20/video/6812660577626885382

Once you’ve gotten into the Creator Fund program, it could take up to three days for Tiktok to transfer the due amount to your account. So, don’t be alarmed if you don’t see money in your account right away. Simply sit tight for a few days and let TikTok take care of the rest.

How is the payment processed?

TikTok doesn’t allow you to add your regular bank account details for the Creator Fund program as it would create more complexity due to the sheer number of banks there are in the United States alone. To declutter, TikTok has teamed up with PayPal — the most trusted digital wallet in the world — to pay its loyal users. So, before you get paid, you just need to make sure your PayPal account is linked to TikTok.

How to link your PayPal account to TikTok?

First, create a PayPal account with the same first and last name as your TikTok account. Once you’ve done that, download the PayPal app (if you haven’t already) and log in with the appropriate credentials. Then, tap on the gear-shaped settings icon at the top-right corner. From there, you’d be able to view and copy your PayPal link — under your profile picture.

With the PayPal link set aside, now go to TikTok and log in with the appropriate credentials. Once you have some money in your account, you can choose to withdraw through your PayPal account. On the money withdrawal screen, pick PayPal as your default withdrawal account and enter the email ID associated with your PayPal account. Finally, when prompted for your PayPal ID, enter the ID you copied from the PayPal app in the previous step.

What are the minimum and maximum withdrawal limits?

As per TikTok’s withdrawal instructions, a user can only withdraw when the total balance crosses the $100 mark. Even a cent below that and TikTok would not let you withdraw through your account. However, as shown in the screenshot above, the minimum fund for withdrawal could also be just half of the disclosed amount — $50, only. There is a consistency issue when it comes to the minimum withdrawal limit, for sure.

There’s also a max limit to it, even though you’re unlikely to cross it. TikTok states that no individual would be allowed to withdraw more than $1000 per calendar day.

How much money can you make from TikTok Creator Fund?

TikTok Creator Fund is indeed an encouraging step for influencers on the platform. However, given the low criteria, it’s probably not that wise to expect exceptional returns from the program alone. Although TikTok is yet to release the figures, we’ve gathered that users get anywhere between 12 cents to $3. If you partner up with advertisement accounts, you’re likely to generate more funds, but that’s not likely to cross the $3 mark.

As per the video linked above, a user got $60 for a video with 500,000 views. Another user claimed that she got only $123 for a video with 100 million views. Some others claimed that they got under $2 for their efforts. There’s YouTube another video by Quincy Moreland that showcases the amount of money the user got. He showed that the amount is credited every day, like clockwork, but TikTok doesn’t give you a breakdown of the amount you generated from views.

Additionally, TikTok has asked creators not to share their earnings publicly, which has made it even more difficult for us to get a clearer picture. However, the situation is very likely to improve in the coming weeks as more and more users start getting accepted to the program.

Would you get paid for previous video views?

TikTok’s Creator Fund is a rather new initiative. So, it’s not unusual to enquire whether older videos, especially the popular ones, would bring pennies and dollars to your account.

Judging by real user reports, TikTok isn’t too keen on paying the big bucks for videos that were published on an earlier date, irrespective of their popularity. However, you are likely to get paid for the views you generate after you’ve enrolled in the Creator Fund program.

For example, if you have a video with 10,000 views, but it was published before you enrolled, you won’t get paid for the views before the enrollment. But, if the video continues to reel in views, you’d get compensated for the views you accumulate from the same video, after being associated with the program. So, anything after the 10,000-mark is fair game and would earn you cents and dollars.

How many TikTokers have benefitted from the TikTok Creator Fund?

A couple of weeks ago, on August 10th, TikTok published a list of 19 creators who were the first to benefit from the program. Although many others have seen a few dollars credit to their respective accounting, TikTok has refrained from releasing the names.

Here are 10 names from the original list of 19:

  • @acooknamedmatt – Matt Broussard, chef.
  • @alex.stemp – Alex Stemplewski, photographer.
  • @avani – Avani Gregg, master of beauty and makeup.
  • @brittany_broski – Brittany Tomlinson, “Kombucha Girl.”
  • @cheyennejazwise – Cheyenne Jaz Wise, cosplay creator.
  • @daviddobrik – David, digital entertainment personality.
  • @doctor.jesss – Jess Andrade, pediatric doctor.
  • @dreadknotwoodshop – Darryl Jones, woodturner.
  • @feelgoodfoodie – Yumna Jawad, food Vlogger.
  • @heyeliza –  Eliza, daughter of Chance Moore and Kate Hudson, is a beautiful 10-month old girl battling cancer. Channel is based on optimism and dealing with a difficult situation.

What will happen if TikTok gets banned in the United States?

TikTok’s feud with the administration is for everyone to see. The China-based social networking app has no intention of backing down, and the White House, too, remains adamant as ever. So, considering the raging conflict, it’s not unnatural to think about the fate of the app.

As we all know, TikTok was recently banned in India — which used to be one of TikTok’s biggest hunting grounds — and the US is looking to follow suit. However, given the lawsuit TikTok has filed against the administration, we can safely say that the matter isn’t likely to resolve itself anytime soon. Additionally, with the launch of Creator Fund, TikTok has also struck the right chord with the public, who would now be extra determined to keep the service running.

Still, if it all goes south and TikTok does end up getting banned in the States, we’re afraid the Creator Fund would also cease to exist. The service would continue to pay until the last working day, we reckon, but nothing beyond that.

How will the Creator Fund impact social media?

TikTok, which happens to be the hottest social networking site on the planet, has given its potential users and current creators another incentive to join the growing community. With the help of Creator Fund, TikTok will look to draw more people to the platform, show them that social media influencers can make a good amount of money.

Additionally, since TikTok’s Creator Fund focuses a lot on ‘Original Content’ the overall quality of the social media site is likely to change for the better. More and more users would look to change their usual posting routines and look to create content that’d be engaging for people on the platform. The Creator Fund could and should breed more creators, and not just encourage people to follow popular routines.