Influencer shows how long it takes to make career on TikTok

Is there a job that epitomises ‘Gen-Z’ more than being a TikTok influencer?

From documenting globe-trotting adventures to sharing personal views from the comfort of your bedroom, the internet offers endless opportunities for content creation. However, a mere 4% of creators rake in over £79,000 annually, despite Goldman Sachs forecasting the industry to skyrocket to an astounding value of $480billion by 2027.

The instability doesn’t stop there. A Kajabi report underscores the precarious nature of this career path, with influencers competing for brand collaborations amidst the ever-evolving landscape of social media algorithms.

So, how can you carve out a successful career in this field?

‘Bran Flakes’, a US-based influencer, has recently shared his journey of turning his content creation into a full-time profession – a feat he achieved in just over a year.

“I started posting on TikTok in January 2021,” he said to his 652,000 followers (@bran__flakezz). “These videos are still up to this day, they have a thousand views now because they’ve been up for three-and-a-half years. But when I would post these I was stuck in 200 view jail.

“I think where I messed up in the beginning is I only really used trending sounds, I rarely talked to the camera. Once I started making videos where I talked to the camera, my s*** started to take off.”

Fast forward six months and each of his videos were attracting between 100,000 and 300,000 views. By June 2021, Bran had accumulated 25,000 followers and secured his first-ever brand collaboration, earning him $100 (£79).

He continued: “During this time I was also working a 9-to-5 job, so it was a stressful time trying to make content on top of already commuting to work, working all day and then coming home and making videos… I kept going.

“And then November 2021 came around so now we’re 10 months past the first month that I ever started posting, which was in January. And I got a brand deal from Amazon that paid me over $1,000 – I was freaking out.”

By April 2022, Bran realised that his earnings from brand partnerships were surpassing his regular nine-to-five income. Seizing the moment, he decided to dedicate himself entirely to creating TikTok content throughout the summer – a decision he has not regretted.

He explained: “The one thing that worked in my favour was [that] I was consistent. I did not quit, I continuously posted every single day. The more you post, the more you have a chance of reaching a bigger audience.”

Aside from brand deals, creators aged 18 and above can also make money through TikTok‘s Creator Fund. To do so, they must live in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain or Italy, while boasting at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 monthly video views.

While funds are calculated using a ‘combination of factors’, there is no limit to how much money you can earn through the fund. In 2021, TikTok even committed to £231million to this cause.

A spokesperson for the platform explains: “We want to show our appreciation to our brilliant creator community by rewarding them for their incredible TikTok videos and creativity. We want all creators to have the opportunity to earn money doing what they love and turn their passion into a livelihood.”

Bran also added: “I’m not going to bulls*** you guys, I think it was significantly easier back then than it [is] now because it wasn’t as saturated as it [is] today… If this is something you want to do, if you dream about making money by posting on social media, just rip the band aid off. Just start posting.”