LTK and Referwo: Which Should You Choose?
Helping you Decide the Ideal Tool
The way brands interact with their audiences has been forever changed with the evolution of influencer marketing. Two such platforms that are leading the game in this evolving market are Referwo and LTK.
While both platforms offer brands a way to boost their sales via influencer and affiliate marketing combined, Referwo is quickly establishing itself as the more powerful choice. With superior features, greater flexibility, and a better earning potential, Referwo is paving the way for brands looking for impactful marketing strategies.
Before we go into the entails, let’s first have a look how both platforms work in their capacity:
The Platforms At a Glance
LTK (or LikeToKnow.it)
LTK is one of the most popular affiliate influencer marketing platforms, especially among influencers specialising in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. It allows influencers to create shoppable content, especially on Instagram and Pinterest, by tagging products in their posts and receiving commission through them.
However, LTK’s dominance in specific niches like fashion and beauty makes it less attractive for brands looking to find influencers in other industries. Additionally, the platform’s functionality is heavily focused on visual content, making it less useful for brands who work with blogs, podcasts, or YouTube channels.
In addition, to find a creator whose content aligns with your brand values and target audience, you’ll have to browse through an extensive pool of content creators. Although this seems like a convenience at first, it turns into a hassle when you have to manually look for a UGC creator for multiple campaigns.
Referwo
Referwo is yet another popular tool in the field of affiliate influencer marketing. It takes a broader and more inclusive approach, allowing brands to connect with influencers in various industries such as beauty, wellness, travel, interior decor, baby products and more.
The platform allows brands to publish their campaigns and wait for influencers to apply, which significantly reduces the workload of searching for the right partners. Additionally, the platform offers easy campaign management with a CRM system, system-generated affiliate codes and a smoother, better experience, all at a price that fits your pocket.
Let’s dig deeper into the features of both tools and figure out which supersedes the other:
Streamlined Campaign Management
One of the standout features of Referwo is its intuitive campaign management system. Instead of brands exploring through a directory of influencers and picking out one-by-one, brands can easily publish their campaigns, allowing influencers to apply directly. This approach lets brands take a step back and attract a diverse pool of interested influencers.
When creating a campaign, brands can also specify detailed criteria for an influencer, such as niche, audience demographics, and engagement rates. As the influencers apply to the campaign, brands can filter applications based on their criteria and approve those who align best with their goals.
This method minimises guesswork and helps brands partner with influencers who are likely to resonate with their target audience.
In contrast, LTK requires brands to take a search-and-pick approach. Brands have to manually navigate through LTK’s directory of influencers, which can become overwhelming, especially if you’re seeking multiple partnerships.
After identifying potential candidates, brands have to send individual outreach messages. This one-by-one pitching process is not only time-consuming but inconvenient as well. If an influencer does not respond or declines the offer, brands have to restart the search, further delaying campaign timelines.
Comprehensive Influencer Insights
A major advantage of Referwo is its detailed analytics about an influencer and her past performances. A brand shortlisting an influencer can explore metrics such as their engagement rates, likes, shares, and comments, which helps them assess how effectively an influencer connects with their audience.
Plus, brands can also access influencers’ portfolios to review past content and performance, making sure that an influencer’s niche aligns with their brand’s identity. Additionally, reviews from other companies provide further context, enabling data-driven decisions that lead to successful collaborations and better ROI.
On the other hand, LTK provides limited insights into influencer effectiveness. While some basic statistics are available, they often lack the depth needed for brands to fully evaluate potential partnerships.
This can result in less informed decisions and mismatched collaborations, as brands can overlook key performance indicators that signal an influencer’s ability to engage and convert their audience. The lack of comprehensive data ultimately hampers brands’ ability to optimize their influencer marketing strategies, putting them at a disadvantage compared to Referwo’s detailed insights.
Referwo
Campaign Management
Cross-Platform Flexibility
Dedicated Support
Influencer Accountability
One of the top-notch perks of working with Referwo is, you can never be worried about an influencer’s content delivery. The platform actively monitors influencer performance, making sure that content meets quality standards and deadlines.
After influencers receive their free samples through Referwo, the platform uses an alert system to ensure timely content delivery. Influencers are reminded of their deadlines, and if they miss them, brands can flag them for follow-up. Additionally, brands can use the internal chat system to check on content status, making it easy to manage campaigns effectively.
Referwo also streamlines financial management by deducting influencer commissions weekly from the brand’s debit card. However, to prevent issues related to conflicts, refunds, or returns, transactions are held for 30 days before processing. This ensures brands have time to address any potential concerns before finalising payments.
LTK, on the flip side, lacks a monitoring system for influencer performance. Brands face the risk of unreliable content delivery, as there’s little assurance that influencers will meet expectations. When issues arise, brands find themselves with limited recourse, which can result in frustration and wasted resources. This lack of accountability diminishes the effectiveness of partnerships, making it challenging for brands to achieve their marketing goals.
Affiliate Program
Referwo allows influencers to perform affiliate marketing with its automated discount code generation. Each influencer receives a personalized discount code they can share in their content, allowing their followers to access exclusive deals.
Brands can easily set commission rates for each code, tracking usage and sales automatically. This eliminates the manual effort typically required, ensuring accurate tracking and smooth collaboration between brands and influencers.
Referwo also features Dealshub that allows influencers to gather all their discount codes in one centralized location. They can generate a unique link that directs their audience to their specific codes, making it easy for followers to find and use them.
On the contrary, LTK requires brands to create and manage discount codes individually for each influencer. This approach can lead to confusion and inefficiencies, as brands must keep track of various codes and their performance separately. Influencers also struggle to promote products effectively without a centralized system to manage their codes, which can hinder their ability to drive sales.
Cost-Effective Solutions
Referwo offers a highly cost-effective solution for brands, with plans starting at just $59 per month. This pricing is based on the number of influencers a brand wishes to approve, making it accessible for small and medium-sized businesses with limited marketing budgets.
Additionally, Referwo provides a 30-day free trial, allowing brands to explore the platform’s features without any financial commitment and assess its potential impact on their marketing efforts.
In contrast, LTK typically starts at a much higher price point, which can be a barrier for smaller brands looking to invest in influencer marketing. These high costs limit opportunities for businesses that are just beginning to explore influencer collaborations.
Referwo vs. LTK
Feature | Referwo | LTK |
Campaign Management | Intuitive system where brands publish campaigns and influencers apply directly. | Brands manually search through a directory and send outreach messages. |
Influencer Insights | Detailed analytics including engagement rates, portfolio reviews, and past performance. | Limited insights, often lacking depth for evaluation. |
Influencer Accountability | Actively monitors performance; alerts for content deadlines; flags non-compliance. | No monitoring system; limited recourse for missed deadlines. |
Affiliate Program | Automated discount code generation and centralized Dealshub for influencers. | Requires brands to manage discount codes individually, leading to confusion. |
Cost | Plans start at $59/month; 30-day free trial available. | Higher starting price; less accessible for small brands. |
Support | Dedicated support available for campaign management and influencer tracking. | Limited support for managing influencer partnerships. |
Flexibility | Supports influencers across various industries, not limited to specific niches. | Primarily focused on fashion and beauty, limiting other industries. |
Why Referwo is the Better Option
While LTK has been a dominant force in influencer marketing, it is clear that Referwo offers a more comprehensive and user-friendly experience.
With features like transparent payment structure, easy campaign management and influencer discovery, Referwo is a far better option for influencers and brands looking to succeed in today’s market. Visit Referwo today and equip your brand with everything you need to survive and thrive.