Here’s how beginners can start affiliate marketing on TikTok:
- Understand TikTok affiliate marketing.
- Choose your TikTok affiliate marketing niche.
- Create a TikTok account.
- Switch to a business account.
- Study legal considerations in TikTok affiliate marketing.
- Join TikTok affiliate marketing programs.
- Start creating TikTok affiliate marketing content.
- Promote your TikTok affiliate marketing links effectively.
- Optimize and track your TikTok affiliate marketing success.
- Engage with your TikTok audience.
- Make money with TikTok affiliate marketing.
TikTok affiliate marketing involves partnering and promoting TikTok sellers' products. You then earn commissions on sales made through your affiliate link. Hootsuite says TikTok users are 1.3X more likely to buy a product as it lifts their spirits. It leverages TikTok's growth, massive user base, and demand for authentic, compelling videos.
There's a great opportunity for TikTok affiliate marketing beginners. TikTok and Nielsen say 15% of product discoveries begin on TikTok. 43% of platform users are Gen Zs, who are 1.8X more likely to buy based on community recommendations. Challenges like content quality, competition, and changing algorithms and trends make it difficult. The platform has a full or partial ban in several countries and in 39/50 US states for data and health concerns.
In this article, we'll provide a comprehensive guide on TikTok affiliate marketing. We'll discuss how much money beginners can make, provide tips, and dangers to avoid. Finally, we'll cover a different way to make money online.
10 Steps To Start TikTok Affiliate Marketing For Beginners
Step 1: Take TikTok Affiliate Marketing Courses and Watch Free Content Online
Understanding TikTok affiliate marketing lets you know how to best make an impact. It gives you an idea of what, how, and who to market to and what you can or can't do when promoting products. Without it, your content may be ineffective at engaging or promoting to your audience. This leads to missed opportunities and potential loss of income.
In this business model, you create short-form videos that promote and sell a product on TikTok. Your affiliate link earns you commissions based on the number of sales or clicks you get. Forbes says customers keep 95% of information when watching videos. Google says 50% of internet users watch videos before buying. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok Shop Academy provide resources on effective affiliate marketing. This lets you create engaging videos that sell and follow TikTok's guidelines.
Pros
Large audience reach: TikTok has a massive user base, which provides a vast audience for product promotion.
Engaging videos: Short-form videos allow for creative and engaging content that can go viral and sell more.
Algorithm benefits: TikTok's algorithm can help even new users gain visibility and reach a wide audience.
Potential for high commissions: Successful videos can drive significant traffic and sales, leading to high commissions.
Access to diverse affiliate products: A lot of businesses are on TikTok Shop, offering a variety of products to promote.
Creative freedom: TikTok gives you creative freedom in content creation, which can be enjoyable and fulfilling.
Mobile-friendly platform: TikTok is mobile-friendly, making it accessible and convenient for users and creators.
Cons
High competition: TikTok is saturated with content, making it hard to stand out.
Time-consuming content creation: Creating high-quality, engaging videos requires significant time and effort.
Constantly changing trends: Staying updated with TikTok's trends and algorithm changes can be demanding.
Initial learning curve: Beginners need to invest time in learning how affiliate marketing and TikTok work.
Dependence on platform policies: Changes in TikTok’s policies or algorithm can impact marketing strategies.
Need for consistent engagement: You must consistently engage with followers to maintain and grow your following.
Strict initial requirements: To be a TikTok affiliate, you must be 18 or older, have 1k followers, follow their guidelines, and consistently post content.
Step 2: Choose Your TikTok Affiliate Marketing Niche
Choosing your TikTok affiliate marketing niche helps you find a specific audience, market, and product. This lets you narrow down products to promote that you know your audience needs. TikTok's audience best responds to authentic, engaging videos. You should choose niches that you're knowledgeable or passionate about. Doing so helps you create engaging content that sells more and builds your authority.
Here are some of the most popular affiliate marketing niches you can try:
Beginners can choose a niche based on their knowledge, skills, and interests. Research the trending topics on TikTok to find underserved segments and market gaps. Check out TikTok's Discover page to see what types of content are trending. Tools like TikTok Analytics and Google Trends help you understand audience needs. This helps you create authentic, engaging videos for your specific niche's audience.
Step 3: Create a TikTok Account
Once you’ve chosen your niche, it’s time to create your own TikTok account.
Using your browser of choice, type in “www.TikTok.com” in the search bar. This will take you to TikTok’s home page.
From here, click on the “Log In” button.
Scroll down and find the “Sign Up” button to create your new account.
Choose your preferred registration method and fill in the required information.
And you’re done! You’ve now created your own TikTok account.
Step 4: Switch To a Business Account
Now that you’ve created your TikTok account, let’s turn it into a business account.
From TikTok’s home page, click on the Account button on the top right of the page. From here, click on “Settings”.
From the Settings page, click on the “Business Account” tab.
Then, tick the “Business Account” option to begin registering your account as a business account.
This takes you to the Business Account registration page. From here, click on the “Choose a Category” tab and select your chosen niche.
Your account is now given a 30-day trial of Business Account with its features and tools. To fully register your Business Account, click on the “Register Now” button.
On this page, tick the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy agreement and proceed to the next step. From here, fill in the necessary information for TikTok to verify your business’s information.
TikTok will now verify your business’s information. This process takes between 1-5 business days. You’ll receive a confirmation email and in-app notification on its status. Once approved, your TikTok Ads Manager and Business Center gets a “Verified” status.
Step 5: Study Legal Considerations in TikTok Affiliate Marketing
Studying the legal considerations in TikTok affiliate marketing ensures legal compliance. It also helps you protect yourself and build trust with your audience.
Here are some of the legal considerations for TikTok affiliate marketing beginners:
Do not use TikTok to commit fraud, spam, phishing, or hacking.
Do not use TikTok to promote prohibited products or services. For example, weapons, drugs, gambling, adult content, or counterfeit products.
Do not use TikTok to infringe or violate other people's rights. This includes privacy, intellectual property, contractual, or publicity rights.
Do not use TikTok to harass, bully, or deceive other people. This also includes promoting violence, hatred, and discrimination.
Do not use TikTok to create misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent content.
You must follow these rules and policies when using TikTok and creating content. Violating these terms can result in a ban, an account suspension, or legal issues.
Here are relevant sections in TikTok's ToS and Community Guidelines for affiliate marketers:
State affiliate disclosures at the beginning and near the end of your content.
Use clear language in your visual and verbal disclosures.
When using TikTok's built-in labeling feature, always double-check your content's disclosures.
This aims to protect consumers from deceptive advertising. The FTC's Endorsement Guidelines apply to anyone who promotes a product or service. The Disclosure Requirements apply to people who get compensation for promoting products or services. You must state your connection to anything you promote on TikTok. This ensures your marketing efforts are compliant with the FTC. Doing so enhances your credibility and your audience's trust in your recommendations.
Here are tips that can help your TikTok marketing efforts be FTC-compliant:
Use your own or licensed content like pictures, music, or videos. For example, platforms like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock provide high-quality, royalty-free images. You can also ask the content's owner for permission to use their creation.
Give credit to the actual owner of the content you used.
Use content in the public domain.
Intellectual property rights protect someone's ownership of creative works like music and images. Fair use principles let you use copyrighted materials without the owner's permission. This exception applies for reasons such as research, criticism, or reporting. These ensure that the content you use on your videos doesn't violate someone else's rights.
Here are some tips to help you avoid infringing IP and fair use on TikTok:
GDPR regulates the processing of personal data in the European Union. This applies to individuals or organizations that offer services within the EU. The GDPR requires obtaining consent before collecting or using audience data. It also mandates clear, transparent information about data processing and individuals' rights.
The California Consumer Privacy Act. Regulates the processing of California residents' data by businesses operating in California. It requires informing your audience about the data collected and its purposes. You must also offer opt-out options for data sales and allow data deletion requests.
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): Regulates the processing of personal data of children under 13. It requires verifiable parental consent before collecting, using, or sharing children's data.
Privacy and data protection laws govern the handling of personal information. This protects individuals' rights and prevents misuse of their data. You must be aware of these laws and ensure your marketing activities are compliant. This ensures you avoid legal issues and protects your audience's privacy and data.
Here are the most important privacy and data protection laws and regulations:
Step 6: Join TikTok Affiliate Marketing Programs
Next, you’ll find and join TikTok affiliate marketing programs to promote. Here is a brief overview of TikTok’s affiliate marketing programs:
What is it?: You get paid a flat-fee bounty for driving new users to use TikTok Ads Manager.
Requirements: You need to create a TikTok account. Then, you must sign up and get approved to get into the program
How do I join this program?: You must apply and join the program through Impact. Once you’ve signed in or created an account on Impact, contact them through “affiliates@tiktok.com”. Include your account’s ID number. Once your account gets approved, you’re now allowed to promote TikTok for Business!
What is it?: This is where you partner with TikTok sellers and shops who want to promote their products, services, or brands.
Requirements: Your TikTok account must have 1,000 followers. You must also be 18 years old and above. Finally, you must adhere to TikTok’s Community Guidelines.
How do I join this program?: You must meet the requirements above to be eligible for this program. To begin the sign-up process, scan this QR code or use this link “https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSFuVYhq4/”.
Step 7: Start Creating TikTok Affiliate Marketing Content
Once you’ve met TikTok Shop's affiliate requirements, it's time to create content. To start, understand your niche and audience, and create simple TikTok videos. Examples include product reviews, unboxings, or tutorials that showcase the affiliate product.
Beginners can create engaging videos by making them short and to the point. Use trending sounds and hashtags to increase visibility. Leverage TikTok’s editing tools for added effects. Consistency is key on TikTok, so keep posting to maintain audience engagement. For example, kgrabill8 is an aesthetician who promoted snail mucin in 2023. Her video got 6.7M views and pushed $124K in sales. With a 15% commission rate, she got $18.6K in commissions.
Step 8: Promote Your TikTok Affiliate Marketing Links Effectively
Here are effective ways to promote your TikTok affiliate marketing links:
Step 9: Optimize and Track Your TikTok Affiliate Marketing Success
Optimizing and tracking your TikTok affiliate marketing helps maximize revenue and improve content. Start by analyzing your top-performing content, focusing on views, likes, shares, and comments. This gives you insight into your affiliate marketing strategy based on your performance. Tools like Google Analytics, FastData, and TikTok Analytics help track your marketing performance. Allowing you to adjust your approach and get better marketing results and sales.
Key strategies for success include adjusting your content based on performance metrics. You can experiment with different videos and CTAs. Testing various affiliate products to find products that your audience wants. Consistent optimization and tracking ensure what you promote resonates with audiences.
Step 10: Engage With Your TikTok Audience
Engaging with your TikTok audience helps build trust and drives affiliate sales. This includes responding to video comments, thanking viewers, and answering audience questions. These interactions show that you value your audience's opinions and presence. Features like TikTok LIVE let you interact with your audience in real time. This fosters a sense of community and improves engagement, interactions, and sales.
The best ways TikTok affiliate marketing beginners can engage their audience include:
Step 11: Make Money With TikTok Affiliate Marketing
How Much Money Can TikTok Affiliate Marketing Beginners Make?
TikTok affiliate marketing beginners can make between $0-$1,000. This is due to high competition, audience size and engagement, and content quality. There is potential and no limit to what you can earn doing affiliate marketing on TikTok. To start making money from affiliate marketing on TikTok, you’ll need to create videos, nurture your audience, and find the right products to promote.
For example, THE ECOM BULL is a TikTok shop seller. He shared that an affiliate that promoted his product sold $13K and earned $2.5K commissions in 3 days. The affiliate has 71K followers, and her video went viral, garnering 7.04M views. In her video, the affiliate says she bought the product for her husband. She recommends others to buy them for their partners as well. In comparison, another affiliate promoted the same product. They used images from THE ECOM BULL’s store and only got 1.2K views and earned $123 in commissions. This shows how content that resonates with audiences pushes viewers to buy.
Is TikTok Affiliate Marketing Easy or Hard for Beginners?
Affiliate marketing on TikTok is hard for beginners as you need to be consistent. You must always make quality content and engage your audience. And to even begin affiliate marketing on TikTok, you need to have 1,000 followers. Additionally, you need constant monitoring of your metrics to see what is and isn’t working. This shows that from start to finish, you’ll need to create content that engages and grows your audience.
For example, Trevin Peterson is a seller on TikTok Shop and has 369K followers. He tried affiliate marketing on TikTok for a month as an experiment. Using his knowledge and uploading 3-7 videos per day, he was able to make $3.5K in commissions. He says that these results are replicable, but not everyone can achieve them. This is because it requires dedication, luck, and a certain skill set to get these results.
Why Should Beginners Consider TikTok Affiliate Marketing?
TikTok Affiliate Marketing Tips From Experts To Boost Sales for Beginners
ClickBank's Rachel Pedersen says TikTok affiliate marketing is an untapped opportunity for marketers. This is because TikTok lets affiliate marketers improve reach, leads, and sales. She advises using relevant hashtags and learning how potential customers identify themselves. This aims to speed up the process of finding your dream audience.
ZoCo Marketing's Corbin White says TikTok affiliate marketing is great for beginners. This is because you can either commit to it full- or part-time, requiring less investment. Additionally, it even allows people who prefer not to show their faces a way to make money online. He advises using tools like LinkTree and Beacons.ai to help optimize your bios and links. Other tips include using trending songs and hashtags to improve visibility and engagement.
Trevin Peterson says you must have a long-term mentality in TikTok affiliate marketing. He says beginners must treat this like their business. This is because beginners may get discouraged when they have bad days and get no sales or traffic. The goal is to be able to earn from your affiliate marketing efforts even 9-24 months from now and not days. He advises finding products that excites you and to avoid copying other creators. Tools like Shoplus and Kalodata helps you find products before they get popular.
4 Unseen Dangers Beginners Should Be Aware of in TikTok Affiliate Marketing
Conclusion: Why Local Lead Gen Biz is Better Option for Beginners Than TikTok Affiliate Marketing?
Local lead generation is better for beginners than affiliate marketing on TikTok. Instead of promoting someone else's products and dependent on algorithms and trends. With local lead gen, they'll offer a service that businesses want and own the assets. It requires less initial investment and effort required to keep making money online.
Affiliate marketing on TikTok is challenging and competitive. It demands consistent creativity and effort. You must create quality content and nurture your following to keep them engaged. The products you promote must be relevant to your niche's audience or about to become popular. This requires luck, effort, and constant research and analysis to find the product.
In contrast, with local lead gen, you create sites for niches in different locales. When your local lead site ranks on Google, you can start selling leads or renting them to businesses. It requires less maintenance and consistent effort. You can scale this by creating sites in different niches and other ZIP codes as much as you want. In a way, your local lead gen site acts like digital real estate, and you're the landlord.
For example, I've created and rented out 50+ local lead gen sites in various niches. Businesses rent out these sites for $500-$3,000 monthly. Together, these earn over $52,000 monthly. You can avoid the competitiveness and volatility of TikTok affiliate marketing. Local lead generation can be an alternative. This business model offers a stable method to make money online.
