Content creators and influencers hold significant power in the world of consumerism and commerce. They influence and shape their followers, viewers, and readers’ consumer decisions through their creative product integration and promotion on social media. Like To Know It (LTK) has been instrumental in revolutionizing the influencer and online shopping world through its creator app, shoppable content, and commission. 

“LTK gives creators and influencers a whole other level on which they can connect with their followers,” says Alexa Field, a recent SMU grad and LTK employee. 

Founded in 2011 as rewardStyle, LTK creates an innovative fusion of social media and e-commerce. The LTK app launched in 2017 and enables shoppable content and commission for a range of platform users. Creators, tastemakers, celebrities, stylists and social influencers from around the world host their ecommerce shops on LTK Creator, publishing instantly shoppable content for their followers and millions of LTK app users. These creators can promote their shops through social media links and shares. The shopping app is now the company’s primary source of influencer-driven retail sales, globally, according to LTK. 

“If you follow a certain influencer, who has the style that you 100% resonate with, you know that you’re going to be finding pieces that you like,” says Field. “With online shopping being the norm, being able to shop online and find exact pieces that I like, right on LTK is really awesome. I also love supporting influencers that I like, that’s how they get paid.”

Field runs her own influencing side gig on social media and LTK as well as working behind the scenes at the company’s headquarters in Dallas. She has been using LTK as a creator for  over a year and a half. She now has over 90 thousand followers on TikTok, 15 thousand followers on Instagram, and over one thousand followers on LTK. 

The LTK Creator app also offers its creators insights, data, and analytics about their followers and performance on the app itself. The app sends push notifications to users about sales, promotions, and upcoming webinars about how to be successful on the app. 

“LTK has helped me with influencing, because I feel like I get a lot of comments asking where I buy things and it’s really easy just to kind of guide those people to my LTK to find exactly what they’re looking for,” says Field. “It has also added another layer of income for me, which I think is pretty fun.”

LTK’s shopping platform has shortened the consumer buyer process, which leads to more purchases in the long term. LTK has found success through its new in-app purchasing platform called LTK Cart.   

“It helps the company because it really streamlines income because people aren’t searching for hours trying to find a brown sweater that says NYC on it, they’re actually just going straight to it and buying directly, which definitely shortens the period of time people are looking,” says Field. “It’s awesome for companies, it’s awesome for influencers. It’s awesome for consumers, it’s just like a very well rounded platform for shopping.” 

LTK continues to empower influencers as it allows them to make commissions off of their published posts and shared links. 

“Like To Know It has made it easier for influencers to make money,” says Lexi Friedman, a SMU student and LTK creator. “Instead of getting brand deals which take lots of followers and connections you can essentially make your own brand deals on LTK.”

More than 5,000 brands are connected through LTK to help market through creators. Brands and other shopping sites like Revolve, Amazon, Sephora, and even designer brands like GUCCI are all connected through the app’s technology. 

“You can post in whatever brand you want that works with LTK and make money,” says Friedman. “It’s crazy. It’s probably the best thing that has happened to online shopping and people who are trying to make an extra buck on the side. The best part about being a creator on LTK is you can see how much you will be paid by each item you link. For example, the more expensive the item, the more commission you’ll get if someone buys the item through your post.” 

LTK’s approach represents a shift in the retail landscape, showcasing the potential of social commerce in the fashion industry. Its success demonstrates the increasing importance of social media platforms in fashion retail. LTK also continues to drive changes in consumer behavior and reshape the fashion retail landscape. LTK has disrupted traditional retail and marketing strategies. It has compelled brands to rethink their approach to influencer marketing and adapt to the changing landscape of digital commerce. 

92% of brands report that their creator marketing budgets will Increase in 2024, according to LTK. Influencer marketing expenses worldwide are expected to reach $30.81 billion by the end of 2023, according to Chloe West, a writer for Sprout Social. 

“Online shopping is so easy now,” says LTK user Chynna Linkon. “I can just sit on my couch and put on my favorite TV show and scroll through LTK and my favorite influencer’s pages to shop.” 

Linkon has been using LTK to shop and find inspiration from her favorite influencers and friends for over a year now. Though she is not a creator, she still finds the app useful. 

“I find my style inspiration from TikTok influencers, Instagram, and my friends,” says Linkon. “LTK makes it easy to find anything you’re looking for. I like how it takes you straight to a product from the post. You don’t have to jump through any hoops or anything. It streamlined the shopping process for sure.” 

LTK just launched LTK Marketplace that connects creators with each other and brands to help foster more opportunities and partnerships. LTK continues to come out with new strategies and technologies to help its users and creators. The company is a two-time honoree on Fast Company’s list of Most Innovative Companies. It is the leading influencer technology platform, driving more than $2.8 billion in annual brand purchases from over 100,000 talented creators in 100+ countries, according to LTK. 

Brands are investing more than ever into influencer marketing, according to a study done by LTK and Northwestern University’s Retail Analysis Council. The world of influencer marketing is evolving, and LTK is keeping themselves three steps ahead by continuing to add features and provide tools for its users and creators.