How to Make Money on TikTok in USA Without Followers

TikTok is a platform that offers many opportunities for developing blogs, businesses, and building a personal brand. It has been very popular for a long time because it allows anyone to become famous.

The thing is, you can go viral even if you just made an account yesterday.

In this article, we’ll talk about whether you can make money on TikTok without followers, what are tiktok monetization options, how to create passive income TikTok, and more.

How to make money on TikTok without followers?

This is an interesting question that many people are looking for an answer to. However, we have to disappoint you a little — it is almost impossible to make money on TikTok without followers. But it’s not all bad, because with TikTok you can quickly fix this situation and make money on TikTok as a beginner 😉

In order to gain an audience, you need to understand the platform’s algorithms.

The only thing is that there is no 100% information about how this social network works. It is difficult to understand it and find tips on the TikTok algorithm, but it is not impossible. TikTok’s algorithms are based on the experience of users and content creators.

The program works smartly, we would say — cleverly. The “For You” feed is completely tailored to what the user likes. TikTok tracks likes, comments, subscriptions, video viewing time, views to the end, repeat views, and more. This is how the feed with videos specially selected for you is formed.

If you scroll through the recommendations and realize that something is wrong and you are not interested in the content at all, just go to the search box and enter the names of topics that are relevant to you. Interact with some videos and you will almost immediately see the most similar content in your recommendations. 

Where would we be without AI? It automatically analyzes the content you post: activity, music, quality, text in the video and captions, etc. If TikTok sees that your videos have high audience engagement, it will promote them further.

TikTok was the first to show users content not only from the creators they follow, but also from those they don’t. This allows you to discover new interesting accounts or simply view a variety of content without subscribing to each creator. 

It is also worth paying attention to what exactly can influence the algorithm in TikTok. What points will help you not to fail and as quickly as possible gain the desired “popularity” and earn on TikTok as a beginner.

• Pay attention to video quality. For the most part, the platform ignores low-quality videos, perceiving them as “no good.” Of course, there are cases when a video “filmed on a calculator” where two alcoholics fight over a bottle of beer gets millions of likes, but these are exceptions. Because it’s a cringe story, and such stories are often promoted because people love cringe. However, you don’t want to build your personal brand on “cringe,” right? Therefore, you should take care of high image quality. 
• User engagement, namely the duration of video viewing. This aspect greatly influences the fate of your video in the recommendation feed. Therefore, you have 2-3 seconds to grab the viewer’s attention. The task: from the very first seconds, make sure that the user watches the video to the end or almost to the end. If your content is scrolled through at the beginning, TikTok will see no point in promoting it further. 
• Video caption. There is a theory that if a video is interesting, it will go viral without any captions. And, you know, it’s partly true. The opposite is also true: when bland content is accompanied by flashy captions and a million hashtags, it still doesn’t go viral. However, even if the video is interesting, it is advisable to support it with some kind of caption. It is not necessary to use hashtags, because nowadays it is clear that they are not as effective as they used to be. However, you can leave a call to action, an interesting question, etc.
• Other audience engagement. We are talking about likes, comments, saves, and shares. And all this comes from the previous factors that influence the distribution of videos. It is a bright beginning and a call to action in the caption that can increase TikTok’s reach. Bland content has long since lost its chance of going viral, so if you want to be popular on TikTok and beyond, you need to get creative. 

In general, TikTok is built on dopamine loops. Short, dynamic videos require less concentration and time to watch. Just stick it on and don’t think about anything — beautiful, right? It forces the user to play a kind of “lottery” because you don’t know what the next video will be. Unpredictability is a trigger for the brain to release dopamine. And the endless stream of videos makes people lose track of time. That’s how its algorithm works.

It is possible to earn on TikTok as a beginner, but you will need to put in some effort. If you work hard at the beginning, you can really create your own passive income on TikTok.

Tiktok income strategies

There are various Tiktok income strategies. First, let’s talk about how to enable monetization and what monetization options are available on TikTok.

How to enable monetization on TikTok:

To enable monetization on TikTok, you need to follow a few steps.

Open TikTok and log in to your profile.

• Make sure your account is public and you are using the latest version of the app.

Go to settings.

• Tap on the three lines in the upper right corner → “Settings and privacy.”

Enable “Creator” mode.

• In the “Account” section, select “Switch to Creator Account” or “Creator.” This will give you access to the monetization section and additional tools.

Go to “Creator Tools.”

• Here you can manage your statistics, LIVE broadcasts, and monetization programs.

Select the monetization program that is available to you.

The main options are:

• Creator Rewards Program (payment for views, available in selected countries).
• LIVE Gifts (rewards for gifts during live broadcasts, you must be over 18 years old).
• Creator Marketplace (collaboration with brands).
• TikTok Pulse (income from placing ads next to your videos, usually available with 100,000 subscribers).
• Tips (one-time donations from viewers).

Submit your application.

• Select the program you want, click “Apply” and fill out the form. You may be asked to verify your identity or contact details.

Wait for confirmation.

• TikTok reviews applications within a few days. Once approved, you will have access to the Earnings section.

Check the Earnings section.

• Here you can track your earnings and, if the program allows it, withdraw money.

Requirements for participation in most programs:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a public account.
• Have at least 10,000 followers.
• Have over 100,000 views in the last 30 days.
• Comply with community guidelines.

In some regions, including Ukraine, the main Creator Rewards Program may not be available. In this case, you can use LIVE Gifts, Tips, or collaborate with brands through the Creator Marketplace.

TikTok monetization options:

Creator Rewards Program (formerly Creator Fund)

• TikTok pays for video views.
• Participation is not available in all countries (officially unavailable in Ukraine).
• Requirements: 18+ years old; 10,000+ followers; 100,000+ views in the last 30 days; original content that does not violate the rules.

TikTok Pulse

• An advertising program where TikTok shares profits with bloggers.
• Ads are shown alongside popular videos, and the author receives a share of the revenue.
• Requirements: 18+ years old; at least 100,000 subscribers; consistently high views.
• Not available in all countries.

LIVE Gifts

• Followers can send virtual gifts during live broadcasts.
• Gifts are converted into “diamonds” that can be exchanged for real money.
• Requirements: 18+ years old; active LIVE feature; compliance with community rules.

LIVE Subscriptions

• Viewers can sign up for a monthly subscription to receive exclusive content or privileges on live streams.
• The feature is currently being tested in select regions.

TikTok Creator Marketplace

• A platform for collaborations with brands.
• Companies find creators and pay them for integrations or advertising.
• Requirements: 18+ years old; active account with a real audience; high-quality content

TikTok Series

• Creators can create paid content (videos or series) that is only available after payment.
• Up to 80 videos can be sold in a single series.
• Available to selected creators.

Tips (Tips/Donations)

• Users can send money directly to the author using the Tips feature.
• TikTok does not take a commission.
• You must have an approved creator account and 1000+ followers.

Affiliate marketing (via links or affiliate programs)

• The author places affiliate links in their bio or videos and receives a commission on sales.
• Works even without official TikTok programs.
• Can be combined with TikTok Shop or external affiliate programs (CPA, e-commerce, etc.).

TikTok Shop (for products)

• You can sell your own or affiliate products directly in the app.
• The creator receives a percentage of each purchase made through their content.
• Availability depends on the country.

External advertising and collaborations

• The most flexible option is direct agreements with brands or agencies.
• Formats: mentions in videos, unboxing, reviews, native advertising.
• Payment depends on reach, niche, and audience activity.

Tiktok side hustle ideas

We have a whole list of income options that are not so difficult to implement and can really be profitable.

Transcription 

You convert audio to text using AI platforms and then edit it. This is suitable for beginners, but the pay is low at first. You can also do voiceovers, which we have already written about in another article.

Affiliate Marketing

Promote other companies’ products or services and get a commission on sales. On TikTok, this works through bios, links in third-party profiles, or redirects, and it’s really one of the most popular options, but you need an audience and traffic for stable results.  

Drop Shipping

You open an online store and sell products that the supplier sends directly to the buyer. This is a classic form of e-commerce, but on TikTok it is promoted as a simple method, although in reality it requires work with SEO, marketing, and customer service.  

Low-Content Publishing

Publish books without complex text (diaries, planners) through Amazon KDP. This can serve as passive income on TikTok. However, the market is very competitive, and unfortunately, it can be difficult without sales promotion.  

Freelance Content Creation 

Create content for brands on TikTok for a fee. This is not just about shooting your own videos, but making clips for other companies. Good videos can cost from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the brand and your skills.  

In conclusion 

The reality is that if you want to, you can make money anywhere. TikTok is one of the platforms where you can make money in different ways.

Whether it’s building a personal brand and making money directly on your own blog by collaborating with brands. Or using tiktok side hustle ideas and also developing yourself.

It depends on what you like.

The main thing is that TikTok gives everyone the opportunity to develop. Anyone can become popular. Even those who have just created an account.