Linkby: 10 Key Things You Must Know

Overview

Linkby is an innovative advertising platform that bridges the gap between advertisers and premium publishers through performance-based editorial coverage. Established in 2020, this Australian-born company offers brands a unique chance to gain impactful editorial content on major global publishing platforms, while only paying for actual reader engagement via a cost-per-click (CPC) pricing model. This distinctive approach has revolutionized the traditional public relations and advertising landscape by integrating measurable, results-driven strategies with editorial integrity. As you explore Linkby's story, you will discover how it empowers advertisers, benefits publishers, harnesses AI technologies, and is reshaping the future of digital marketing.

1. Innovative Performance-Based PR Model

Unlike conventional advertising or PR models that demand upfront costs or uncertain returns, Linkby operates on a performance-based method. Advertisers only pay when readers click through from editorial content to their website, making this CPC model both risk-averse and cost-effective. This innovation democratizes premium editorial coverage, opening doors to a range of brands — from fast-scaling startups to international powerhouses — who seek to build strong, measurable connections with target audiences. This approach also aligns advertisers' spending with tangible consumer engagement, maximizing the return on investment.

2. Origins and Founding Vision

Linkby was founded in 2020 by three Australian entrepreneurs: Chris Wirasinha, Adrian Fagerlund, and Andrew Chak. The genesis of Linkby drew on the team’s experience in digital publishing, notably from Pedestrian.tv, Australia’s influential independent media brand. Their vision was to help brands harness editorial content as a performance channel and to empower publishers with a monetization model based on engagement, not mere impressions or upfront fees. This goal reflects a broader shift to transform PR into a measurable growth lever.

3. Extensive Global Publisher Network

Linkby provides access to a vast network of over 600 premium publishers including top-tier brands such as Condé Nast, BuzzFeed, Daily Mail, Refinery29, and USA TODAY. Brands using Linkby can select publishers that best align with their audience, geographic focus, and campaign objectives. This network spans major markets including North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and Asia-Pacific, enabling campaigns to achieve broad global reach with localized impact. Publishers maintain editorial independence, adding authenticity and credibility to the brand stories featured.

4. Campaign Control and Flexibility

Advertisers on Linkby build their campaigns by writing a brief or uploading one, setting their budget and CPC rates, choosing preferred publishers, and defining campaign timelines. This empowers advertisers with full control over their spend, content placement, and timing. Content typically appears within 48 to 72 hours after a publisher opts in. The platform also allows splitting budgets across multiple publishers, creating competitive dynamics that can enhance coverage and efficiency.

5. Measurable Impact and Client Success Stories

Linkby’s data-driven platform delivers measurable performance metrics such as clicks, conversions, and revenue attribution. Clients include well-known brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Disney+, New Balance, Lululemon, and Apple. For example, campaigns have demonstrated up to 30% better performance than comparable Meta advertising and delivered up to 242% ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) increases during key events. This solidifies Linkby’s role as a powerful channel for both brand awareness and direct consumer conversion.

6. Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Generative Engine Optimization

Recognizing industry trends, Linkby is at the forefront of adopting AI technologies to optimize campaigns. The company is investing in generative engine optimization (GEO) to enhance performance across emerging search paradigms powered by large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT. By leveraging machine learning on millions of data points — including thousands of brands and content articles — Linkby aims to develop AI-driven recommendation engines for smarter campaign targeting, enhancing efficiency, and maximizing impact in an evolving digital search landscape.

7. Growing Global Footprint and Strategic Expansion

Starting in Sydney, Linkby has rapidly expanded internationally with offices and operations across the US (New York being its US HQ), UK, Canada, Singapore, and Europe. Over 55% of its revenue now stems from the US market, which is experiencing rapid growth with plans to double the North American team. This global expansion is supported by substantial funding rounds, including a US$15 million Series B investment in 2025 led by Volition Capital, underpinning product development and scaling efforts.

8. Publisher Benefits and Editorial Independence

Publishers working with Linkby maintain complete editorial control — content is created in their style and voice, reflecting traditional PR values rather than direct brand-driven sponsored posts. Publishers are remunerated fairly based on audience engagement, incentivizing them to produce authentic, compelling stories that drive real consumer interest. Additionally, Linkby has implemented robust fraud protection mechanisms to ensure that clicks and traffic are genuine, building trust between publishers, advertisers, and the platform.

9. Diverse Content Formats and Campaign Options

Beyond standard editorial articles, Linkby offers a variety of content formats including standalone reviews, listicle inclusions, newsletter placements, and social media content. The platform also features ‘Sit-Back PR,’ which allows publishers to pitch creative campaign ideas directly to brands. This diversity helps brands tailor their messaging for different touchpoints and audience segments, enhancing campaign relevance and engagement across multiple channels.

10. The Future of Linkby and Performance PR

With the rapid evolution of digital advertising and search driven by AI, Linkby is positioning itself as a leader in the new era of performance-driven PR. The company’s roadmap includes advanced campaign automation, enhanced publisher matching algorithms, and deeper integration with ecommerce platforms like Shopify. As AI-powered discovery replaces traditional SEO, Linkby’s model — which blends editorial trust with performance metrics — is uniquely suited to help brands navigate this transformation and sustain growth.

Conclusion

Linkby stands at the convergence of editorial content and performance marketing, offering an innovative advertising model that benefits both brands and publishers. Its CPC-based approach, global publisher network, and AI-driven optimization reflect a modernized path for brands to achieve measurable editorial coverage without high upfront costs or opaque ROI. As Linkby continues to expand and evolve, it exemplifies how technology and creativity combine to redefine the marketing landscape, prompting the question: Could performance-based PR be the future standard for brand growth and media partnerships?