Following the original US and Canada launch last year and a UK pilot phase, Shopify has just expanded Shopify Collabs to the UK. As such, this post covers all the essential information for retail brands looking to get started.
What is ‘Shopify Collabs’?
In short, Shopify’s new app - Shopify Collabs - is designed to help merchants find digital creators and scale their influencer marketing programme to drive sales.
Who is the Shopify Collabs app aimed at?
The app is suitable for merchants in all verticals, although some industries are more typically influencer-heavy (think fashion, cosmetics and jewellery).
However, we know from our diverse client base at blubolt that other verticals have fantastic (and often untapped) potential. With that in mind, it’s worth exploring options in verticals like furniture and homewards, food and drink, and outdoor (like bikes, scooters, and sports equipment).
How does it work?
Essentially, Shopify Collabs is a community management app. By downloading the app, you’re able to recruit and manage all your influencers and brand ambassadors in one place. Consequently, merchants will be able to:
Search for brand-appropriate influencers. Merchants can search for potential partners using Shopify’s database of millions of creators. Importantly, searches can use keywords, hashtags, and follower counts to narrow down the options to creators that align with your brand.
Send and track gifts. Merchants can send creators products and discounts directly from their Shopify store.
Create affiliate links and discount codes. Merchants can incentivise creators by creating custom discount codes, referral links, and commission structures.
Manage commissions. Merchants can automatically track and pay affiliate commissions through PayPal.
Track progress on a dashboard. Merchants can monitor their progress - sales generated, redeemed gifts and affiliate commission - via dashboards and make changes if desired.
What are the benefits of the app?
Some of the potential top benefits of Shopify Collabs are that it:
has the potential to take the hassle out of managing relationships with influencers,
enables merchants to measure success in one place with easy-to-understand analytics,
offers a seamless workflow as merchants access it directly in Shopify admin,
is speed tested and has no impact on merchants’ online stores,
allows merchants to easily select creators that fit their brand, and finally
enables merchants to create on-brand applications for their influencer programme, customising it and adding key information needed like social handles, emails, phone numbers, shipping addresses, and more.
When will Shopify Collabs be available in the UK?
For merchants. Shopify merchants in all locations can download it from the Shopify App Store here.
For creators. The Shopify Collabs Admin is now available in the UK as well as North America.
Shopify Collabs: a match made in heaven.
So that’s our round-up on what you need to know about the new Shopify Collabs app. Fancy getting started? You can find it in the Shopify App Store.
Have your own Shopify Plus project? Get in touch today.
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