Benable: Review from a Small Content Creator
So what is it? My first instinct was that it was a combination of Pinterest and LTK. I later found out that is what the company is aiming for, with a little Yelp mixed in there. Benable partners with over 35,000 brands and auto adds affiliate links to your shared recommendations. You can use it for your own content and products too, making it easy to put effort in to creating an idea list and then forgetting about it.
A girl’s social media folder in her iPhone
So what is it? My first instinct was that it was a combination of Pinterest and LTK. I later found out that is what the company is aiming for, with a little Yelp mixed in there. Benable partners with over 35,000 brands and auto adds affiliate links to your shared recommendations. You can use it for your own content and products too, making it easy to put effort in to creating an idea list and then forgetting about it.
Unlike LTK, Benable is still open to smaller content creators which I think is a huge benefit to the site as we are getting fresh ideas and not the same content we are already seeing on TikTok and Instagram. I have a little over 26,000 followers on Tiktok and I have been denied by LTK twice in full disclosure.
I’m not bitter about it, I still very much so enjoy the site. However I do sometimes feel like there is a lack of relatability. As content creators grow, they are introduced to new, often more expensive brands, and there is a natural development of not being as relatable. I don’t think this is a bad thing necessarily. It is almost like watching the American dream in real time. However, I do find myself favoring smaller creators currently and Benable is a great site for that.
One of my lists that needs a little more work before it gets optimized on the site.
What I like about it:
Easy to earn commissions - While I have been exploring the site, I haven’t made a ton of lists. I only have three published lists currently, but I have made over $10 in commissions. While this may not seem like a huge amount, I have put in far more work on other sites and reaped no reward. So I am certainly seeing Benable as a more viable option for future efforts.
List Optimization - When you put your effort into creating a list and the website sees it as creative, well thought through and beneficial they will optimize the list and push it higher on the algorithm. This is one of my favorite features because I feel like you are getting more quality content on the discover page and that your lists wont just be shouting into the void.
Draft lists - I am not a fan of drafts because I tend to start them, forget them and then get mad at myself for forgetting them. However, Benable makes this easier because when you go to your profile the draft lists are there and visible. Not locked away in some folder. It is a constant reminder when I log on to the app that I have work to do, and I know I am not going to forget to finish it.
Easy to use - Both the app and the desktop version are easy to use and I don’t find myself getting frustrated trying to create content. I do a lot from my phone, but I also love being able to sit down at my desk and knock out a lot of work quickly on my computer. So far I think this is one of the easier social media sites to have that option. Additionally, While sites like Pinterest have pins and then you could click through and see someones board, this shows your a collage of the board and then you can click through to see the link, which I think allows you to put together more holistic idea board.
This is a screen shot of my Sierra Foothills Travel Guide in the Grass Valley Section. I like that I can make multiple sections in one list so if someone is deciding where to go for the day they can look at Grass Valley or Folsom (or more once I get them up there) and decide what they want to do.
While I am a big fan of the app currently, I also do recognize that it is a baby app and there will be growing pains.
A few things that I am interested to see what happens with them are:
Content Creator heavy - The Benable team has been pushing for content creators and referrals from content creators, which I think is a good thing, but I have noticed when on the Discover Page, that it can come off as a little too perfectly curated and I want a little chaos. That might just be me though.
Would love to see - More blogs, travel ideas and intangibles. I know this is actually something the team at Benable has been aiming for, as they encouraged me to post more experience type posts, but I just don’t think the site has the right balance quite yet. I feel like its coming though and as more people join the site, the balance will happen naturally.
Overall, the Benable app was worth the download. I know thats what we all worry about. I already have all of these other apps, do I really need this one. A few months in and I have to say, I enjoy it. I think its a great addition to my social media both as a small content creator who has made a little money on it, and as a social media user who enjoys a little couch rot with my phone in my hand.
As you can see in the above photo, I have one list that is optimized, one that is currently hidden as I have not posted it yet and one that is near optimization.