From income that exceeds the minimum wage to simple salary supplements: on TikTok, influencers reveal “ earn more than a minimum wage » thanks to the views of their videos on the platform. Has TikTok become the platform to get rich?
« I'm poor, I live in public housing, I have zero euros saved, but I have this… » Mathilde turns the camera on her phone and films herself with her son, at the edge of a body of water, tasting sushi. “ …my greatest wealth », she sighs. The video moves the internet and explodes. Nine million views, 1.4 million likes. 400,000 subscribers later, the solo mother recounts in a video, published on September 30, 2024 – since deleted – that she earned 10,000 euros in TikTok income in three months just thanks to her views. She's not the only one. In September, Charlotte films her tiny apartment and gets millions of views. “ In one month, I gained more views than my salary as a waitress ”, she says at Numerama. She then quit her job and started working on TikTok full time.
RPM and eligible views on TikTok
« I earn between 1,000 and 1,150 euros per month from TikTok views », Begins Constance to Numerama. Almost a minimum wage. A year and a half since she joined the platform and six months since she posts two to three videos per day. His little notoriety also allows him to promote his brand of notebooks. With her 60,000 subscribers, she says she has an RPM (revenue per thousand views) of 40 cents on average.
To unlock this remuneration, you must be at least 18 years old and have at least 10,000 subscribers. The RPM generally varies from 1 to 60 cents per 1,000 views – and in some cases can go up to 2 euros! It is the TikTok algorithm that causes the price to fluctuate. If the creators' videos are regular and viewed for more than a minute, the RPM can climb quickly. What works is authenticity, humor and the ability of creators to bounce back from current events.
RPM does not fully define a content creator's earnings. Again, monetization of views is subject to other conditions. “ The most important thing is eligible views », explains Constance. They must come from viewers who live in countries eligible for the TikTok offer. This is not the case, for example, for our Belgian neighbors or for certain African countries. The video viewing time must also exceed five seconds.
External monetization
$7,000 net in a single live, after TikTok took more than half: the phenomenal Pinky Doll hit the headlines last year by declaring her income on a Quebec television set. Livestreams, live videos, have become a way for content creators to receive money through their audience. Viewers purchase virtual “gifts” which they give to the videographer. The price can vary from one virtual coin for a small rose, to 45,000 virtual coins for a TikTok Universe logo – the most expensive.
When the gifts are given, they are displayed live with an animation specific to each one. Virtual coins cost the user about a penny and bring in roughly half for the creators. The phenomenon goes even further: spectators sometimes spend hundreds of euros per month to offer gifts to content creators. Like this mother, who spent more than 15,000 euros on gifts. According to Mouv radio, TikTok has almost become an “online casino”.
Partnerships are also a great way to make a good living, especially for content creators. Although collaborations generally pay better on YouTube, where audience engagement and loyalty are often higher, they can also represent an attractive source of income on the platform.
Thus, Constance was offered between 200 and 500 euros for partnerships, to make two or three videos on the brand. However, she refused, not considering them suitable for her content and the lifestyles she wishes to share. This partnership format, which we call UGC (for “user-generated content”), is booming on the platform. In these formats, creators share their recommendations by tagging brands, in exchange for packages, invitations or money.
Financial instability
« Just with videos, you can earn more than a minimum wage […]. There, TikTok paid for my vacation », says Ilyess La Griffa, 218,000 subscribers, with her feet in the water in a Spanish seaside resort. The views can therefore be enough to make a decent living, provided you have a lot of subscribers, a good RPM and have monetizable views. But these revenues remain unstable. Even if the money from TikTok can put glitter in the eyes, Constance analyzes: “ Unless you are someone very famous like some Americans [tel que Khaby Lame, qui a tout arrêté après avoir percé sur TikTok et est devenu une star, ndlr]I think it's a bit irresponsible. »
Overnight, Tony lost his account of 37,700 subscribers, banned by the platform, he tells Numerama. Goodbye to the 2,600 euros that he managed to earn in two weeks and which he was never able to touch. For Constance, it hasn't always been easy either. She suffered from the rigidity of the TikTok algorithm: “ I was shadowbanned. I responded to a girl who had insulted me on video and following that, for two or three days, I did not exceed hundreds of views and three likes. » For the young entrepreneur, there was no question of leaving her fashion contract. If his salary is not much greater than his TikTok income, it is above all a stable and reliable income.
