Featured Image Credit: Makayla Samountry/YouTube / Luis Alvarez/Getty
We live in an era where people can earn money online - whether it's from a viral video or years of building up a follower base.
TikTok has become a major platform for this overtaking YouTube in popularity of short-form content.
Moving swiftly on from the TikTok dance era, the social app is now home to anything from life hacks to funny memes.
The popularity of the app has influenced other platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and even YouTube to follow suit in second or minute-long clips.
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But how much do TikTok influencers actually make? Is it enough to quit their full-time jobs, or is it just extra cash?
One influencer, Makayla Samountry, shares her TikTok income on her YouTube channel, breaking it down month by month.
In the first month (January to February), she posted 26 videos with one of them gaining over 1 million views, earning herself $59.
Whilst in her second month, she earned a total of $143.55 after posting 17 videos with one reaching over five million views.
Makayla claims that one viral video in that period 'earned most of the income' - around $140.
That amount of money for 'five million isn't that much,' she describes, comparing the platform to YouTube.
'I have a video on YouTube that is almost at two million views and when that video hit one million, it made about $11,000.
'So, it's crazy to think about how much less you're earning per million.'
Come April that year, Makayla admitted to only earning a total of $0.97 which she wasn't 'shocked' about as none of her 18 videos that month 'really blew up.'
So, over the course of three months on TikTok, the creator earned a total of $203.68.
Makayla also discusses how brand deals have contributed to her TikTok income. She earned $550 for four videos from one deal and $500 for three videos from another, totalling $1,050 from brand deals.
Altogether, the, now, 28-year-old made $1,253.68 over three months from TikTok, including brand deals.
While this amount could cover rent for some, you have to wonder whether a couple of hundred dollars is worth posting several times a day in hopes of going viral.
Her YouTube video also shares tips for others who are interested in making money from TikTok.
In terms of content, Makayla suggests sticking to one type of niche or category because 'that's the best way to grow,' and over time, you can slowly diversify your content.
