It might be graduation season, but brands are already thinking about back-to-school shopping. LTK’s webinar, “The All-in-One Creator Playbook for Back-to-School Success,” highlights data from our 2025 Back-to-School Consumer Study to help you get ahead with Creator Marketing during this critical shopping moment.

With info on everything from when different groups begin to shop to their most sought-after purchase categories, LTK offers up a back-to-school marketing playbook to help your brand graduate at the top of your class! Take in the most important lessons with a recap of key takeaways.

Lesson 1: Creators Are Growing in Importance

Back-to-school shopping is one of the busiest shopping moments of the year because it involves the overwhelming majority of consumers, from parents to college students. Generationally, this creates a flurry of activity; large percentages of key groups turn to their favorite retailers, including:

• 75 percent of Gen Zers
• 79 percent of millennials
• 71 percent of Gen Xers
• 67 percent of the general population

Creators continue to be part of these journeys, and they’re set to wield substantial influence in 2025. According to LTK’s 2025 Back-to-School Consumer Study, 86 percent of Gen Zers and 76 percent of millennials look to Creators to inform purchases, while Gen Xers and the general population aren’t far behind. 

The early bird gets the worm

Back-to-school shopping lasts much of summer, with 62 percent of the general population shopping from late July to early September. Jump-start your back-to-school marketing to reach the most active groups, such as the 94 percent of LTK users who plan to shop for back-to-school. Shoppers will have their eyes peeled for Creator advice on everything from sneakers to dorm decor.

A rough strategy could look something like this:

• June and early July: Target moms/kids through campaigns with LTK ads and boosting.
• July: Add Gen Z campaign moments and continue targeting moms
• August: Amplify content via media boosting and collabs with your best Creator partners.

Lesson 2: LTK Is the Platform for Creators

With more than 7 million pieces of original content published to LTK and 55,000 collabs each year, Creators want to spend their time on LTK as much as shoppers do. Our innovative, end-to-end platform has 40 million users and 350,000 Creators who leverage 14 years of actionable data to forge connections.

LTK’s full-funnel platform guides both inspiration and purchase. More than 70 percent of LTK’s shoppers do most of their shopping online soon after a Creator posts—a huge boost to the 92 percent of them who are following along with back-to-school marketing content. Their favorite to engage with? Video.

Video content drives shoppers

Interactive is in, and LTK shoppers prefer video content, with DIY projects and daily routines ranking highest. This is every bit as true for back-to-school season, when 70 percent of consumers prefer video. The new LTK app experience makes this easier by enabling custom filtering based on location and interests.

Lesson 3: Back to College Is Still Back to School

Though the students’ ages and experiences are significantly different, heading back to campus is still part of the back-to-school experience. Of course, shopping-wise, it’s much more independent because 78 percent of these consumers shop for themselves.

College shoppers are deal-focused

College shopping peaks in early August, when Gen Zers—mostly students—begin buying. More than half of this group shops online versus in brick-and-mortar stores, and they’re exceptionally price-conscious. 

And while they certainly shop across categories—especially adult clothing, core supplies, shoes, and accessories—college students wait for the right moment. Last-minute promotions are the perfect fit because they often wait for sales on big-ticket items and back-to-school clearance. 

College shoppers lean into Creators

A substantial 63 percent of college students follow Creators who share back-to-school marketing content, from daily routines to DIY project videos. They’re tuned in. And despite being choosy, once Gen Z students decide to buy, they usually outshop the general population:

• Campus housing decor: +193 percent
• Health & wellness: +70 percent
• Electronics: +67 percent

Lesson 4: Gen Zers Fall for Good Deals and Engaging Content 

Even if they aren’t headed to college—or are in high school instead—Gen Zers are typically engaged and deal-driven. We see this in LTK’s 2025 Back-to-School Shopper Study; 54 percent enjoy Creators’ posts about deals, and 83 percent are eager for back-to-school sales.

Creators inspire Gen Z shopping

Similar to their college peers, Gen Zers get immersed in back-to-school Creator content, gravitating toward daily routines, DIY projects, and GRWM videos. With this level of engagement, it comes as little surprise that they outshop the general population in several categories:

• Cleaning supplies: +39 percent
• Beauty & personal care: +35 percent
• Electronics: +33 percent

Lesson 5: Millennials Are Active Everywhere

Having experienced back-to-school shopping from just about every perspective—young student, college student, and parent—millennials know how to beat the rush. This group gets started a bit earlier, with their shopping peaking in late July. 

They aren’t just taking the kids to pick out new backpacks, either. The Shopper Study shows that just under half of millennial shoppers buy predominantly online, while 64 percent buy for both children and themselves.

Creators get millennial shoppers invested in back-to-school season

While it looks different as a parent or teacher, back-to-school shopping remains important to this generation. Kids’ clothes and shoes top their lists, while they continue to outshop the general population across categories:

• Sports equipment & clothing: +47 percent
• Cold-weather items: +26 percent
• Food & beverage: +26 percent

Millennials want to foster success as much as they want a good deal. Creator content informs everything from organization tips to DIY projects. 

Rule Your School Days with LTK

Back-to-school season touches every generation, catering to unique shopping needs and content preferences. But it also goes by in a blink! Be prepared to move quickly to reach your target demographic. 

LTK has your study guide for the back-to-school shopping final. Watch the on-demand webinar now for more in-depth Creator Marketing insights, and reach out to get started with LTK and ace this shopping season.