When shopping feels more like catching up with a friend than walking through a store aisle, you know you're in LTK's world. Formerly known as LIKEtoKNOW.it, this platform didn’t just ride the wave of influencer marketing—it helped shape the current of social commerce. Today, it’s more than a place to discover cute outfits or beauty tips; it’s a digital space where real-time recommendations and community connections drive meaningful shopping experiences.
What makes LTK stand out isn’t just its savvy tech or shoppable posts—it’s the way it’s blended community and commerce so seamlessly that users barely notice where inspiration ends and purchase begins.
A quick history of the platform
LTK started with a clear, creator-first mission: help content creators monetize the products they already loved and shared. That simple idea quickly snowballed. Founders Amber and Baxter Box tapped into the growing momentum of influencer marketing at exactly the right time. What began as a tool for creators became a bridge between shoppers and brands, evolving into a full-blown ecosystem built around trust and personal style.
Now headquartered in Dallas, Texas, LTK has grown into a global platform with more than 40 million monthly users, over 8,000 brand partners, and a robust creator network. The app is no longer just a helpful tool—it’s a social shopping powerhouse.
The product: Where inspiration meets conversion
LTK’s product sits at the intersection of authenticity and ease. Shoppers come for the aesthetics and stay for the utility. The app lets users follow creators they trust and admire, receive personalized recommendations, and—importantly—shop directly from the content they love. It's a streamlined experience that’s delightfully intuitive and addictively useful.
Tech plays a starring role too. Tools like Co-Pilot help creators scale their content production without burning out, while Match.AI uses smart algorithms to pair them with brands that align with their vibe and audience. For shoppers, the app offers personalized feeds, sale alerts, and direct links to buy—making it ridiculously easy to go from “Ooh, I love that look” to “It’s already in my cart.”
But behind the algorithms and automation is something more human: a belief that shopping is better when it feels personal.
Building a community, not just a platform
Here’s the thing—people don’t want to just shop anymore. They want to connect, feel seen, and trust the person giving them recommendations. That’s where LTK thrives.
The platform has tapped into something powerful: community-driven shopping. This isn’t about mass marketing or faceless ads. It’s about creators sharing real-life style and honest product opinions with their followers—people who listen not because they have to, but because they want to.
And it’s working. Community members spend more—up to 10 times more in some cases—than non-community shoppers. They come back more often, engage more deeply, and trust the platform more because it feels less like a sales pitch and more like a conversation.
The pillars behind the strategy
LTK’s success didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a few smart moves that all tie back to one core idea: people trust people.
First, the creator economy is the heart of everything. LTK didn’t just invite creators to the table—they built the table for them. Everything about the platform is designed to elevate creator voices, streamline their work, and reward authenticity over polish.
Second, personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s baked into the experience. Users can tailor their feeds based on who they follow, what they’re into, and even their favorite brands. It’s this customization that keeps shoppers coming back—it feels curated, not cluttered.
Third, social engagement is more than a feature. It’s the glue that holds the whole ecosystem together. Whether it’s sharing a favorite outfit, swapping product tips, or following a new creator during Fashion Week, the app encourages interaction in a way that keeps it all feeling fresh.
Fourth, online meets offline. LTK knows the power of showing up in real life. From fashion week events to creator meetups, these physical touchpoints add an extra layer of connection—and a serious boost to brand loyalty.
Finally, AI and data give the platform its edge. LTK quietly captures what users love, where they click, what they save—and uses that info to fine-tune the experience without ever feeling creepy or overbearing.
The takeaway for brands and builders
What LTK has built isn’t just a successful platform—it’s a blueprint for how digital communities can drive serious business growth.
For any retail or ecommerce brand wondering how to level up, LTK offers some key lessons. Build around people, not products. Elevate voices that already have trust and influence. Make shopping feel like sharing, and let the community take the lead.
This isn’t about selling more stuff—it’s about creating an experience that people want to come back to. And as LTK shows, when you get that right, the sales follow.
In the end, LTK reminds us that commerce is most powerful when it’s personal. That the future of shopping isn’t just digital—it’s social, community-led, and deeply human.