How Many Followers Do You Need to Be a TikTok Influencer?

What Does It Really Take to Become a TikTok Influencer?

If you’re wondering how many followers you need to be a TikTok influencer, you're not alone. I had the exact same question when I first started posting videos. Do you need 10K? 100K? A million? Or can you start making money and influencing people with just a few thousand?

Spoiler alert: You don’t need millions. But the number of followers you have does matter—especially when it comes to brand deals, monetization, and engagement. So let’s break it all down.

TikTok's Different Influencer Tiers

Not all influencers are the same. TikTok creators fall into different categories based on follower count—and each tier has different perks.

1. Nano Influencer (1K – 10K followers)

This is where most people start out. With at least 1,000 followers, you can join the TikTok Creator Fund (if you also meet the views and age requirements).

Pros:

• Brands love nano influencers because their audiences are highly engaged.
• Easier to grow since TikTok’s algorithm favors smaller accounts with viral potential.
• You can start getting small brand deals (free products, affiliate links).

Cons:

• Hard to make real money at this stage.
• Most brands won’t pay cash yet, just free products.

2. Micro Influencer (10K – 100K followers)

Once you hit 10,000 followers, things get interesting. You can officially apply for the TikTok Creator Fund and start making some money from views.

Pros:

• Brands now pay for sponsored posts (not just free products).
• You qualify for TikTok’s monetization programs.
• Engagement is still high, which brands love.

Cons:

• Earnings from the Creator Fund are low unless your videos go viral consistently.
• You need at least 100K followers to unlock the TikTok Live Gifts feature.

3. Mid-Tier Influencer (100K – 500K followers)

At this level, you’re officially a recognized influencer. Brands reach out to YOU, not the other way around.

Pros:

• Higher-paying brand deals ($500 - $3,000 per post).
• More views = more Creator Fund earnings.
• You can leverage TikTok Lives for donations/gifts.

Cons:

• Growth slows down—going from 100K to 500K takes longer than 1K to 100K.
• You need a strong niche to stand out.

4. Macro Influencer (500K – 1M followers)

Here, you’re almost celebrity status on TikTok. Your content reaches a massive audience, and brands start offering big money.

Pros:

• $5K+ per sponsored post is common.
• You have serious influence in your niche.
• More TikTok algorithm love = higher organic reach.

Cons:

• Audience engagement may drop as you grow.
• Pressure to consistently go viral.

5. Mega Influencer (1M+ followers)

If you hit 1 million+ followers, you’re in the top 1% of TikTok creators. At this point, you’re making big money—from brand deals, merch, YouTube, and other platforms.

Pros:

• Brands pay $10K - $100K+ per post.
• You can negotiate exclusive deals.
• High chance of getting verified on TikTok.

Cons:

• The bigger you are, the harder it is to keep engagement high.
• More competition from other big influencers.

How Many Followers Do You REALLY Need?

Here’s the truth: It’s not just about the number of followers.

A micro-influencer with 50K followers but high engagement can make more money than someone with 1 million inactive followers.

What matters more than just numbers?

Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares)
Video views & consistency
Niche strength (fashion, fitness, gaming, etc.)
Brand collaborations & monetization strategy

How to Start Monetizing Your TikTok (Even with Low Followers)

If you’re under 10K followers, don’t stress! You can still make money by:

• Affiliate marketing (promote products & earn commission).
• Selling your own services (coaching, freelancing).
• Going live & receiving gifts (once you hit 1K followers).

Once you cross 10K, start reaching out to brands and negotiating deals. You don’t need to wait until you have millions of followers—just focus on creating quality content that people love.

Conclusion: The Magic Number for TikTok Influencers

1K+ followers – You can start going live & receive gifts.
10K+ followers – You qualify for brand deals & the Creator Fund.
100K+ followers – Serious brand deals & stronger monetization.
1M+ followers – Full-time influencer status & six-figure sponsorships.

At the end of the day, quality beats quantity. If you’re consistent, engaged, and smart about monetization, you can start making money WAY before hitting 1M followers.

So, how many followers do you actually need? The answer is: probably fewer than you think.

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How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

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Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

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Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.