Pants | Necklace | Heels

LTKCon 2026 taking place right here at PGA Frisco!

With Parlay Collective headquartered in Frisco, it was especially nice to welcome so many creators, brand partners, and industry friends to our own backyard.

I’ve attended LTKCon in different capacities over the years, and it’s been interesting to watch the conference and the creator industry evolve together.

I originally attended as a photographer, and as Parlay grew, I spent the next six years connecting with brands and creators, scheduling meetings, and networking around the conference while it remained an invitation-only event for creators. Two years ago, agencies were officially welcomed to attend, opening the door for even more collaboration.

This August, we had the opportunity to spend time with our creators, connect with LTK leadership, collaborate with some wonderful brand partners, and learn more about where the industry is headed.

And of course, we had a little fun along the way!

There were so many great conversations and takeaways from the week, and I wanted to share a few of my favorites.

Audrie & Anna

Bringing Parlay Collective to LTKCon

One of my favorite things about LTKCon is the opportunity to spend time with people we work with throughout the year.

At Parlay, much of our work happens behind the scenes. We’re coordinating brand collaborations, reviewing analytics, developing content strategies, negotiating partnerships, and helping creators find new ways to grow their businesses. But relationships are just as important as the work itself.

Getting to catch up with our creators, spend time with brand partners, and finally meet people we’ve only known through emails makes these events so worthwhile.It’s also a great reminder of how much goes into building a successful creator business.

Creating content is one piece of the puzzle. Understanding your audience, knowing your numbers, finding the right brand partners, and building a strong support system are equally important.

That’s where working with a team like Parlay can be especially valuable. We help connect the creative side of the business with the strategy, relationships, and opportunities that support continued growth.

And sometimes, the most productive conversations happen when you’re simply catching up over coffee, or an extra dirty martini!

One of my favorite parts of LTKCon is coming home with fresh ideas! This August, conversations around analytics, community, and technology gave us plenty to think about. Here are a few takeaways I especially loved.

Transparency: Knowing Your Numbers

Let’s talk analytics! You know I love my analytic brain!

At Parlay, we’re always looking beyond views and follower counts to understand what content is actually accomplishing. LTK provides valuable shopping data that helps creators make smarter decisions about their content and partnerships.

Here are a few numbers worth knowing:

• Clicks: Are people interested enough to shop what you’re sharing?
• Conversion Rate: Are those clicks turning into purchases? For example, 100 clicks resulting in 5 purchases equals a 5% conversion rate.
• Average Order Value: How much are customers spending per order?
• Sales & Commissions: Which products and posts are actually generating revenue?
• Performance Trends: What content, products, and categories consistently perform best?

Here’s what I always remind our creators: A post with fewer views can actually generate more revenue than one with thousands!

That’s why understanding your analytics is so important. At Parlay, we use this information to identify opportunities, refine content strategies, and help creators make more informed business decisions.

The goal isn’t just more views. It’s understanding what works and why!

Community: Stop Just Slinging Links

This was one of my favorite conversations because it’s something we talk about all the time at Parlay.

You can’t build a community by simply slinging links!

People follow creators because they trust their recommendations, enjoy their personalities, and find value in what they share.

Think about it. Anyone can link a pair of jeans, but explaining the fit, showing how you style them, and sharing why they’re worth purchasing makes that recommendation so much more valuable.

The story behind the product is often what makes someone want to shop it.

Another important takeaway? Don’t build your entire business around one social platform. Your website, blog, and email list are all valuable ways to stay connected with your audience beyond the algorithm.

At Parlay, we encourage creators to focus on building genuine relationships, sharing helpful content, and creating a community that wants to keep coming back.

Because when your audience trusts you, the shopping naturally follows!

Live Interaction: Take Your Community Offline

Another takeaway I loved was the growing conversation around bringing creator communities together in person.

We spend so much time talking about digital engagement, but there’s something really special about getting people together face-to-face.

Whether it’s a shopping event, brand activation, creator meetup, or community gathering, in-person experiences offer another way to build meaningful relationships.

For creators, it’s an opportunity to connect with the people who support their content.

For brands, it’s a chance to introduce products in a more personal and memorable setting.

And for audiences, it’s an opportunity to experience something beyond their screens.

I also think this connects back to our swag bag project.

Creating opportunities for people to discover products and connect with brands in person can be a valuable part of a broader marketing strategy.

Not every collaboration has to look like a traditional sponsored post.

There are so many creative ways for brands and creators to work together, and I’m excited to see how these opportunities continue to grow.

Hearing Directly from LTK Leadership

Another highlight of the week was the opportunity to hear directly from LTK’s founders and leadership.

The creator industry continues to change quickly, and it’s always helpful to understand what the people behind the platforms are thinking about and working toward.

Conversations around technology, data, creator tools, and future opportunities gave us plenty to think about.

One thing that continues to stand out is how important it is for creators to approach their work with both creativity and an understanding of the business behind it.

The tools available today can provide valuable information, but knowing how to apply that information is what makes it useful.

For our team at Parlay, events like LTKCon give us an opportunity to learn, ask questions, and bring new ideas back to the creators and brands we work with.

And that’s one of my favorite things about this industry. There’s always something new to learn!

Until Next Year, LTKCon

Looking back on LTKCon this August, I’m grateful for such a fun week filled with great conversations, familiar faces, new connections, and plenty of inspiration.It’s been interesting to watch this industry grow over the years and see how much more opportunity exists today for creators and brands to work together.The technology has changed, the platforms have evolved, and the ways creators can build their businesses continue to expand.But one thing has stayed the same.

Relationships matter.

Whether it’s the trust between a creator and their audience, the connection between a brand and a creator, or the support of a team working behind the scenes, those relationships are what make this industry so special.

I’m thankful for our creators, the brands who helped make our LTKCon gifting experience possible, and everyone who took the time to connect with us throughout the week.

And if there’s one thing I hope creators take away from this year’s conference, it’s this:

Keep learning. Know your numbers. Share what you love. Build your community. And don’t be afraid to explore new opportunities.

There’s so much room to grow in this industry, and it’s exciting to be part of it.

Featuring @Anna_BRStyle

Top | Pants | Heels | Necklace

Our LTKCon Brand Partners

The most sought after swag was you guesses it, our Parlay Collective swag bags!

We had the opportunity to collaborate with some wonderful brands to create a curated gifting experience for our creators and industry connections attending LTKCon. And while receiving a bag full of fun products is always exciting, there’s actually a lot of marketing strategy behind a gifting experience like this.

For brands, product gifting is an opportunity to introduce their products to creators who have established relationships with their audiences.

For creators, it’s a chance to discover new products, try something they may not have purchased on their own, and potentially connect with brands that align with their content.

And for Parlay, it’s an opportunity to bring those relationships together.

The goal isn’t to get a product into someone’s hands. It’s to create a thoughtful introduction that could lead to something more.

That might mean a creator discovers a new favorite product, a brand finds someone who is a great fit for a future campaign, or a conversation begins that turns into a long-term partnership.

Of course, gifting doesn’t guarantee content or sales, and that’s an important distinction. The value comes from creating relevant introductions and allowing genuine relationships to develop. All the while give them a gift of gratitude, a true supportive collaboration as partners alongside them in this demanding industry.

When putting these bags together, we thought about the brands, the products, and the people who would be receiving them.We wanted the gifting to feel useful, exciting, and representative of the variety of brands we love working with.From beauty and skincare to accessories, wellness, and everyday essentials, there was something for everyone.

Case-Mate | Teleties | Avenue 8 | Clean Skin Club | Walli Cases | Vacation | IM8 | BaubleBar | Voir Hair Care | Candier | Smart Sweets | Primally Pure | Tandem Tan | Simple Modern | SOJOS Eyewear | Wash Yo Self

A Special Thank You to Our LTKCon Partners

What I Wore

Top | Jeans | Sunglasses | Earrings | Necklace | Heels

Dress | Necklace | Heels

Dress | Earrings | Heels

Plaid Blazer | Plaid Skirt | Purse | Earrings | Shoes

Featuring @TheMomInStyle and @NashvilleTash

Top | Jeans | Heels | Necklace

Pants | Necklace | Heels

I hope my insight helps you navigate your business with more clarity, strategy, and confidence as you continue building and scaling your brand online. One of my favorite parts of this space is being able to share real experiences, real data, and real perspective with fellow entrepreneurs, business owners, and content creators who are trying to grow intentionally in such a fast moving digital landscape.

For more business insights, creator strategy, marketing conversations, and entrepreneurial tips, make sure to explore some of my latest blog posts below. Your support, your readership, and simply you being here genuinely mean more to me than you know, and I am incredibly grateful for the community we continue building together every day.

Other Blog Posts You May Find Helpful: My List of The Best Books & Podcasts, The Top AI Platforms: How and Why to Use ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini & More to Grow Your Business, How to Compete During Prime Day, Circle Week, and Major Retail Sales Events, Meta Ads VS Boosting Posts, It Isn’t Social Media. It’s Marketing. And It’s a $100 Billion Commerce Engine, The Marketing Playbook Just Changed. Most Operators Haven’t Noticed Yet.

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