TikTok Affiliate Program: Guide to Affiliate Marketing on TikTok

TikTok Affiliate Program: New Collaboration Features for Creators and Sellers

Introduction to Affiliate Marketing on TikTok

Affiliate marketing has become one of the fastest-growing ways to earn money online, and TikTok is leading the charge with its powerful new opportunities for creators and sellers. With millions of users scrolling every day, TikTok has transformed from a fun social media app into a global marketplace where short videos drive real sales. At the heart of this transformation is the TikTok Affiliate Program,a system that allows anyone, from beginner influencers to established brands, to earn commissions by promoting products directly through TikTok Shop.

Forget what you know about traditional side hustles. The next frontier for earning money online isn’t on a separate website or a complex course; it’s directly within the app you already use every day. Welcome to the TikTok Affiliate Program, a platform-native feature that enables creators to earn commissions by connecting their audience with products they genuinely love. It’s a game-changer for influencers, aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone wondering how to monetize their scroll time. Ready to transform your TikTok account into a thriving affiliate marketing hub? Let’s dive in.

Whether you’re a creator looking to monetize your content or a seller searching for new ways to reach customers, understanding how the TikTok Affiliate Program works could be your first step toward building a profitable online business. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know from requirements and setup to tips for success, so you can start earning with affiliate marketing on TikTok.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a business model where individuals promote another company’s products or services and earn a commission for every sale made through their unique link.

• Affiliates = promoters or creators.
• Sellers = brands or businesses providing the product.
• Consumers = people who buy after seeing content.

For affiliate marketing beginners, this is one of the simplest ways to get started because there’s no need to manage stock, shipping, or customer service. All you need is a platform to share products—like TikTok.

What is the TikTok Affiliate Programme?

The TikTok affiliate program is a performance-based marketing system native to the TikTok platform. It enables creators known as TikTok affiliate creators to earn commissions by promoting products listed on TikTok Shop. The TikTok Affiliate Program is designed to help creators earn money by promoting products listed on TikTok Shop.

Here’s how it works:

1. Sellers add their products to TikTok Shop.
2. Creators (also called TikTok affiliate creators or TikTok shop creator affiliates) select products they want to feature.
3. The creator promotes those products through TikTok videos or livestreams.
4. Viewers purchase directly from TikTok, and the creator earns a commission.

 Log in to your seller account and select the Affiliate option to start tiktok affiliate programme.

when you log in to your tiktok seller center aacount, click on the Affliates option as highlighted above in the picture and go to the affiliate center home.

This makes TikTok one of the most accessible affiliate marketing programs for both new creators and established influencers.

This dashboard has been opened.

How to Set Up TikTok Shop Affiliate Program

1. Collaboration

Collaboration is essentially the process where sellers (brands or merchants) work with content creators to promote their products and drive sales. In TikTok Shop, collaboration is central because it helps products reach a wider audience through creators.

Types of Collaboration:

Open Collaboration

1. This is where sellers open their campaigns to all creators. Any creator on TikTok Shop can apply to promote your products.
2. Benefits: You can reach a larger pool of creators and get diverse promotional styles.

Target Collaboration

1. Here, sellers handpick specific creators they want to work with. You can target creators based on niche, audience size, engagement, or past performance.
2. Benefits: More controlled promotion, often higher conversion because the creator matches your target audience.
3. Target Collaboration now consists of two main models: Flat Fee Based (New) and Commission Only.
   

Flat Fee Based Structure (New)

This is a type of collaboration where sellers pay creators a fixed upfront fee to create promotional content, rather than paying purely based on sales. It is ideal for high-quality, tailored content for key products (called “hero products”).

This new payment model in the TikTok Shop-Target collaboration offers a structured approach to working with creators:

Key Features

1. Upfront Payment System: Instead of relying solely on commission-based earnings, this model provides guaranteed payment to creators upfront for their work, with the option to add performance-based commissions as well.
2. Fixed Cost Budgeting: As a business, you’ll know exactly what you’re paying upfront for creator content, making budgeting more predictable.
3. Higher Accountability: The “timed actions” mentioned create structured deadlines and deliverables, ensuring both parties remain committed to the collaboration timeline.

Creative Control: You maintain editorial oversight with the ability to request revisions, ensuring the final videos align with your brand standards and marketing objectives

This model is particularly beneficial for:

• Promoting specific “hero products” you want to highlight
• Creating highly customized content that requires more creator time and resources
• Campaigns where you need precise control over messaging and presentation
• Situations where you prefer budget certainty over variable commission structures

The “New” tag indicates this is a recently introduced option in the TikTok Shop affiliate program, likely part of enhancing the Target collaboration specifically.

Commission-Only Collaboration

This type of collaboration means:

• No upfront fee (no fixed payment to the creator).
• Creators earn money only through commissions when they generate sales.
• The seller sets the commission rate (%) for the product.
• If a creator promotes the product and it sells, they receive the agreed commission percentage of that sale.

👉 Example:

• Seller sets 20% commission on a $50 product.
• Creator promotes it via TikTok video/live.
• If the product sells, creator earns $10 commission per sale.

2. Find Creators

• This is a tool for sellers to search and discover creators who can promote their products.
• Features may include:
  • Searching by category or niche
  • Viewing creator stats (followers, engagement rate, audience demographics)
  • Checking past sales or performance with other products
• Purpose: Helps you select the best creators for your campaigns.

3. Manage Creators

• Once you’ve collaborated with creators, this section helps track, manage, and communicate with them.
• Features:
  • Accepting or declining collaboration requests
  • Monitoring which creators are actively promoting your products
  • Sending updates, instructions, or guidelines for content
• Purpose: Keeps your creator partnerships organized and ensures smooth promotion.

4. Work with Partners

• This is slightly different from creators. “Partners” can include marketing agencies or TikTok Shop partners that help sellers run campaigns at scale.
• You can:
  • Collaborate with agencies for better reach
  • Get assistance in optimizing campaigns
  • Manage co-promotions with other brands

5. Sample Requests

• Sellers can provide free product samples to creators.
• Creators use these samples to create authentic content.
• This increases the chance of higher engagement and sales since the creator has used the product.

6. Exposure Optimization

• This is a new feature aimed at improving product visibility.
• TikTok Shop may suggest tips or adjustments to:
  • Increase reach on TikTok
  • Optimize campaigns for better impressions and clicks
• Essentially, it’s about maximizing the chance that more users see your product.

7. Analytics

Analytics is about tracking the performance of your affiliate campaigns.

• It provides insights such as:
  • Total sales generated through creators
  • Commission paid per creator
  • Click-through rates and conversions
  • Which creators are performing best
• Purpose: Helps you make data-driven decisions for future campaigns.

8. Transactions

This section records all financial activities that happen through the TikTok Shop Affiliate program.
It shows the money flow between sellers, creators, and TikTok.

🔹 What you’ll usually see here:

• Order amount → The total value of the customer’s purchase.
• Commission amount → The money you earn as an affiliate from that order.
• Payment status → Pending, Completed, or Failed.
• Transaction date → When the order was placed.
• Settlement details → Whether the commission has been cleared to your wallet or is still processing.

👉 Think of this as your earnings ledger – a detailed report of how much you’re making, from which orders, and whether you’ve been paid yet

Affiliate Orders

This is more order-specific tracking, showing which sales happened through your affiliate promotions.

🔹 What you’ll see here:

• Order ID → Unique identifier for the order.
• Product details → Which item was sold.
• Creator/Influencer info (if you’re a seller) → Which creator drove the sale.
• Commission rate → The percentage or fixed fee you agreed to give for that product.
• Order status → Pending, Shipped, Completed, or Cancelled.
• Estimated earnings → How much you will earn (shown before it gets finalized in Transactions).

👉 This helps you understand which products are performing best, which creators (if you’re a seller) or which promotions (if you’re a creator) are driving results.

Meet the Eligibility Criteria: The standard requirements include:

• Being 18 years or older.
  • Having at least 1,000 followers.
  • Having a minimum of 50 video views in the previous 30 days.
  • Residing in a country where the program is available (e.g., US, UK, SEA).
  • Note: The requirement of 1,000 followers is a common barrier. While there is no official method for how to become TikTok affiliate without 1k followers, the best strategy is to focus on organic growth through consistent, niche content.

Types of TikTok Shop Affiliate Programmes

While the core program is uniform, participation can be categorized based on the participant’s goals, which is crucial for anyone building an affiliate marketing business.

The main structures under TikTok Shop Affiliate marketing:

1. Creator Affiliate Program
   1. For influencers and creators.
   1. Earn commissions per sale by promoting products.
2. Seller Affiliate Program
   1. For businesses.
   1. Sellers allow affiliates to promote their products in exchange for commission.
3. Hybrid Collaborations
   1. Direct deals between sellers and affiliates.
   1. Can involve higher commissions or exclusive partnerships.
4. The Content Creator Affiliate: This is the most common type of TikTok affiliate creator. They are influencers who naturally integrate product promotions into their regular content, hauls, tutorials, and lifestyle videos. Their primary goal is to earn commission while providing value to their audience.
5. The Dedicated Affiliate Marketer: This participant treats it as a core affiliate marketing job. They may operate multiple accounts, deeply analyze analytics from the dashboard, run targeted advertising on their posts, and often use strategies learned from dedicated affiliate marketing courses. They are highly strategic about product selection and timing.
6. The Brand & Seller Partnership: Brands use the TikTok Shop Seller Center to manage their products and often run targeted affiliate campaigns. They can set custom commission rates, gift products to top creators, and recruit a network of affiliates to promote their goods, effectively creating their own mini affiliate marketing network within TikTok.

How to Find the Right Creator According to Your Niche in TikTok Affiliates

For brands and sellers using the TikTok Shop Seller Center, finding the right TikTok shop creator affiliate is critical for campaign success. It’s not just about follower count; it’s about alignment and authenticity.

• Utilize the Creator Marketplace: The official TikTok Creator Marketplace is a platform where brands can discover and connect with creators. You can filter creators by niche, audience demographics, engagement rate, and past campaign performance.
• Analyze Audience Alignment: Look beyond vanity metrics. A creator with 10,000 highly engaged followers in your exact niche is far more valuable than a creator with 100,000 followers with no interest in your product category. Scrutinize their comments and video content for genuine audience interaction.
• Search for Organic Affiliates: Often, the best advocates are already using your product. Use TikTok’s search function to find videos where your product is being tagged or mentioned organically. These creators are already fans and are likely to be receptive to a formal affiliate partnership, making them ideal for your affiliate marketing programs.

Earnings and Payouts

• Commission rates range from 5% to 30%, depending on the seller and product.
• Affiliates are paid biweekly or monthly.
• Payouts are made via bank transfer or PayPal, depending on setup.

This makes TikTok one of the most flexible affiliate marketing sites for beginners and businesses alike.

✅ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1.What is the TikTok Shop Affiliate Program, and how does it work?

The TikTok Shop Affiliate Program is a system that allows creators and influencers to earn money by promoting products sold on TikTok Shop. Instead of creating or storing your own products, you simply select items from TikTok Shop’s marketplace, showcase them in your videos or livestreams, and earn a commission whenever someone makes a purchase through your affiliate link.

Here’s how it works in simple steps:

1. Join the program through TikTok Shop Seller Center or Creator Marketplace.
2. Choose products listed by sellers.
3. Create videos or live content promoting those products.
4. Earn commissions when viewers purchase via your link.

It’s a win-win: sellers get more sales, TikTok creators earn commissions, and audiences discover products in an authentic, engaging way.

2.What are the requirements to join the TikTok Shop Affiliate Program?

TikTok sets basic requirements for affiliates to ensure quality and trust on the platform. While they can vary slightly depending on your country, the general TikTok Shop Affiliate requirements are:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You need a TikTok account in good standing (no major policy violations).
• You typically need 1,000 or more followers (though this may differ by region).
• You should have posted content within the last 28 days.
• A valid government-issued ID is often required for verification.

If you’re a seller, you’ll also need to register with TikTok Shop Seller Center and upload your business information.

3. Can I become a TikTok Shop affiliate without having 1,000 followers?

Yes, in some cases you can! While the 1,000-follower requirement is common, TikTok has made the affiliate program more accessible in certain regions. Some creators with fewer followers can still join if:

• They have high engagement rates (likes, comments, shares).
• They verify their identity with TikTok.
• They participate in TikTok’s Affiliate Creator program, which allows micro-influencers to collaborate with sellers directly.

So, even if you don’t have 1,000 followers yet, you can still apply. Focus on producing quality content, building engagement, and staying consistent—many sellers prefer working with smaller, active creators because of their authentic audience.

4. How much can creators earn with TikTok’s affiliate program, and how are payouts made?

Earnings depend on two main factors:

1. Commission rates – These vary by product and seller, typically ranging from 5% to 30% per sale. High-ticket items or special promotions may offer even more.
2. Your sales volume – The more products you successfully promote, the more commissions you earn.

For example, if you promote a $50 product with a 20% commission rate, you’ll earn $10 per sale. If 100 people buy through your link, that’s $1,000 in commissions from a single product campaign.

Payouts:

• TikTok usually pays out earnings biweekly or monthly, depending on your region.
• Payments are deposited directly into your bank account or PayPal, based on your setup in TikTok Shop Seller Center.

5. Do I need to purchase or physically handle the products I promote as an affiliate?

No, you don’t need to buy, store, or ship the products yourself. That’s the beauty of the TikTok Affiliate Program. As an affiliate:

• You simply select products from TikTok Shop to promote.
• Sellers are responsible for inventory, shipping, and customer service.
• Your only job is to create engaging TikTok content that encourages viewers to purchase.

This makes affiliate marketing with TikTok Shop one of the easiest online income streams for beginners—you don’t need upfront investment, inventory, or logistics management.

The TikTok Affiliate Program makes it simple for creators to earn by sharing products they love from TikTok Shop. You don’t need to manage stock or shipping just focus on creating videos or going live, while sellers handle the rest. Most people need at least 1,000 followers to join, but in some regions you can get started with fewer if your content is engaging. Commissions vary depending on the product, and payments are sent out regularly through your chosen method. For beginners, it’s a low-barrier way to try affiliate marketing and start building an online income.

Conclusion: The Future of Social Commerce

The TikTok Shop Affiliate Program makes affiliate marketing more accessible than ever. It is more than just a feature; it’s a testament to the future of affiliate marketing, where social discovery and instant purchasing are fused. Beginners can join with minimal requirements, creators can monetize content without managing products, and sellers can boost sales through authentic influencer promotion. Whether you’re a creator wondering “how do I become an affiliate marketer?” or a business looking to grow, understanding this ecosystem is essential for succeeding in the modern digital marketplace.

For anyone exploring affiliate marketing for beginners, TikTok offers one of the most effective, low-barrier entry points into building an affiliate marketing business in 2025.