TikTokers Are Struggling To Make A Decent Income From The App’s Creator Fund

While TikTok may be considered one of the world’s leading apps, it might not be doing too great in terms of giving back to its creator community.

A new report is shedding light on how so many TikTokers are struggling to make a decent income from the app that they can rely on. Moreover, it’s coming to a point where many feel the struggle has started to affect their mental health.

Others are going as far as mentioning how they plan on quitting because they just don’t feel that their efforts are being acknowledged and the entire process is so demoralizing for them.

One creator was reportedly caught mentioning how she just doesn’t feel like making content anymore because that’s how drastic the entire ordeal has been for her.

TikTok did recently mention how it was doing everything to try and give back to its creator ecosystem by launching a creator fund, solely dedicated to this purpose. But news went viral when one of the app’s leading content creators was paid just $12.50 for a video that achieved 3 million views.

30-year-old Yatshushiro mentioned during a recent interview with Insider how the low amount shocked him and made him as him his worth wasn’t being appreciated. He also recalled the effect it took on his overall mental health.

But this is just one example of so many other content creators who are now feeling the same about TikTok. They’re criticizing the app for their extra low payments from the Creator Fund. This is also against the company’s own promises that it had made in 2020.

During that time, we saw TikTok making a pledge of $1 billion to help assist the creator economy which many feel super doubtful about.

Creators like Yatsushiro who have a mega fanbase of nearly 590,000 followers say he withdrew himself from the fund altogether. Instead, he felt the time had come for him to move on to better and bigger opportunities that actually appreciated his contribution and efforts. Hence, that came in the form of a full-time job at a mega-corporation.

But he is clearly not the only one in that boat as the feeling is mutual among plenty who say they’d rather get zero than be paid peanuts for their viral content.

Other creators are diverting their attention and content to places that they feel pay more. Common examples include apps like Instagram and even Pinterest which are affiliated with programs that payout creators directly.

Instagram’s Reels program adds a special bonus for those who make viral content. One content creator mentioned how the returns from Pinterest are about $1000 to $2000 each month. On the other hand, when it comes to Instagram, it’s nearly double that.

Other famous content creators like Nikki Apostolou revealed how hard she has worked to get the love and support from her thousands of followers. But TikTok fails to recognize this, giving her barely anything for viral content that comes in the form of three videos per day.

On average, she makes just $20 to $30 and for her, it’s beyond heartbreaking. For now, she has no plans to quit because according to her philosophy, each penny in life counts.

Creators are asking for transparency and for TikTok to realize that a fixed pay rate is a way to go. So many content creators have even addressed their concerns to the app’s community heads but it has been in vain, they claim.

Others have poured in plenty of suggestions regarding how TikTok can make the creator fund more competitive and worthwhile for all but again, they feel it's a tone-deaf affair.


Read next: TikTok Announces New Filters To Limit Unwanted Content Exposure For Younger Audiences
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