How Many Followers Do You Need to Get Paid?
It's one of the most common questions new creators ask, and the honest answer is that it depends on how you want to be paid. Some platform programmes ask for big numbers, such as the 10,000 followers TikTok's Creator Rewards Programme needs, but you can start earning from brand work much earlier.
The Short Answer
- TikTok's Creator Rewards Programme: 18 or over, with at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in the last 30 days, at the time of writing (October 2026).
- Instagram's own tools: these vary by feature and change often, so check your professional dashboard.
- Brand campaigns on Brief72: 18 or over, with at least 1,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube.
Why Brands Work with Smaller Creators
Many people trust recommendations from people like them. A video from someone with a couple of thousand engaged followers can feel more genuine than a polished advert, and when lots of creators post about the same brand at once, those voices add up.
Research points the same way. Across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, creators with 1,000 to 10,000 followers have a median engagement rate (likes and comments as a share of followers) more than three times that of accounts with a million or more (iQfluence, September 2026). And in a study of 1.9 million purchases from a European fashion brand, creators with under 8,500 followers brought in, on average, about €18 in sales on top of every €1 they were paid, against under €5 for creators with 50,000 or more. The researchers estimated the fees from industry rates (Journal of Marketing, 2024). See the research.
That's the idea behind Brief72: one brief, many everyday creators.
What Matters More Than Your Follower Count
- Real engagement: comments, shares and saves from people who actually watch.
- Real views: on Brief72 we check every post's views for 5 days. If there are warning signs, such as views that look fake, our team reviews the fee, and it's paid in full or not at all.
- A clear niche: an audience that cares about the topic a brand is selling into.
- Regular posting, so brands can see your style.
Getting to Your First 1,000 Followers
- Pick a focus and stick with it for a while.
- Hook viewers in the first two seconds.
- Post regularly, and use trends where they fit your style.
- Reply to comments, and make videos that answer them.
- Collaborate with other creators in your niche.
For more on growing an account, see how to become a content creator in the UK.
Don't Buy Followers
Bought followers and fake engagement don't help. Brands look at who your audience really is, and on Brief72, a post whose views look like they come from bots or view farms isn't paid, and doesn't count towards the campaign, unless our team can confirm the views are real. Our team also reviews every account before you can apply.
Can I join Brief72 with fewer than 1,000 followers?
You can sign up, but you’ll need at least 1,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube, on an account you own, before our team approves your account and you can apply.
Which platforms count?
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Can I get brand deals with 1,000 followers?
You can. Many brands work with smaller, engaged creators, and on Brief72 you can apply for paid briefs from 1,000 followers, if you’re 18 or over. Brands choose who they work with, so not every application is approved.
Do I need 10,000 followers to make money on TikTok?
For TikTok's Creator Rewards Programme, yes, at the time of writing. But in the UK, TikTok Shop's affiliate programme opens at 500 followers and going LIVE usually at 1,000, and brand campaigns don't need 10,000 either.
