How To Use Shopify Collabs To Boost Your Brand?

Picture yourself enjoying a cup of coffee while browsing Instagram when all of a sudden you see a post that highlights your product and was posted by an influencer whose followers are raving about it. Orders are flying into your Shopify site, and likes and comments are flooding in. Doesn't it sound like a dream?

Thanks to Shopify Collabs, you can make your dream a reality! Shopify Collabs allows you to collaborate with influencers and creators who truly enjoy what you have to offer, regardless of whether you're just getting started or want to grow your brand. It's similar to having your own team of brand advocates, but without the awkward networking or guesswork.

Top 4 Advantages Of Shopify Collabs

Shopify sites offer a plethora of advantages that can help you grow your ecommerce business. 

Let us consider some of the them which we think are really essential:

Better exposure 

Shopify Collabs are an effective approach to raise awareness of your brand. By collaborating with other companies or influencers, you can reach new customers who might not have otherwise heard of your brand by using their existing audience.

Increase the range of products

When two parties work together, they frequently create distinctive co-branded items that play to each other's strengths. This can give rise to creative products that offer variety to your catalogue, drawing in more clients and increasing the visibility of your store.

Access to large audience

One of the key benefits of Shopify Collabs is gaining access to your partner’s followers, who may represent different demographics and interests. This allows you to reach untapped market segments and grow your audience beyond your current base.

Building credibility 

You can increase the credibility of your own brand by collaborating with well-known companies or influencers. When you are associated with prominent brands in the business, people are more likely to trust your products, which enhances your reputation and encourages customer loyalty.

Different Types of Shopify Collaborations Available

Shopify collaborations come in many forms, each designed to meet specific goals and focus on different areas of your business. Here are a few common types:

Partnerships with influencers

Working together with influencers in your niche can help you reach a much wider audience. Influencers use their audience to spread the word about your products and services, which in turn helps to increase the visibility and credibility of your business.

Example: Glossier x Influencers

Glossier, a minimalist beauty brand, gained enormous popularity through partnerships with both micro and macro influencers. The brand urged influencers to post on social media about their real-life experiences using its products in place of traditional ads. These collaborations fostered a feeling of community around the brand in addition to generating huge engagement.

Takeaway:  Influencers helped Glossier become a household name among beauty fans by lending legitimacy and trust to the brand's marketing.

Promoting with complementary brands

Collaborating with companies that provide complementary goods or services opens up avenues for mutual promotion. For instance, if you are a fitness gear seller, collaborating with a supplement brand could lead to cooperative marketing initiatives that reach a larger audience and profit both companies.

Example: Nike x Apple

The collaboration between Apple and Nike is a classic illustration of complementing companies coming together. In order to track fitness parameters like distance, pace, and calories expended, Nike released Nike+, a series of running shoes that connected to Apple devices.

This collaboration blended Apple’s technological expertise with Nike’s focus on fitness, providing a simple solution for health-conscious individuals.

Takeaway: By providing a unique product that catered to a similar clientele, both companies were able to grow their consumer bases.

Co-branding

Co-branded product launches are when a company creates and introduces a distinctive product in collaboration with another brand. This kind of relationship creates excitement and buzz, which increases sales and broadens your market reach by appealing to the consumers of both companies.

Example: Doritos x Taco Bell

Doritos and Taco Bell collaborated to create the Doritos Locos Tacos, which became an instant hit. Taco Bell tacos and Doritos' famous nacho cheese flavour were mixed in this co-branded product to create a menu item that generated a lot of excitement. Within the first year of its launch, it generated over $1 billion in sales.

Takeaway: This collaboration leveraged the loyal customer bases of both brands to create excitement and drive sales.

Content creation: Content collaborations, such as blog posts, videos, or webinars, allow brands to produce valuable content together. This not only educates or entertains your audience but also boosts your brand’s authority and visibility.

Example: HubSpot x Canva

The visual design platform Canva and the marketing software company HubSpot collaborated to provide helpful content for their mutual target of small business owners and marketers. Together, they created webinars, blog entries, and free design templates to assist companies in producing eye-catching marketing materials.

Takeaway: The collaboration educated users, increased engagement for both brands, and strengthened their positions as industry leaders.

A Comprehensive Guide To Using Shopify Collabs

Let us quickly go through the steps by which you can use Shopify collaboration on your ecommerce store.

#1 Install Shopify collabs on your website

Begin by installing Shopify Collabs from the Shopify App Store to kickstart your affiliate marketing journey.

#2 Configure general settings

After installation, head to your Shopify admin panel and create an account. Follow this path: Settings > Apps and sales channels, then click on Shopify Collabs. Carefully review and accept the terms and conditions. Next, select your business vertical and define your customer base to help filter relevant collaborators.

#3 Build your affiliate application page

Start building your affiliate application page as soon as your brand account has been created. As this is the page where prospective affiliates can view and sign up for your program, make sure it enables complete customisation and is consistent with your logo. 

Add important details such as target audience, social media links, collaboration agreements, and brand specifics. Upon completion, launch your application page.

#4 Recruit collaborators

In the ‘Recruit’ section, you’ll find a list of recommended collaborators. You can filter these by channel, such as Instagram or blogs, and invite influencers you believe are a great match for promoting your products.

A Brief Understanding On The Working Of Shopify Collabs

Shopify Collabs functions as an online marketplace that connects ecommerce companies with suitable partners according to their objectives and particular requirements. In order to make wise judgments, merchants can filter and search for influencers, generate comprehensive collaboration requests, and use the platform's large database. 

Additionally, the app offers a fluid messaging system to facilitate communication amongst partners, which makes it simpler to plan and carry out productive collaborations.

Key features of Shopify Collabs include:

• Tailored collaboration requests by merchants
• Advanced search filters for influencers (category, location, audience size)
• Critical metrics like follower counts and engagement rates
• Flexible collaboration types (cross-promotion, bundling, affiliate marketing)
• Budget and timeline customization for collaborations
• Efficient messaging system for smooth communication

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key benefits of using Shopify Collabs for my eCommerce business?
Shopify Collabs offers several benefits to help your business grow, including:

• Better exposure: Partner with influencers or other brands to tap into new audiences and raise awareness of your products.
• Increased product range: Collaborate with others to create co-branded products that enhance your catalogue.
• Access to larger audiences: Reach new demographics by leveraging your partner’s followers.
• Building credibility: Work with well-known brands or influencers to strengthen your brand’s reputation.

What types of collaborations can I explore with Shopify Collabs?
There are various collaboration types available through Shopify Collabs, such as:

• Influencer partnerships: Work with influencers in your niche to promote your products to a wider audience.
• Co-branding: Collaborate with other brands to launch unique, co-branded products.
• Cross-promotion with complementary brands: Partner with companies offering complementary goods to reach shared audiences.
• Content creation: Collaborate on content like blog posts or videos to enhance your brand’s authority and visibility.

How does Shopify Collabs help facilitate communication between collaborators?

Shopify Collabs provides a streamlined messaging system that allows smooth communication between partners. Merchants can send collaboration requests, discuss terms, and coordinate marketing efforts all within the platform. The messaging tool helps partners stay organized and ensures smooth planning and execution of joint campaigns, making collaboration more efficient and productive.

Author

Gopi Radadiya

Gopi is a vital part of our Shopify marketing team, always ready to create ecommerce solutions for our clients. When she’s not busy solving Shopify puzzles, you’ll find her exploring new tech trends and sharing her knowledge with the community.