How Influencers Make Money with LTK | Affiliate Links, Commission, and How It All Works!

I have been a “blogger” for almost 13 years now which is so crazy to say. These days we are referred to as “creators” which seems more fitting. DIY and Design has been my passion and life’s work before Instagram, and long before being paid was ever a possibility.

Here is one of my projects that went viral in 2015!

Today on the blog, I thought it would be interesting to peel back the curtain and break down exactly how creators make money online through LTK (and how it’s evolved over the years!). This is a touchy subject to talk about, but I think it can be really interesting if you’ve ever considered starting a platform yourself. The beauty is that literally anyone with a smart phone can start and I’d love to be your cheerleader if you have a message to share!

What is LTK?

LTK is an online platform that allows creators to make commission off of items they share online. It’s a software and a mobile app that I use daily to generate links that are eligible for commission.

LTK was previously known as Rewardstyle, but they rebranded in 2022 to be known as LTK. If you see “Rewardstyle” still listed anywhere, you now know that it’s the same company as LTK.

How LTK Works

Creators can sign up for LTK for free. If they are accepted (usually based on how many followers you have on social media, blog pageviews, etc.), they can create affiliate links for any brand that is available on LTK to earn commission on purchases made by their followers. LTK knows that the purchase was made via a link that I generated and will attribute the sale to my account. If a creator is sharing a link online, they are likely earning a small commission from any purchase made.

Creating an affiliate link is very easy and it’s done with just a few clicks! Once signed into LTK, you can use their Google Chrome extension or mobile app to create an affiliate link for any product you want to link to.

Below is an example. I went to Anthropologie’s website, found the mirror I want to earn commission for, and then used LTK’s Chrome Extension to create the affiliate link.

What happens if you link an item without using LTK?

I can link any item through Instagram or my blog with or without LTK. If I don’t use LTK, I won’t earn a commission on purchases made by my followers. I always use an affiliate link when it’s available.

I can link Amazon items through LTK, as well!

How Much Is Your Commission?

The brand determines how much commission is earned per sale and through LTK – this is not negotiable. It truly depends on the brand and the time of year as it’s always changing. Sometimes it’s 1%-5% and other times, brands want to further incentivize influencers to share their links and they will increase commission to 7%-10%. I don’t usually see commissions that are higher than 12% through LTK.

Who pays for your commission?

The brand does. If I link an item from Anthropologie, Anthropologie is paying the commission. All of my commission payments come from LTK every other week.

I know that brands pay to be a part of LTK’s network – but I don’t know the details of how that works and what LTK makes per sale. That is confidential on the brand side.

Interesting fact: It takes MONTHS for me to actually receive commission payments from LTK. When I earn a commission in March, I won’t see that payment come through until around June/July! Brands wait to payout commissions until the return period is closed. If you purchase an item from my affiliate link and then return it, I do not receive that commission.

What information can you see in LTK?

I can see what items were clicked on, how may purchases were made of that product and when, and how much my commission is. I cannot see who made the purchase. No personal data is shared in LTK.

Let’s talk about LTK’s app…

In recent months, LTK’s app has had quite the makeover! It now serves as a visual platform for affiliate links and I am enjoying it so much! It allows me to share sales, deals, and items from my home without inundating my Instagram feed. I know not everyone wants to shop or have affiliate links shared constantly, so I love having a separate feed just for links that are relevant to my audience.

You can follow me, and any other creator, on LTK for exclusive content that I don’t share anywhere else. It’s so cool!

Follow me on LTK!

I use LTK for my own personal shopping. I love following creators with similar taste to mine so I can shop their finds, too. It is such a unique corner of the internet that is growing rapidly. Bonus – it still has a chronological feed so you don’t have to deal with any complex algorithms. You’ll see my posts as I post them!

Something I Want To Mention..

I hope this goes without saying, but I only link items that I truly love, are inspired by, or have purchased myself. I do share deals and sales that I think apply to my audience, but I spend hours every single day scouring the internet for products that will add value to your life in some way.

Never – ever – do I share items that I don’t like or approve of. Before I create a link to something I haven’t purchased myself, I read reviews and research as much as I can. I also do my best to make it very clear which items I have purchased myself vs. which items I’m linking as inspiration.

I prioritize the trust of my audience over anything. On top of that, it’s also important that I’m only sharing links that my audience wants to see. When my Instagram story views and followers decline, that also impacts my ability to work with brands. I only mention this because I want you to know how seriously I take your trust. It’s an honor and responsibility that I don’t take lightly.

With that said, I appreciate your support so much! Sharing affiliate links is one the ways that keeps my business running and gives me the ability to do these fun projects that I LOVE to share with all of you. I’ll do it as long as you’ll have me! 🙂

Are you an influencer or just getting started with LTK? Here are my tips:

• First and foremost, only link items you have or have researched! Your audience’s trust needs to be your top priority.
• When it comes to affiliate links – more is more! It is a LOT of work to share affiliate links, but if you’re only sharing 1-2 per week, it’s going to be tough to earn enough to make it worth it. If it’s a product I love, I share it almost as often as I use it.
• Diversify your links – I share links on IG, through LTKs app, my weekly newsletter, Pinterest, and my blog. All platforms contribute to my success on LTK since not all of my followers are active on all platforms.
• On the LTK app, I’m sharing 6-9 posts per day. Yes, it’s a LOT of work but using Canva templates have made it so much easier.
• I have found that linking 1-2 items per post is more effective than a roundup of 10+ items on one post. I think it’s just too overwhelming!
• I sign up for emails from all of my favorite retailers to stay on top of upcoming sales.
• I also use LTK’s Content Planning Hub to see sales that are exclusive to LTK.

What are questions do you have about LTK? Leave them in the comments!