What Is Komi.io and Why Are Big Names Using It?

I signed up to find out

This post is about my own personal experience. It is in no way affiliated with Komi and I wanted to make that clear at the outset. I first noticed this new platform Komi a few weeks ago on my favourite singers’ Instagram profile. It was her link in bio; a hub for everything she does with links to her music, her tours, her make-up, her merch. Everything was on this one page. I shrugged and said to myself that it looked like a posh version of other link combining sites.

Then I noticed other people had a Komi profile too. In fact, all the biggest names in showbusiness had one and I started looking into it. Tech Crunch described it as a “landing page tool for content creators.” You had to be someone defined as a creator to get a Komi page. So, it wasn’t just for celebrities but for people who are generally creative and want to self-promote. Interesting…

Who can join?

It feels pretty exclusive because very few people are using it so far. Me being me, I decided I was going to try my luck. I clicked “Join the Wait List” and smirked, thinking that I would never get to the front of the queue, because I’m an author with a reasonable social media following and a blog. Would I be enough of a “creator” to be accepted? I wasn’t sure.

When you sign up to the wait list, they ask for the name of the “Talent” you represent. Uh… well, that would be myself? I put in my most used pen name, Lacey Dearie, and the email address I use with the laceydearie.com extension on the end, thinking that would make me look like a serious, professional, talented person for some reason.

I closed the browser and forgot about it — for ten minutes. That queue must have been mighty short or they have an algorithm (or maybe a real human?) that sees the insane amount of promotion I’ve done since 2011. It’s been relentless, and the amount of work I have out there speaks for itself. I am a genuine creator, even though I’m not a celebrity or an influencer. I’m just an author. So, in short, no. You don’t have to be a big name to have a Komi profile.

How Easy Is It To Create A Profile?

It took me a few days to get around to creating a profile but it was pretty easy. It’s all drag and drop and reminded me of building a Wix site. If you’ve ever done that, you’ll know what I mean. Right now, I’ve added a link to my fiction on Amazon and to my main social media profiles and blogs. Once I have got my podcast and my YouTube channel up and running, I’ll add those too.

How Much Does It Cost?

It cost me £96 for a year’s membership, after a 30 day free trial.

What Are The Benefits?

Firstly, it’s aesthetically pleasing. I would say it looks far slicker and more professional than any other link grouping site that I’ve seen. It’s much more visual and platforms like Shopify, Twitch, YouTube and Spotify can be integrated into the page to create little visual or audible previews of what you’re sharing. As I said, I have plans to start a podcast later this year, open a little online shop selling my books and some other items and I think Komi will definitely become more useful once I do that. Right now, all I have are my books and blogs so my page looks a little sparse.

I like the fact that it brings everything together in a really easy way and that I don’t have to know how to code to make it look good. I also like the fact that you don’t need to have mad graphic design skills for your page to have a professional appearance.

Any drawbacks?

Nothing major so far. The one thing that made me stop and think before I signed up was the price. £96 for a year is a lot of money for me and I’m trying to make more than I spend but I am always willing to invest in my career and I think this looks more corporate than other link grouping sites. For example, I’m still going to use Linktree to share things like my Cash App details or my Vinted profile — the things that have absolutely nothing to do with my life as a creator. If I’m trying to get work as a blogger by approaching brands or if I’m writing to an agent or publisher, instead of sending a media kit, I might send them my Komi link which says everything they need to know. I think all these link grouping services have a place.

The other thing was the terms they have for the “talent” who use their site. There was a section that said:

“Do not conduct yourself in a manner which, or post to Komi any Talent Services or content which might call Komi, Komi App Ltd, or any of our affiliates into disrepute.”

So, me being me, I’m dissecting this sentence and thinking, does this mean I can’t write an honest review about them? If I speak my mind and say something like, it’s too expensive or I don’t like it, will my Komi account be terminated? I’m a born worrier. I think it probably means, don’t post your OnlyFans or other porn site links on here or don’t sell t-shirts with slogans that promote violence or are hateful.

If this is mainly populated by celebs, is signing up just vanity?

Well, I think that is a valid argument and it’s one that people will throw at me. Right now, I believe it’s good value for someone who doesn’t have a website of their own or doesn’t have the graphic design or coding skills to make a website look decent. I’m thinking in particular of micro-influencers on Instagram who are just starting out or any Instagrammer who doesn’t have web design skills. I have an official author website that I created on Blogger ten years ago and I absolutely hate it. I really want to move my online presence somewhere better and I think that Komi might be a good alternative to doing all the work involved with opening a Wordpress site, paying for hosting etc.

Check out what else I do on Komi or Linktree.

If you like what I do and want to keep me hydrated so I can keep writing, you could buy me a hot chocolate.

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