Shopify has entered the “link in bio” market with the launch of a new tool called “Linkpop,” the company announced on Tuesday. The new offering is aimed at creators and allows them to sell products directly from their Linkpop page. Creators and merchants can include important links on the page and also launch storefronts to sell directly on the platforms where they’re engaging with followers. Consumers can then browse a Shopify merchant’s selection of products and make purchases directly on Linkpop without having to leave the app they were using.
Merchants can set up an account, link it to their Shopify store and start adding shoppable links to the page. They can also add links to websites, articles, videos, playlists and more. Shoppable links automatically sync with a merchant’s product catalog to feature all of the details that a customer will need before making a purchase. Once a merchant sets up an account, they can share up 200 links on their Linkpop.
Linkpop also includes built-in analytics tools that merchants can use to better understand how customers are engaging with their page. They’ll be able to view metrics such as link clicks and unique visitors. Merchants can also customize different parts of their Linkpop page, including the background color, logo, font and more. You can also upload photos to accompany specific links.
“Merchants and creators today are using multiple channels to engage with customers, and that number of touchpoints will only continue to grow,” Amir Kabbara, the director of product at Shopify, said in a statement. “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.”
The tool can be used by anyone whether or not they are a Shopify merchant. But, the shoppable links are only available to Shopify merchants. Shopify notes that creators who are just getting started and haven’t launched a business yet can use Linkpop to grow their audience and brand. Once they’re ready to launch their store on Shopify, they can then share products directly on their Linkpop page. Shopify hopes that Linkpop users will eventually want to create a Shopify storefront in order to enable purchases on their Linkpop.
Link in bio pages have become increasingly popular over the past few years. People use them in different ways, as some use them to link to their social media profiles, Spotify pages and YouTube channels, while others use them to link to their online stores.
Linktree, one of the more popular “link in bio” services, recently announced a $110 million all-equity round led by Index Ventures and Coatue Management. The raise valued Linktree at a whopping $1.3 billion. Late last year, the company launched a Shopify integration to give users a way to promote their businesses and products directly on its platform. The Shopify collaboration came a few months after Linktree partnered with PayPal to expand its recently launched “Commerce Links” tools for direct payment on Linktree.
Shopify has now launched a new tool to compete with Linktree directly. It’s also competing with the broader “link in bio” market, which includes Shorby, Linkin.bio, Beacons and more.