Liketoknow.it, the service created by influencer network Reward Style that helps fashion bloggers and brands monetize content from Instagram posts, is releasing a stand-alone app.
The Liketoknow.it app is slated to go live in March, letting influencer-created images seen on the mobile web become shoppable. Any image that is in the rewardStyle network, whether found on Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Google, Weebo or other mobile or social services worldwide, is shoppable and links back to the original content-creator and the brands pictured in the image.
The app uses a proprietary technology that is exclusive to the company.
According to Reward Style founder Amber Venz Box, the app has been in the works since Liketoknow.it was created in 2014. Venz Box said consumer behaviors on social media have changed and that the new app seeks to take advantage of the latest trends by “connecting the dots for consumers” and attracting shoppers who want to buy, providing more value to brands.
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Specifics about the functionality and technology will not become public until the app goes live next month.
Thus far, there have been one million pieces of content published to Liketoknow.it alone, Venz Box said. There are 4,000 merchants, one million brands and 150 million products on the platform, and this year the company is on track to facilitate sales of $1.2 billion — not including any potential additional impact from the new app.
In September, Reward Style partnered with Google to let influencer content appear in Google Search during fashion week, which was the first time that the content became searchable on Google. Venz Box said the search giant asked to expand the partnership after finding the data and content valuable, although the specifics are still being finalized.
“Google has asked that we to continue to work with them and they are not alone; there are many major social platforms who have asked for a closer business relationship with rewardStyle and Liketoknow.it,” she said. “You can see in recent news that many are trying to develop technology that ties original influencer content to commerce, to emulate the consumer experience we have created with the Liketoknow.it service and platform.”
Pinterest, for example, recently introduced updates that identify products in fashion blogger images that are shoppable. Instagram has been experimenting with tools that let brands add product details and link to an outside web page. And brands, such as Everlane and Gucci, have been experimenting with Snapchat and screenshots or messages to encourage commerce. Meanwhile, Twitter and Facebook have moved away from “buy” buttons in favor of more targeted advertising products.