By Amber Venz Box - President and Co-founder of LTK
Last month I had the opportunity to join VidCon with the world’s leading and up-and-coming video creators, industry leaders and community fans. I sat down on the main stage with TechCrunch Senior Reporter, Morgan Sung to share insights and discuss what the future of creator commerce means for creators, brands, and shoppers.
Since our inception in 2011, LTK has proudly empowered creators across all media formats including video, and our video-first LTK millionaires span geographies, generations and verticals. Today, the role of video in character development and community building has expanded and is a driving force in the adoption of creator-guided shopping.
Four years ago, we launched native LTK Shopping Video in our mobile app. Today, video has evolved to become a core tool within the LTK ecosystem. Video has accelerated the adoption of creator guided shopping - allowing creators to engage with shoppers in more meaningful and authentic ways, leading to building trust and fostering purchase confidence.
Four times as many video-first creators have applied to the LTK platform since 2021.
Our research indicates an increasing preference for video content among consumers. Shoppers purchase three times as much from LTK Creator videos than other media types on the LTK platform. And, according to our national shopper study, a staggering majority (66%) of shoppers prefer watching video content over still images on social media.
The power of video in LTK creator-guided shopping has a significant impact on retailer success. Brands purchased five times more video campaigns from LTK Creators in the past year than they did the year prior. In fact, video makes up more than half of all campaign obligations on LTK, making it the most sold media type on our platform.
LTK is a complement to social media platforms; a unique and differentiated platform, focused on shopping, for the follower who comes to shop. LTK is platform agnostic, empowering creators to monetize their entire community, which is increasingly cross-platform. Built from the ground up as a shopping destination, LTK is not merely an entertainment hub. We have created tools to help creators nurture their shopping community and monetize efficiently, aligning our model with the creators’ long-term interests.
Creators today do not limit themselves to one social media platform. They attract audiences from various channels, and they need a place to collect, nurture, and grow their community for the long term. Now is the time for creators to focus on character development, which has been their superpower.
Our mission remains the same and our model is aligned to their economic success. Over the coming months we will continue to invest in creator tools that foster healthy communities. Stay tuned for more.