The TikTok Creator Rewards Program is the platform’s newest monetization scheme. This program is designed to address the various issues with the TikTok Creator Fund and provide better revenue opportunities for creators.
As one of the most popular social media platforms, monetizing your content on TikTok should be a viable way to earn extra income. However, the majority of TikTok creators criticized the platform’s Creator Fund for its low payout.
So, a question arises: Is the Creator Rewards Program any better than its predecessor?
In today’s post, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about TikTok’s new monetization program and see how it compares to the Creator Fund.
What is the TikTok Creator Rewards Program?
The TikTok Creator Rewards Program allows creators to generate revenue from their content on the platform. According to TikTok, the new program would reward creators who made high-quality and original content that resulted in significant views and engagement.
The program was first introduced to select creators in February 2023 as the Creativity Program Beta as a way to gather feedback and insights from users. After a year of testing and with the promise of better payouts, the Creator Rewards Program was officially launched in March 2024.
TikTok Creator Rewards Program Requirements
The requirements for the TikTok Creator Rewards Program are quite similar to those of the Creator Fund, with the only differences being the required account type and geographical availability.
To be eligible for the new program, a TikTok creator must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have at least 10,000 followers
- Have a minimum of 100,000 views in the last 30 days
- Have a personal TikTok account in good standing
- Post original content that’s at least one minute long
- Be based in one of the countries where the TikTok Creator Rewards Program is available, namely, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, and Brazil
How to Join the TikTok Creator Rewards Program
If you meet the requirements for the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, you can easily submit an application to join the program right from your TikTok app.
Here’s how:
Open the TikTok app and go to your profile.
Next, click on TikTok Studio below your bio.
Then, tap the Creators Rewards Program and fill out your application. Afterward, TikTok will review your application, and you’ll receive a notification with your results.
If you were previously part of the TikTok Creator Fund and want to switch to the new program, all you have to do is go to Creator Tools under Settings, click Creator Fund, and then tap Switch at the bottom of the page.
How Does the TikTok Creator Rewards Program Work?
The TikTok Creator Rewards Program works by monetizing eligible videos on the platform. This means that not all of your content, regardless of its popularity, will count towards your earnings.
For your video to be eligible for monetization, it needs to meet the following criteria:
- Have at least 1,000 qualified views on the For You page. TikTok describes qualified views as “unique video views … that exclude views with fraud, paid views, disliked views, views with less than 5 seconds watched, promoted views, and artificial views.”
- Not a Duet or a Stitch. Meaning that the entire content of the video has to be produced by the creator alone.
- Not created using Photo Mode. This means that only video content can be monetized; simply compiling photos and uploading them as a TikTok video doesn’t count.
- No ads, paid promotions, or sponsored content. These kinds of videos have boosted visibility on the platform, so they aren’t eligible for the Creator Rewards Program.
- Does not violate the terms of the TikTok Creator Rewards Program. Your video should also comply with TikTok’s Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, and Copyright Policy.
How Much Does the TikTok Creator Rewards Program Pay?
The TikTok Creator Rewards Program pays content creators between $4.00 and $8.00 per 1,000 views, according to some unofficial sources. However, the amount you receive can still vary depending on these core metrics:
- Originality
- Play duration
- Audience engagement
- Search value
- Ad value
You can use a TikTok money calculator to compute your potential earnings once you start monetizing your content.
In comparison, the TikTok Creator Fund’s payout ranged between $0.02 and $0.04 per 1,000 views. If you’re familiar with the YouTube Shorts’ monetization program, which pays $0.01 to $0.07 per 1,000 views, this amount appears to be the standard range for short-form video content on social media.
4 Expert Tips to Maximize Your Payout on the TikTok Creator Rewards Program
To maximize your payout on the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, be sure to follow these expert tips in your social media strategy:
#1. Make Videos That Are Longer Than One Minute
Only videos that are longer than one minute can be eligible for the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, so it’s important to ensure that your content meets this requirement. Beyond this criteria, recent data shows that longer videos may actually be the key to succeeding on the app.
According to The Information, creators who post longer videos experience five times more follower growth compared with those who only publish short-form content. This means that TikTok users want to see longer videos on their For You page, and it isn’t surprising why.
For one, longer videos allow you to provide more information to your audience and weave more in-depth stories into your content. This creates a more enjoyable viewing experience, which can lead to better watch time and engagement.
Achieving high rates on these metrics directly affects your earnings on the Creator Rewards Program and is a great ranking signal for the TikTok algorithm.
#2. Follow TikTok’s Community Guidelines
Adhering to TikTok’s Community Guidelines not only impacts your ability to monetize your content but also helps you maintain a positive reputation on the platform.
Whether you are a brand or a creator, having a good reputation should be one of your goals on social media, as it can influence a user’s decision to interact with your content and follow your brand.
Following these guidelines strictly will also help you avoid getting shadowbanned on TikTok. Being shadowbanned essentially means that your content won’t appear on the For You page, which can lead to a significant drop in your views and engagement.
The more videos you have that are eligible for the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, the better your earning potential can be.
#3. Leverage TikTok Analytics
TikTok analytics provide key information about your content’s performance that you can leverage in your strategy to maximize revenue.
Some important metrics to monitor include:
- Audience information. Knowing your main demographic can help you determine what content resonates best with your audience and allow you to tailor your content to meet their interests.
- Video performance. Monitoring the performance of your most popular posts will allow you to identify any similar elements in their content that you can use to replicate their success.
- Audience activity. TikTok analytics also show when your audience is most active on the platform. By scheduling your TikTok posts to target these hours, you can boost your content’s visibility and engagement.
#4. Schedule Your TikTok Posts
Aside from allowing you to target the best times to post on the platform, scheduling your TikTok posts also helps you publish quality content more consistently, which can lead to better results across all metrics.
If you decide to schedule your content, consider using a social media scheduling tool like Publer. Unlike the native TikTok scheduler, Publer comes with several built-in tools to elevate your content strategy, such as multiple scheduling options and a comprehensive analytics feature that offers a more in-depth look into your current performance.
Top 4 Alternatives to the TikTok Creator Rewards Program
If you don’t live in any of the countries where the TikTok Creator Rewards Program is offered, there’s no need to worry, as there are plenty of alternative ways to make money on the platform, such as through:
- Brand collaborations. Brands are always looking for influential creators to promote their products, as evident in the continuous popularity of influencer marketing, which makes collaborations one of the best ways to make money on TikTok.
- TikTok Series. Series is an excellent alternative for those looking to monetize their videos beyond the Creator Rewards Program, as it allows creators to post premium content that viewers can purchase directly.
- LIVE gifts. Going live on TikTok allows your audience to send gifts that you can convert to real money. Keep in mind that the more interesting and engaging your live stream is, the more likely it is for your audience to send gifts to show their support.
- TikTok Shopping. TikTok shops allow brands to create a virtual storefront and sell products on the platform. You can feature product links in your videos so viewers can make purchases directly on the app, increasing the chances of converting followers into customers.
TikTok Creator Rewards Program vs. TikTok Creator Fund
As we mentioned, the TikTok Creator Rewards Program replaced the Creator Fund in a bid to improve the earning potential of content creators on the platform.
But why was a new monetization scheme even necessary?
The TikTok Creator Fund, launched in 2020, was a $2 billion fund that rewarded eligible creators with monetary compensation for their content on the platform. However, the fund had several drawbacks, such as low payouts and inconsistent income.
Some creators even claimed that they experienced lower views and decreased visibility on the For You page since joining the program. While TikTok denied these claims, another major criticism of the Creator Fund was its limited geographical availability.
Aside from select countries in Europe, the TikTok Creator Fund was only offered in the United States. To address this issue and cater to a wider audience, the TikTok Creator Rewards Program was launched with expanded support for Brazil, Japan, and South Korea.
The Creator Rewards Program also set a requirement for content eligibility, which is a minimum video length of one minute, that the TikTok Creator Fund didn’t have. While some creators expressed their concern over this shift to longer video lengths, this meant that they would be rewarded with much higher payout rates.
Because of these changes, it’s safe to say that the TikTok Creator Rewards Program is a significant upgrade from its predecessor. Moreover, as the program is still in its early stages, there’s plenty of room for it to improve and provide more value for content creators on the platform.
Key Takeaways
- The TikTok Creator Rewards Program allows eligible creators to generate revenue from their content on the platform.
- If you meet the TikTok Creator Rewards Program’s requirements, you can apply to join the program by going to the TikTok Studio from your mobile app.
- Unlike its predecessor, the TikTok Creator Rewards Program offers a substantial payout range between $4.00 and $8.00 per 1,000 views.
- To maximize your earning potential on the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, make sure your videos are longer than one minute and follow TikTok’s Community Guidelines. You can also leverage TikTok analytics to boost your content’s performance and revenue.
- If you don’t qualify for the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, you can still make money on the platform through brand collaborations, Series content, LIVE gifts, and TikTok Shops.
- The TikTok Creator Rewards Program effectively addressed several of the issues with the Creator Fund, such as limited geographical availability and low payouts.