I like LIKEtoKNOW.it
One of the gripes of Instagram is that it is not easy to link users from your Instagram account to an external web page; it is impossible to link from a post.
There are presumably a few reasons Instagram do this, some beneficial to Instagram and some beneficial to users.
Either way, from a publisher’s perspective, it is frustrating.
If you have uploaded a picture of a great pasta dish, you will rightfully want to like to the recipe.
Picture of a model wearing your latest skirt, ditto: a link so customers can buy it.
I mean this is what Pinterest does right, and it works ok for them and their users.
Except that Instagram isn’t Pinterest.
The cleverest answer to a tricky problem
A fashion eCommerce client introduced me to LIKEtoKNOW.it this morning.
It is a service targeted at ‘top tier style publishers (i.e. bloggers)’ to monetise their Instagram account by connecting their fan bases to the eCommerce websites selling the products being promoted and modelled to the Instagram fan bases.
It is not the ideal answer to the problem, though it works with what it has and no doubt, they will make a motza from it.
Step 1: Sign up
Signup to LIKEtoKNOW.it. It is free to use as a user.
Step 2. Like posts
When you see a post from a publisher that is linked to LIKEtoKNOW.it, like the post.
Step 3. Email
Receive an email a few seconds later with a link to where you can buy the product online.
It isn’t quite as good as a direct link, though on the other hand, an email sitting in your inbox is not bad, least that it focuses the user and is there until they delete it.
eCommerce websites participating in the concept are charged for the favour with the revenue split between the publisher and LIKEtoKNOW.it.
Clever!
