How Kenyan content creators are making money on TikTok

Kenyan creators are making impressive strides on TikTok, successfully monetising their creativity and engaging with audiences like never before.

As the leading short-form video platform, TikTok offers a range of rewarding features designed to empower creators to monetise their creativity and engage with their communities.

Social media platforms, including entertainment platforms like TikTok, offer diverse monetisation models tailored to their unique formats, platforms and audiences.

These models aim to empower creators to monetise their content in ways that align with their strengths and audience engagement styles, fostering creativity and financial sustainability across the digital landscape.

TikTok's suite of monetisation features are designed to unlock real-world opportunities for creators to thrive in the creator economy.

"African creators on TikTok have been rewarded for their creativity contrary to popular belief. We have a number of tools that our community across the continent can currently benefit from,” said Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa.

“As a growing platform, we continuously test new products and features to ensure they bring maximum value and effectiveness for our creators."

Kenyan creators are actively using other TikTok monetisation tools to grow their presence and income - these include;

Creators can go LIVE on TikTok and enable the LIVE Gifts feature, allowing them to collect rewards based on the popularity of their broadcasts.

Viewers can send virtual Gifts that pop up on screen, creating an interactive experience that showcases appreciation for content in real-time.

The gifts are exchanged into real money. This feature not only enhances viewer engagement but also incentivizes creators to produce captivating and quality LIVE content.

For those who prefer to share pre-recorded videos, the Video Gifts feature offers a unique opportunity to earn rewards through viewer contributions.

This enables TikTok creators to monetise their video content without the need to go LIVE, ensuring that every video shared can be a potential source of income.

With the subscription feature, creators can offer exclusive perks and unique experiences to their loyal fans for a monthly fee.

This feature is also available for non-LIVE creators, allowing influencers to cultivate a dedicated community while generating consistent revenue.

An interesting monetisation feature most people may not be aware of. African creators can collaborate with music artists to promote songs and participate in viral video campaigns.

Rewards are based on the performance of these videos, creating a mutually beneficial relationship where creators support artists while earning an income.

Since testing this new feature across SSA, creators on TikTok have successfully leveraged this feature in the last few months.

"TikTok is committed to equipping creators with the best tools to find their community, grow their careers and transform their passions into sustainable income streams. Our suite of monetisation tools is designed to not only reward your talent but also foster a vibrant community where diverse voices can thrive,” added Sidwaba.

“We are constantly exploring new ways to empower our creators with innovative tools. We encourage all creators to explore these opportunities available on the platform, connect with their audiences, and unleash their full potential."