The way consumers discover and shop for brands has drastically evolved in the past ten years, with commerce no longer dictated by retailers, ads, or search engines. Rather, social commerce has taken the central stage, shaping consumer behavior and creating space for new interactions, led by content creators.Now, beyond traditional social media platforms, a new type of channel blending social media and commerce is booming. Influencer marketing platforms like LTK and ShopMy have democratized affiliate marketing and are expanding to become social selling powerhouses, turning influencers into storefronts and shaping the future of digital commerce.The Rise of Affiliate and Influencer MarketingAffiliate and influencer marketing are not new to brand marketers. The first has existed for decades and was traditionally associated with tracked links placed by bloggers in articles or review sites, while influencer marketing exploded with the rise of social media, mainly in the form of paid sponsorships, driven by views, posts, and follower count. While affiliate marketing remained a niche practice, influencer marketing quickly went mainstream—yet it often left consumers questioning authenticity and brands struggling to measure tangible ROI.That’s where LTK (formerly LikeToKnow), the pioneer of a new type of social commerce platform, entered the scene, followed by ShopMy in 2020. Both quickly revolutionized how creators, brands, and consumers engage.Founded in 2011, LTK is the pioneer of modern influencer marketing, or what it now refers to as "creator commerce.