Kenyan TikToker Sheryl Gabriella has turned her passion for content creation into a lucrative business, earning an impressive Sh244,000 in a single night from TikTok gifts. This milestone highlights the growing potential of social media platforms as a source of income, particularly through live streaming.
TikTok Live, launched in 2019, provides creators with opportunities to engage with their audience in real time while monetizing their content. Through features such as virtual gifts and live subscriptions, TikTok enables influencers to generate substantial earnings. Many content creators have embraced 24/7 livestreams as a way to maximize their revenue.
Sheryl recently took to TikTok to express her gratitude to one of her biggest gifters, Kevin, who has consistently sent her Lions one of the most valuable gifts on the platform. A single Lion gift is estimated to be worth Sh34,000. Through such generous contributions, she accumulated a total of Sh244,000 in a single live session, marking her biggest earnings to date.
“Thank you, Kevin. Your support in my life means a lot to me,” she shared in a TikTok post. She later celebrated her achievement on Instagram, exclaiming, “Aki leo nmejifunza kitu walai..mjue Mungu and learn never to give up. Acha niringe kidogo, TikTok wewe!”
Sheryl’s content creation journey began with comedy skits alongside her close friend Kabugi. As TikTok gained popularity, she transitioned from YouTube to the short-form video platform, where she rapidly grew her audience. Currently boasting over 700,000 followers, she has built a strong presence by creating diverse content, including reaction videos to Kenyan songs. Her influence in the music industry even led to artist Willy Paul dedicating a song to her.
TikTok’s monetization model allows creators to earn through virtual gifts, which are converted into diamonds. These diamonds can then be exchanged for real money. The platform shares 50% of its net revenue from virtual gifts with creators after necessary deductions such as app store and payment processor fees.
For aspiring TikTok creators looking to monetize their content, the requirements are straightforward: one must be at least 18 years old, have a minimum of 1,000 followers, and adhere to TikTok’s Community Guidelines. As Sheryl Gabriella’s success story demonstrates, consistency, audience engagement, and perseverance can lead to significant financial rewards on the platform.
With social media continually evolving, platforms like TikTok are proving to be game changers in the digital economy, offering creators innovative ways to earn a living while doing what they love.
