Link in bio, but make it shoppable: Meet Linkpop, Shopify's newest offering for creators in India

With Linkpop, merchants can create a cohesive brand experience across social channels and sell products directly from their link in bio page

MUMBAI, India, March 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --  Ever make a mental note to look into that new product a favorite TikTok star keeps recommending, only to lose the plot as soon as one gets to the Google search bar? That's part of the reason to launch Linkpop, the new link in bio tool that's commerce-first—meaning that creators and merchants can not only house all of their important brand-building links in one place, but launch social storefronts to sell directly on the platforms where they're already engaging with followers. Consumers can then browse a Shopify merchant's curated selection of products and purchase directly on Linkpop, without ever leaving the social app they were using (or trying to remember what to search).

That's good news for consumers because the creator economy—which is estimated to include more than 50 million creators globally—is only growing. In 2021 alone, investors backed the industry with more than $1.3 billion in funding. At Shopify,it is believed that, investing in supporting creators of all kinds by expanding access to world-class commerce technology and by building tools will help merge creativity, community, and commerce. And hence Linkpop was launched.

Merchants can set up an account, link it to their Shopify store, and start populating their Linkpop page with shoppable links, as well as links to websites, articles, videos, and playlists (among other possibilities!) in less than five minutes. Shoppable links automatically sync with a merchant's product catalog to feature all of the product details a customer will need directly on the merchant's Linkpop page.

"We have an incredible community on social, and with Linkpop we're able to turn our followers into customers and brand advocates," said Evie, YouTuber and founder of LongHairPrettyNails. "The results speak for themselves: We used Linkpop to support our most recent product launch and were able to increase our social sales conversions by over 600%."

Linkpop gives merchants the ability to create a branded, social storefront that they can share wherever they engage with their followers. With Linkpop, merchants can:

• Provide buyers with a best-in-class checkout experience: Linkpop is powered by Shopify, so consumers are able to enjoy a fast and secure checkout experience when they make a purchase from a merchant's Linkpop. And because checkout happens right on Linkpop, consumers never have to leave the platform they were already browsing on to make a purchase.
• Track toward success: With Linkpop's free, built-in analytics tool, merchants can better understand the behaviors and choices of visitors to their Linkpop. In addition to providing high level metrics like link clicks and unique visitors, Linkpop shows merchants how well individual links are performing—giving merchants invaluable insight into what their followers are engaging with most.
• Customise their page: Merchants can customise many aspects of their Linkpop page—from the background color and font to the profile description, logo, and beyond—to create a page that reflects their brand. Merchants can also upload photos to accompany specific links, creating a truly curated experience for their followers.
• Add up to 200 links & shoppable links: Once a merchant sets up an account, they can start adding links and shoppable links to their page. Since merchants can share up to 200 links on their Linkpop, they're free to include all the touchpoints that are most important to their brand—whether that's a link to a new YouTube video, a shoppable link featuring a new product, or something else entirely.

"Merchants and creators today are using multiple channels to engage with customers, and that number of touchpoints will only continue to grow," said Amir Kabbara, Director of Product at Shopify. "With Linkpop, we've created a surface that unifies all links merchants post across social channels. What's even better, we've made it a shoppable destination so it's easy to purchase products directly on Linkpop, which is a win-win for merchants and buyers alike."

"We have long believed that the future of retail is everywhere: consumers are now shopping whenever, wherever and however they prefer to. With consumption patterns in India diversifying and evolving in the last few years, e-retail has become mainstream and at Shopify, we've had the opportunity to work with businesses across scale to help them bridge the offline to online shift. With the rising social commerce wave, we are now excited to be creating more value and opportunities in the social world. Linkpop has been introduced to help harness the benefits of evolved consumer spending behaviours through more selling opportunities to makers, creators, influencers and curators," says Bharati Balakrishnan - Country Head & Director, India

For creators who are just getting started and haven't yet launched a business, choosing tools that can grow alongside their audience and brand is crucial. They can use Linkpop to help grow their audience, and when they're ready to launch their store on Shopify, they'll be able to share products directly on their Linkpop page—seamlessly merging their existing community with their commerce ambitions. And for creators who are already merchants, Linkpop makes it easy to sell products directly on the social platforms that are most important to their brands.

About Linkpop

Linkpop is free and available globally in English, whether the user is a Shopify merchant or not. Shoppable links are currently only available to Shopify merchants. To learn more about Linkpop and get started, visit Linkpop.com.

About Shopify

Shopify is a leading provider of essential internet infrastructure for commerce, offering trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for reliability, while delivering a better shopping experience for consumers everywhere. Proudly founded in Ottawa, Shopify powers over one million businesses in more than 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Nush by Anushka Sharma, Raymonds, Starstruck, John Jacobs eyewear and many more. For more information, visit www.shopify.in.