How Small Creators Can Earn Money From TikTok

CREATED BY ALISON MEAD Published: 20/10/2025 @ 09:01AM #SocialMediaMonetisation #SideHustleAdvice #SelfEmployedIncome #TaxReportingTips #MonetisingExperiments

I have been experimenting with monetising on social media to see how easy it is and how it all works, so I am better able to help and advise those with side hustles and the self-employed on how to report their income, and even if they need to ...

Tiktok, the clock ticks, Counting down to monitisation, Moments slip away

It's been a fascinating journey on TikTok seeing just how many people are becoming small content creators and starting to monetise on the platform. There are numerous ways to earn money through TikTok, and most require no financial outlay at all. However, after six months of hard work, I have made a grand total of £30, so it is unlikely to replace my day job anytime soon.

The ways you can earn on TikTok are :

• TikTok Shop for Creator -Where you record videos featuring products sold on a TikTok shop with a link to the shop and if anyone clicks on the link from your video and buys you earn a commission.The products you want to promote are displayed on your profile in a showcase, allowing viewers to browse your showcase and make purchases. Additionally, you don't have to have purchased the item from TikTok – there are many everyday household items on the platform that you can create videos with and link to the shop. I have had the best results with chocolate and dog accessories! You are offered this when your account reaches 1,000 followers and is in good standing.
• TikTok Shop for Seller- Where you are advertising, selling, and shipping out your own products.Don't make the mistake I made of setting up a shop if you plan to only be an affiliate. As soon as you set up a shop, only your own items will appear on your profile, and users will not be able to see your showcase. You can still sell from videos, but not from your profile. I didn't want the hassle of holding stock and shipping items out.
• Creator Rewards Programme -This is the one everyone seems to talk about and to apply to enter, you need 10,000 followers and to have had 100,000 views in the last month. It took me 3 months to get there – and I reached the followers level before I reached the views. Once in though, you are only paid for videos which are more than a minute long, viewed for at least 5 seconds, and the viewer needs to have come from the For You Page (the place where most people doomscroll!) and you need 1,000 views before you even get an income calculated. You are paid per 1,000 views, and TikTok works out an RPM, which is a rate per thousand views. You are at the mercy of the TikTok algorithm and need to include SEO (Search terms and hashtags relevant to your audience) and also have original content – not just camera rolls and rehashed Memes. I have been creating content related to offering bookkeeping advice, but I just can't get the views needed to be paid. So far, in just over two months, I have had one video reach 1,000 views, and that was about the Solar eclipse. I had an RPM of 26p per 1,000 and had less than 500 qualified views, so I made about 12p.
• Live Rewards -When you reach a certain level of followers, typically around 10,000, but this can vary, you may be offered the ability to go live. This is for over 18s only and when you have gone live a couple of times TikTok will add the ability for people to give you gifts. You can purchase coins on TikTok and then use them to send gifts to other users. It is a way of showing appreciation for good content and videos, as well as live streams, which can be gifted. If you are sent gifts during a live stream, these gifts can be converted into money, which you can withdraw from TikTok or use to buy more coins to pay it forward.When you are given coins though the cash value of them is half what the original user paid for them so in effect TikTok takes half the money. I tend to recycle and buy more coins from my gifted earnings as that is how I have built my account up to 10k. There are rooms called grow rooms where you find other users also growing their accounts and leaving 1 coin gifts can help you to be visible in the room

There are more ways to earn, such as collaborations where you are paid for producing videos to promote brands or products, gaming options, subscriptions, and many more, but I have not yet explored those on my journey. I realised on my journey that it is mostly luck in getting your posts seen on TikTok. You can watch and learn and do your best, but often the videos you spend the least time on do the best – so I go for a quantity, not quality approach in my content, and I've built up a community of mutually supportive followers.

I realised many TikTok creators have no idea about the
legalities of reporting their earnings to HMRC!

There is a trading allowance of £1,000 which means in any tax year (7th April to 6th April) if you earn less than £1,000 there is no need to report your earnings. But as soon as you go over £1,000 you need to register as self-employed by the 5th of October of the year after you go over the threshold, and if you then dip below again you need to de-register or you could risk being fined.

I have created a handy spreadsheet for those who need to track their earnings, as not recording them means you won't know if you have reached the threshold.Download the spreadsheet from my Payhip store,where you'll find additional hints and tips to ensure you're doing things correctly.

If you want to follow me on TikTok, then look for Aloe Aly and say hi on one of my videos.

Until next time ...

ALISON MEAD
I'm your Bookkeeping Buddy: Discover more by clicking here!

Share the blog love ...

Buffer Facebook Twitter Linkedin Pinterest WhatsApp #SocialMediaMonetisation #SideHustleAdvice #SelfEmployedIncome #TaxReportingTips #MonetisingExperiments

About Alison Mead ...
Alison loves bookkeeping and supporting bookkeepers. She has been helping clients to be better bookkeepers in Sage 50 for over 24 years and has been Xero Accredited in accounts and payroll for a number of years too. She specialises in a very unique hand-holding method of training, helping bookkeepers and business owners to use their accounts software as and when they need support in setting up and producing their invoices, reports and financial information. Alison combines her role at Silicon Bullet with her Forever Living network marketing businesses and is often to be seen at business networking meetings as she likes to keep busy. You know what they say: if you want something done well ask a busy person!

More blog posts for you to enjoy ...
		Why Should You Use A Bookkeeper? Keeping track of your accounts is a science as well as an art form. Yes, of course you can do it yourself, but wouldn't a bookkeeper make your life a whole lot easier? Having a clear picture of your finances at any given time...
		Some Great Reviews For My Bookkeeping Buddy Subscription Do It Yourself bookkeeping often feels like a chore when you're managing your own business accounts or even just starting off as a bookkeeper. This is why I created by Bookkeeping Buddy subscription and I'm getting some great...
		Building Your Bookkeeping Business in 2026 The usual question I see asked in bookkeeping groups and forums is, where can I find customers, or how can I get experience now that I have passed my bookkeeping exams and started my bookkeeping business ......
		Sage 50 Accounts and Payroll subscription changes Here's the Sage 50 accounts and payroll subscription changes in plain English. Direct prices rose earlier, partner-billed rises land later. Learn how timing and route to purchase affect your bill ......
		Why side hustlers should try the Etsy app for Xero today The Etsy app for Xero helps side hustlers automate sales, fees, and taxes, cutting administration and accounting errors. It turns messy payouts into clear records. It's a smart, simple boost for your bookkeeping ......
		Autumn Budget 2025: What Every Bookkeeper Needs to Know The 2025 Autumn Budget arrived with its usual mix of political theatre and careful phrasing, but beneath the headlines sit several changes that every bookkeeper should be aware of ......
		AI bank reconciliation in Xero: will it transform your monthly close? AI bank reconciliation in Xero promises faster month-end with automation and human review. It can streamline matching while maintaining oversight. Here's what to consider before switching it on, because I wonder if it is a go...
		Bookkeeping Buddy: Why DIY Bookkeeping Doesn't Mean Doing It Alone Many small business owners attempt DIY bookkeeping to save costs and maintain control. Yet, this path can be daunting. Learn how you can manage your finances more effectively with my Bookkeeping Buddy subscription, ensuring y...

Other bloggers you may like ...
		Serviced accommodation for contractors in Milton Keynes: a smarter base for work Posted by Emily Freeman on https://blog.shortstay-mk.co.uk If you want a calm base that simply works, serviced accommodation for contractors beats hotels and patchy Airbnbs. You get your own place, proper faci ...
		You've been made redundant? Let's separate you from the job Posted by Dave Cordle on https://blog.davecordle.co.uk If you've been made redundant, it can feel personal, but it isn't. The role has gone, not your strengths, experience or future. Let's reset the story ...
		Key payroll changes for 2026 every UK employer should plan for now Posted by Roger Eddowes on https://blog.essendonaccounts.co.uk Key payroll changes for 2026 are mainly about higher wage floors, tighter thresholds and better forward planning. My blog post today walks through wha ...
		What an Online PA actually does for busy professionals Posted by Sarah Hannaford on https://blog.sarahpasolutions.co.uk Wondering what an Online PA actually does day to day? They keep schedules, inboxes and documents under control, while handling research and process-he ...