The way we exchange information in the social media age is constantly evolving, but one of the longest-standing and most efficient trends is the link-in-bio tool – which is especially vital for celebrities, content creators, and brands as it allows them to connect every project in their digital world through a single-link-hub that can be shared on any social platform. With numerous link-in-bio platforms available to the masses, one is standing out as the must-have platform among the content creator community: hoo.be, which launched out of Boston in 2021.
hoo.be was created exclusively for creators with high engagement (celebrities, influencers, athletes, brands, basically any platform that offers something of value to the world) in order to focus on the specific needs of users that feed this global community we all value so much. Bringing in big names including Chris Hemsworth, Meghan Trainor, Kristin Cavallari, and J Balvin, hoo.be has a hold on exclusivity that is only amplified by the fact that it’s an invite-only platform.
We sat down with hoo.be’s Director of Partnerships & Engagement, Andrea Ruiz, to talk about that cool factor that’s drawing people to their brand and what other factors set hoo.be apart from the rest of the link-in-bio space. As the head of all major account relationships and the main liaison between clients and the hoo.be development team, Ruiz gave us an inside look into what hoo.be’s all about and why serious content creators should apply to join the platform if they’re looking to maximize the growth of their brand.
For those unfamiliar, can you tell us a bit about hoo.be?
Andrea Ruiz: hoo.be is the first link in bio platform catering exclusively to the digital needs of top brands and content creators, including some of the biggest names in the space like Natalie Noel, Kristin Cavallari, Sports Illustrated Swim, and Chris Appleton. We’re an invite-only platform with top-of-the-line features, content sharing capabilities, and a variety of embed tools that allow creators to facilitate sales, live events, and much more all within the platform itself.
As Director of Partnerships & Engagement at hoo.be, what have you noticed are some of the biggest selling points for celebrities and influencers to leave other link-in-bio platforms to join hoo.be?
AR: The most common feedback I receive when talking to clients is that they love the hoo.be aesthetic – they find it to be clean and visual. The look and feel of the pages are much more engaging for their audiences comparatively. We offer link types with cover image customization, interactive audio, video, and have a growing list of unique integrations that generate more clicks, views, and streams. Unlike similar platforms, hoo.be is a closed platform meaning you must apply or be invited to become a member. Not only does that exclusivity maintain better network quality, but as users it also helps them stand out from others. In a sense, hoo.be serves as a badge of credibility.
Several household names such as Kristin Cavallari and Julianne Hough are using hoo.be to promote their businesses and brands. What is the advantage of using hoo.be for these kinds of entrepreneurial projects?
AR: Audience migration is key when looking to build audiences across multiple channels, and that’s where hoo.be steps in. hoo.be serves as a hub where creators can showcase all their amazing content and projects in a centralized place, making it easier for their audiences to discover. We also have a unique enterprise offering, which allows for management of multiple brands and business pages with just one login. Then there’s our native direct link feature, which auto-generates shortened links that drive traffic directly to any page content featuring varying brands and businesses. The cherry on top is that direct links are trackable and analytics are broken out, so they can pull comparative data.
Out of all the link-in-bio platforms, hoo.be has become somewhat of the “cool kid”—you see it tagged on social media everywhere from super exclusive events in LA, Vegas and Boston, Instagram stories from all the top Gen Z creators, and used by brands like Sports Illustrated Swim and Forever 21. How did hoo.be create this vibe so organically?AR: From the start we’ve been and continue to be relationship driven and community focused. Hoo.be started off as a close-knit group of friends who consider themselves family, not a corporate company. So that allowed us to foster a culture that promotes closeness, along with a sense of community and belonging. We lift each other up and we like to mirror that with our user community – we’re always exploring ways to reinvest in them. Part of how we do that is through executions outside of the link in bio platform. More specifically, through experiences and events. We’ve managed to host some really great events that promote networking and bonding within our existing community and that’s something we plan to continue as we continue to expand and grow. Another key stance of ours is that we do not pay people to use our platform, which results in an authentic user community that joins and partakes because they genuinely see the value in hoo.be. So we got ourselves a like-minded network of amazing talent to thank for helping maintain the culture and vibe.
hoo.be recently launched a partnership with Unruly Agency – one of the premiere social media and influencer marketing agencies – to create an agency branded link-in-bio platform through hoo.be. What is the benefit of this partnership for influencers who are at the level of agency representation?
AR: We’re really excited to be working with Tara and Unruly. This partnership was a perfect opportunity to showcase our premium agency and enterprise offering and how we cater to their specific needs – such as effectively managing hundreds of talent pages while layering branding throughout. In terms of influencer benefits, this partnership allows management to not only help maintain page content, but also track analytics. This dual access and visibility allows for a streamlined dynamic and optimized performance. Custom branded designs have also been implemented across influencer pages, so that gives them an engaging and consistent feel that also adds a level of credibility.
It seems like the content creator’s experience is really important to hoo.be. Why is this such a high priority?
AR: For us it’s pretty simple – we win when our user community wins. A main focus of ours has always been to make content sharing easy for our users. We recently partnered with Neoreach to compile a report highlighting important creator insights, and it was very clear that a big pain point for creators is the fragmentation of social platforms. That’s where hoo.be steps in to equip them with a user-friendly platform and tools that help them bridge the gaps
You’ve worked for some major tech and social media companies in the past including Tik Tok, Pandora, and Google. What attracted you to hoo.be?
AR: I had the pleasure of knowing Jordan (CEO/Founder) and Casin (CMO/COO/Co-Founder) during my time at TikTok, and from early conversations, their excitement and vision for hoo.be was contagious. I also worked directly with the creator community during my time at Google and TikTok, so I was certain I wanted to continue disrupting within the growing creator economy space. Ultimately, I was enticed by the opportunity to help build, so when an opening to play a direct role with the team arose, I couldn’t resist.
For more on hoo.be or to apply to join, visit www.hoo.be.
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