As a content creator, maximizing your earnings from affiliate marketing is key and choosing the right platform can significantly impact your success. ShopMy and LTK (formerly LIKEtoKNOW.it) are two prominent platforms offering unique opportunities for influencers to monetize their content.
LTK, established in 2011, has empowered over 200,000 creators globally to share shoppable content with their followers and with shoppers spending over $3 billion per year (Crunchbase, 2024) on LTK, the platform can be valuable to increase your earnings.
ShopMy on the other hand offers clean and well designed storefronts allowing influencers to curate products they love and enhance follower engagement. Although the company is smaller (established in 2020) it is growing rapidly in popularity.
This article delves into a comparative analysis of ShopMy and LTK, examining features, monetization strategies, and key insights to help you to make an informed decision to maximise your earnings as a content creator.
ShopMy is a platform designed to empower you by providing a personalized storefront where you can curate and share products you love. It simplifies the shopping experience for your audience and enhances engagement by offering a seamless way to discover and purchase recommended items.
One of the biggest pro’s of ShopMy is its easy and clean look. If you are a content creator who wants everything to look nice and organized ShopMy is a great option to go with.
Your storefront will be hosted on the ShopMy domain. This might change in the future but for the time being this is how ShopMy manages its storefronts.
You can organise your products recommendations based on categories which are shown in a simple and well designed grid. It looks a bit like shelves in a retail store which gives a great experience for your followers accessing your storefront.
Below is an example of how these product categories within the storefront look like. You can also access this example ShopMy storefront here.
If someone clicks on these categories they will be directed to a simple grid overview with all the products within the respective category. If someone then clicks on the product the link will direct to the respective brand’s product page. ShopMy uses affiliate links for this so you can earn commission of each referred sale. Below you can see how it looks if you click on the collection.
ShopMy also offers the option to add images which link to products directly from your Instagram or TikTok. You can link collections to these images which the customer will be referred to when they click on one of your images in this grid.
This provides a more personal touch as you can show images of you using the products you recommend. Below is an example of how this looks like.
While specific user statistics for ShopMy are not publicly disclosed, the platform has seen a notable increase in popularity among creators. They company reported to have over 50K creators using the ShopMy platform in Q2, 2024.
Learn more about ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/
LTK, formerly known as LIKEtoKNOW.it, is one of the largest monetization platforms globally. Established in 2011, LTK connects you with over 5,000 retail partners, enabling you to earn commissions through shoppable content shared with your audience.
LTK also offers storefronts but the focus is slightly more on the shoppable posts. They also offer more functionalities in terms of video content which is often great to showcase clothing and outfits.
Below is an example of how the LTK storefront looks like. You can also access the example LTK storefront here.
If you click on one of the posts it will take you to an overview with all the products which you tagged in that post. Your followers can then click on those products which will take them to the brands website. This is where LTK uses affiliate links so you can be compensated for each referred sale. Below is an example of how this looks like when you click on one of the videos.
As of 2021, LTK has over 200,000 registered creators and serves millions of shoppers worldwide. The company reported to sell over $3 billion in sales per year which is proof that the platform works well to sell products and thus earn commission.
Explore LTK's offerings: https://www.shopltk.com/
When comparing ShopMy and LTK in terms of both commission rates and monetization potential, each platform offers unique advantages. ShopMy is designed for influencers seeking a personalized storefront, allowing creators to curate products from multiple brands, which can lead to higher engagement and better monetization. With commission rates ranging from 10% to 30%, ShopMy tends to offer higher earnings on premium products, making it an attractive option for influencers looking to maximize revenue in specific categories.
On the other hand, LIKEtoKNOW.it (LTK) is more established, offering influencers access to a vast network of brands, particularly in fashion and beauty. With commission rates between 10% and 25%, LTK's large product catalog and extensive brand partnerships provide frequent opportunities for earnings. Its strong tracking and analytics tools make it a reliable source of income, especially for influencers with larger audiences in lifestyle and fashion.
In summary, ShopMy is better suited for influencers which want to focus on a simple and easy experience selling through a nicely designed and minimalistic storefront , while LTK excels in offering consistent income through its wide range of brands and established presence in the fashion and lifestyle sectors with a stronger focus on selling through video content.
When comparing ShopMy and LTK for affiliate marketing, both platforms offer powerful solutions but have certain differences.
ShopMy is built around giving you an easy and minimalistic designed storefront to sell your favourite products. With commission rates ranging from 10% to 30%, ShopMy is a fantastic choice if you want to access above average commission rates.
LTK on the other hand offers more functionalities with a stronger focus on video content on their platform. This can be ideal for more in depth product reviews. Compared to the limited shelf like storefront of ShopMy, LTK offers your followers a better chance to consume more content around your product. The focus is more on showing how you use and interact with products. On ShopMy typically influencer do this on Instagram directly and then linking to their storefront. With LTK however the content is on an Instagram / social media like format. Making it easy for you to quickly upload previous Instagram posts into LTK and making the shopping experience on LTK it self more interactive compared to ShopMy.
With commission rates between 10% and 25%, LTK also offers above average commission rates but slightly lower compared to ShopMy. Overall LTK offers more functionalities and features compared to a somewhat limited ShopMy, which however can change as ShopMy is still a very new platform vs a more established LTK.
Below are some of the best alternatives to ShopMy and LTK.
Similar to ShopMy and LTK, Creator Hero equips you with all the tools needed to create your own personalized storefront. Think of it as Shopify, but designed specifically for content creators. The key advantage of Creator Hero is the higher level of customization compared to ShopMy and LTK storefronts. You can fully edit product pages by uploading your own images and modifying product descriptions. When customers purchase from your storefront, they are directed to the brand’s website.
In addition to storefronts, Creator Hero allows you to create a blog, send newsletters, and integrate AdSense to further monetize your traffic. Another significant benefit is that you own your customer data—you collect email addresses from those who place orders, providing a valuable asset to grow your business and strengthen your relationship with your audience.
Another popular option for influencer storefronts is the Amazon influencer program. Similar to ShopMy and LTK it provides the tools to create your own storefront enabling you to sell and earn commission by recommending your favourite products.
The main advantage is that Amazon’s network is so big that you can add almost any product to your storefront. A drawback is low commissions and limited customization.
Choosing between ShopMy and LTK depends on your individual goals, niche, and preferred level of platform engagement. ShopMy offers a straightforward, customizable storefront experience, potentially higher commissions, and simplicity. LTK, with its extensive retailer network and robust community support, is suitable if you’re seeking diverse brand partnerships and a wide audience reach.
As the influencer marketing landscape continues to evolve, it’s crucial for you to select a platform that aligns with your brand and monetization objectives. Carefully consider the features, benefits, and drawbacks of each platform in relation to your content strategy.