I was looking back through some old Instagram content and saw that 3/6/17 was the official day that the LTK app launched. That makes today the app’s sixth anniversary, so I figured I’d do a spotlight feature and answer a few of the main questions I get on Instagram… What is LTK? How does LTK work? How can I shop what I see on Instagram?
Even if you’ve been an avid LTK user for a long time, I’d at least skim this post because there have been a ton of new features added recently!
What is LTK and How Does it Work?
LTK is a shopping-centric app where you can easily shop for products across fashion, home, beauty, kids, and more! Simply follow your favorite bloggers and social media influencers and curate your perfectly shoppable feed. It’s a great place to discover new content creators, too!
You can use Shop LTK as a source of inspiration, too! For example, finding the perfect outfit for a date, decorating help, make-up looks, gift ideas, etc.
If you’re wondering, “But why is LTK on Instagram?” It’s simply just a signal that whatever content you’re looking at on Instagram is readily available to shop in the LTK app.
How to Use the LTK App
- Download LTK from the App store! It’s FREE.
- Search by name (‘Jessica Sturdy‘) and tap the Follow button.
- Favorite your picks (by tapping the heart icon) and get notified when products and brands go on sale!
- Shop instantly from images and videos in the app.
- Easily share what you’re loving with friends and family!
LTK App Features
Sure, you can access my LTK Shop on the web, but you don’t get the full array of features that you do in the LTK app! On the app, you can see what posts are trending, build wish lists, search posts, get price drop alerts, see product sizing reviews, and so much more.
LTK App: Search
One of the coolest features of the LTK app is the search bar! Meaning, you can search within my LTK Shop! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished I could search posts on Instagram to find something I saw. With LTK, you can search for just about anything and those posts will populate. (Both on an LTK Creator’s personal shop and on the main LTK home feed.) Just type what you’re looking for into the search bar and start browsing! Swim, beanie, fitness, sneakers, J.Crew, you name it.
Say you have a question for me… How did you style those sequin joggers?
You can just type sequin joggers into the search bar in my LTK shop! I’m always happy to answer questions via email or DM, but sometimes I get behind and this way you won’t be waiting for a reply.
Search by brand (ex. Old Navy), item (ex. wedding guest dress), or detail (ex. ruffle)! You can also filter posts to see only photos or video results.
Save Your Faves
Save items to your Wish List or create different Collection Folders to shop later, or send to friends! Vacation shopping, outfits for family photos, birthday wish lists, etc. Options are endless with the functionality on this one!
Simply tap the heart icon to add products to your Favorites. You’ll be prompted to log in or set up an account. After logging in, you can access all of your favorite products in one placeโa great way for them to keep track of wishlist items!
Price Drop Alerts
Once you heart or favorite an item in the app, you’ll be notified the moment it goes on sale! All price drops will be shown in-app on the Favorites tab.
Product Reviews
Product Reviews are the newest features on the app! Currently, I believe it’s only available on the iOS app for Apple iPhone users.
Whenever I’ve personally worn or tried on a piece, I’ll add in my sizing reviews, as well as any applicable notes about color, fit, material, or quality. I can’t speak for every LTK influencer you may follow, but I’m assuming most will start to incorporate these reviews into theย LTK clothing items they post.
Exact vs Similar
When you’re looking at the products I’ve tagged for a specific photo or video, you can see which pieces are exact items, as well as which items are similar. If something is sold out, I always try to find a similar option. Or if something is pricey, I’ll try to find a more affordable alternative.
The History of LTK
I started my blog back in 2010, which was before Instagram was even around. I started BowsandSequins.com as a creative outlet… Making money from it was never even a thought, as there wasn’t a way to even monetize blogs back then.
I believe I joined rewardStyle in 2011, which allowed me to create ‘affiliate links’ for the products I was sharing on my blog. I remember talking with Amber Venz (now Amber Venz Box), who is the founder of LTK, but was also a fashion blogger just like me. She explained that by using rewardStyleย affiliate links (rstyle.me) on my blog, I would make a small commission if someone decided to buy something based on my referral or recommendation. Pretty cool, right?!
By 2013, Instagram was the hot new thing. I would share photos on my feed, but there was never a way to link out to any products. In terms of monetization, I would need to get my Instagram followers to visit my blog, click around, and make a purchase to make any sort of money. And then rewardStyle launched LikeToKnow.It for Instagram!
And, as they say, it started with a screenshot… rewardStyle developed a technology where you’d get an email with product links if you screenshotted an image on Instagram! Pretty revolutionary, right? But there was a huge learning curve trying to teach followers how to use it.
In 2017, rewardStyle and LikeToKnow.It launched the app version of LikeToKnow.It! And there have continually been updates and features added over the last six years. Product Collections, Videos, etc.
In 2022, rewardStyle and LikeToKnow.It officially became LTK! Bloggers knew them as rewardStyle, consumers knew them as Like to Know It. But now globally, every vertical of the business goes by LTK! So if you’ve ever been wondering what LTK stands for, there’s a little history lesson for you. ๐
No App? No problem.
Listen, maybe you’re out of storage or memory on your phone… Whatever it is, no worries. You can always access my LTK shop on the web to view and shop all of my content there! You just won’t have access to all of the extra features listed above.
