Curious about TikTok gifts and subscriptions?
It’s no secret that TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms. Since the app’s humble beginnings, TikTok has evolved to add special features, such as gifts and, more recently, subscriptions. This can be overwhelming, especially to someone that is newer to the platform. Thankfully, it isn’t too complicated once you understand how the system works. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about TikTok gifts and subscriptions so that you can start using these features to monetize your content.
TikTok Live Gift Requirements
Before we start discussing TikTok gifts, a few terms and conditions must be addressed. First and foremost, you must be able to go live on TikTok to receive gifts. You must have at least 1,000 followers to go live, and your TikTok account must be more than 30 days old. LIVE is also not available in some countries or regions. You must also be 18 or older and enable the gifts feature from your TikTok settings. Once these conditions are met, you can now receive TikTok LIVE gifts.
TikTok Gifts
Users can join, watch, and comment in real-time when a creator goes live on TikTok. During these lives, viewers can support the creator through TikTok gifts. Various gifts are available for purchase, and they tend to rotate every so often. The gifts are purchased using Coins, which are bought in packs using the App Store or Google Play. Each gift costs a fixed number of Coins. When a gift is given during a LIVE, it appears as an icon on the screen. Some gifts are accompanied by special effects, which are visible to both the host and the viewers. All gifts accumulated during a LIVE are recorded and can be reviewed after the stream is over. Additionally, analytics are provided on the Top Gifters for each stream.
Converting TikTok Gifts to Monetary Rewards
So how do you turn those fun icons into a real cash reward? TikTok automatically converts each gift received into Diamonds. Your TikTok account will keep track of how many Diamonds you have accumulated. This can be viewed in your profile settings. Each Diamond is worth 5 cents, and each gift is associated with a specific number of Diamonds. For example, a gift that costs 5,000 Coins will award the Live host with 2,500 Diamonds, which would convert to approximately $125 USD. When you’re ready to cash out your Diamonds, you can do so from your TikTok profile settings. You can even set a threshold at which Diamonds will be automatically withdrawn and converted into cash rewards. TikTok pays out content creators through PayPal, so you must have an active account to withdraw your money. You can read TikTok’s Cash Award Withdrawal Terms here for a full list of requirements and further information.
TikTok Subscriptions
While earning some extra cash through Live gifts is nice, it is not a reliable source of income. The new subscriptions feature may be interesting for creators looking to monetize their content to earn consistent cash. The same terms and conditions apply regarding who can host TikTok Lives. Though relatively new, only having launched in 2022, the TikTok subscription service has already been adopted by many content creators who regularly go live. It works similarly to the popular game streaming service, Twitch. Users can subscribe to their favorite creators for a small monthly fee. With this, subscribers can earn specialized profile badges, subscriber-only emotes, and gain access to exclusive subscriber-only live streams. If you have a strong following that enjoys coming to your TikTok Lives, it might be worth adding a subscription feature to your profile. This way, you can start receiving regular payments and provide subscribers with more content they love.
Other Ways to Earn on TikTok
LIVE gifts and subscriptions are not the only way to monetize your TikTok content. Aside from posting sponsored advertisements for various brands you may partner with, there is another way to earn money simply by being a content creator on TikTok. You can apply for the TikTok Creator Fund if your account meets the requirements. This fund was established to repay TikTok content creators for the value they bring to the app. If accepted, TikTok will compensate you based on several factors, including your views and engagements. To apply for the Creator Fund, you must be 18 years of age, have at least 10,000 followers, and your videos must have earned a minimum of 100,000 views in the past 30 days. If your account meets these requirements, you can apply for the TikTok Creator Fund and start earning passive income from the content you’re already posting. However, there have been rumors that joining the Creator Fund could possibly interfere with your views and engagement. While TikTok has officially confirmed nothing, some creators reported decreased views and engagements after signing on with the Creator Fund. Whether this is a weird coincidence or some algorithm mishap remains to be seen.
TikTok offers multiple ways to monetize your content
LIVE gifts and subscriptions are two ways to monetize your content on TikTok. In addition to the Creator Fund, many content creators post sponsored or paid advertisements on their TikTok accounts. If you can find a brand willing to partner with you, this is another great way to earn from TikTok. If you’re interested in advertising deals, check out this guide to securing brand deals as a content creator. Utilizing two or more of these features will also significantly increase your earning potential as a TikTok creator. For example, many creators use LIVE gifts and subscriptions to earn extra cash from their LIVE videos. Using multiple methods of earning will diversify your income streams and provide a more substantial payout.
