'I cleared my £13,000 debt with TikTok earnings'

Roxanne Freeman, a single mother from Leicester, found herself in a difficult financial situation after living beyond her means and relying on credit cards to support her family. By the summer of 2023, she had accumulated £13,000 in debt, even using her credit card to pay for a caravan deposit. However, her life took a dramatic turn when she began creating content for TikTok, focusing on reviews of plus-size clothing. Roxanne started by posting a video of herself trying on a dress she bought from TikTok Shop, and within a week, she earned £200 in commission from the dress manufacturer. As her follower count grew, more companies approached her to review their products, and her earnings steadily increased. Now, Roxanne earns up to £5,000 a month from just a few hours of work each day, and she has managed to pay off all her debt. She says that content creation has boosted her confidence and self-belief, and she can now afford to do more with her two sons, aged six and ten.

Roxanne's success story is part of a larger trend of people turning to social media to supplement or replace their income. She left her job as a slimming consultant and now relies solely on her TikTok earnings. With almost 50,000 followers, Roxanne's monthly income varies, but she has been able to take her children on holiday, including her youngest son's first trip abroad. Despite her achievements, Roxanne admits that she sometimes experiences imposter syndrome and worries about the stability of her new career, but she recognizes that any job can be lost unexpectedly.

Holly and Diego Hernandez, a married couple from Leicester, have also found financial success through TikTok. They met on the platform as teenagers and now document their relationship and daily life for nearly 300,000 followers. The couple earns up to £5,000 a month, but both have kept their day jobs—Holly as a nurse and Diego at a medical supply company. Their income comes from the TikTok Creator Fund, which pays users based on video interactions, and from record labels that pay them to feature songs in their videos. To manage their finances, Holly and Diego registered as a limited company and hired an accountant. Holly recalls feeling overwhelmed by the financial side of content creation, especially when it came to taxes. She wishes she had received guidance earlier to help her save or invest their earnings. The couple also faces challenges, such as dealing with online trolls who criticize their relationship and appearance.

Estelle Keeber, another Leicester resident, has built a successful career by helping others navigate social media. She started a Facebook group for female business owners in 2017, which grew rapidly and allowed her to charge for her expertise. Estelle now runs a social media marketing consultancy called Immortal Monkey and is setting up a community interest company to connect influencers with schools. She believes influencer marketing is here to stay because it is an organic way of promoting products that people trust. However, Estelle emphasizes that building a brand requires constant hard work and dedication.

With 54 million social media users in the UK and 84% of adults following influencers, the potential for earning money online is significant. However, anyone who makes money from content creation is subject to the same tax laws as everyone else. Income from online content includes gifts and services received for promoting products, and if total earnings exceed £1,000 in a tax year, individuals must report it to HMRC. Zubair Ali, an accountant, warns that even influencers with millions of followers are not exempt from taxes, and failing to pay can result in large bills.

The rise of social media influencers has created new opportunities for people to earn money and change their lives, but it also comes with responsibilities and challenges. Roxanne, Holly, Diego, and Estelle demonstrate that success is possible with creativity, hard work, and careful financial management.