The Linkby Download You Didn't Know You Needed feat. Reid Webb
Finally: Someone Explains Linkby in Plain English
If you've been in the PR industry for any length of time, you've probably heard about Linkby. You've also probably been confused by it.
What is it exactly? How does it actually work? And why should you care?
In our first-ever Affiliate Manager Q&A, (which will be a regular feature in the substack), we sat down with Reid Webb, one of our favorite affiliate managers to get real answers. Reid has worked on both sides—he was skeptical of Linkby when he was at The Daily Beast, then joined their team after seeing the results firsthand.
In this Q&A, Reid breaks down:
What Linkby actually is (beyond the buzzwords)
How their model differs from traditional affiliate programs
Why publishers prefer working with them over direct brand outreach
His best tips for selecting products that actually get coverage
No fluff, no hype—just straight talk from someone who knows the industry inside and out.
Read the full interview to finally understand what all the Linkby talk is about plus more insights from ASE.
Meet Reid Webb. If you don’t already know him, go on connect! He is such an incredibly responsive affiliate manager. I first met him at ASE a few years ago when he was speaking on a panel on behalf of The Daily Beast. When I first thought about creating a Substack, I send these questions over his way and then slept on them.
Well, we’re excited to finally bring you all the details with our first ever Affiliate Manager Q&A which will be a staple in our future content.
Can you share a little bit about your history in affiliate marketing and the publishing industry?
Like many people, I think I landed in affiliate by accident. I watched Mad Men in college and switched my major to advertising thinking I’d land some cushy writing job in New York overlooking the park. Of course that wasn’t the case.
Cut to me working at a boutique agency writing ad copy on a handful of paid social accounts for some no-name-dog-treat brands and ambulance-chasing law offices. Sadly, we lost a critical portion of our portfolio, essentially making my salary unjustified. But the founder said he didn’t want to lay me off and asked if I would want to switch over to the affiliate team. At the time, I don’t think I even knew what affiliate meant but like any sane person, I thought I would much rather have a job than no job.
The rest has been a dream.
Tell us about Linkby.
Linkby is many things but the easiest way to boil it down is that it’s a marketplace for premium brands and publishers to work together on a Cost-per-click basis. It’s a performance model that pays publishers on every click driven to an advertisers site.
It’s funny to admit this now but I had previously been a skeptic of Linkby when I was first pitched a partnership during my time at The Daily Beast’s shopping vertical, Scouted. We had worked with CPC networks before and I had always felt the model wasn’t scalable blah blah blah. But their team (my now boss Vanessa) was persistent about giving it a test and to my surprise, we blew the doors off with our first piece of content. It took our average return on a piece of commerce content from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. For a small team like we were, that changed how we looked at partnership opportunities and allowed us the freedom to hire experimental roles on other projects for Scouted.
But once I saw the job listing come up over here at Linkby, I knew I wanted to join the team and help other publishers work the benefits of an integrated CPC strategy.
What are 3 fun facts about you?
I worked at an Edgar Allan Poe themed restaurant.
I dropped out of college for a semester to apprentice becoming a body piercer but quickly turned tail and re-enrolled after realizing I couldn’t stand the sight of blood (please don’t send this to my mom she thinks I just missed registration)
I recently became a dog-dad to a 2-year-old chihuahua rescue named Cowboy.
Can you explain how Linkby’s affiliate marketing model works and how it differs from traditional affiliate programs?
Traditionally, the affiliate model has always been “write about this product and if your readers buy it, we’ll give you a portion of the sale” — which is great! But if you’ve been in the industry long enough then you know there are a million reasons and maybe a few can’t-be-named-coupon-extension-sites who get in the way of you getting your fair share of that commission.
Linkby believes that content creators and publishers should be properly rewarded for the intent that they provide for advertisers/brands. If you write a piece of content that gets a user to CLICK to a brand’s site, then you’ve done your job. Full stop.
What types of brands or product categories have seen the most success with Linkby’s platform?
It’s easier to list the ones that haven’t done well because there are so few. At this point, we’ve worked with thousands of brands across just about every category you can think of. We’ve also built a diverse network of publisher partners across every niche, so there’s truly a fit for any brand looking to drive coverage for their products.
How does Linkby help ensure that affiliate partners align with a brand’s image and target audience?
While Linkby uses smart algorithms, it’s the human touch that really sets us apart. Our partnerships team brings deep expertise in publisher performance and is quick to spot unique opportunities for brands, often uncovering placements they might not have considered.
What are some key metrics or KPIs brands should track to assess their success with Linkby?
It really comes down to what the objective is that the brand is looking for. Everybody of course wants ROI but new-to-market brands might need to spend a little more effort in getting brand awareness before chasing hard-line sales.
We often hear from brands that they’ve poured time and resources into trying to land coverage with their “dream publisher,” only to burn out in the process. That’s why it’s always such a treat when we’re able to make it happen for them through a performance model rather than requiring a flat fee.
What should publicists know about selecting the right products or collections for Linkby promotions?
Lean into the moment: Align promotions with upcoming holidays, seasons, or cultural moments (e.g., Mother's Day, Back to School, Summer Essentials).
Tap into trends: Think of trending categories like quiet luxury, SPF skincare, or Barbiecore — topical relevance boosts interest.
What makes it stand out? Whether it’s a viral ingredient, celebrity backing, or a sustainability hook, make it easy for writers to frame the product.
Know the outlet: Think about whether the product fits with fashion-forward audiences, budget-conscious readers, or luxury-leaning publications. If you want to know more about a site, our teams can tell you!
Don’t promote what’s low on stock: Publishers get frustrated if a product goes viral and sells out immediately.
How involved is Linkby in the content creation process for affiliate partnerships? Do you help with campaign strategy or messaging?
Linkby is built as a self-serve platform, with automation providing helpful tips and guidance throughout the campaign setup process. But that doesn’t mean you’re on your own—our team is always checking in and ready to support. We often see brands focus only on the major publishing houses, not realizing there may be a niche partner who’s an even better fit. We’re here to help you find those opportunities and ensure you have a great experience on the platform.
What recommendations do you have for brands to optimize product pages or descriptions to increase affiliate-driven conversions?
I could write out a million things here but the most important is to make sure your landing page is completely optimized by eliminating any barriers to purchase. Don’t waste people’s time and they will buy spontaneously!
Are there any tools or resources Linkby offers to help brands monitor their affiliate program performance in real-time?
We integrate with most major affiliate networks, allowing brands to add UTM parameters and track campaign performance in real time. We also offer something called Publisher Pitches—where publishers can proactively reach out with collaboration ideas. These can range from inclusion in a planned roundup, like top summer drinks, to a dedicated feature on your brand’s upcoming product launch.
How should publicists communicate the benefits of affiliate partnerships through Linkby to their clients, especially those who are new to affiliate marketing?
I’m going to pull a quote directly from my friend Jasbir Nijor who recently brought some of his agency’s brands to the Linkby platform.
“to put it bluntly: having a team of people ready to help promote briefs, contact pubs, and move things along is way f*cking better than banging my head against the wall for 2 months just to pay 5 grand and have the publisher put my brand below my biggest competitor. TLDR: Linkby adds value for my agency because I can "get" PR hella easily.”
Chef’s kiss, Jas. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Why would someone choose to use Linkby instead of doing a CPC model directly with the platform/outlet. Do they truly just not offer the same types of deals directly to brands as they do through Linkby?
Linkby certainly didn’t invent CPC. It’s a standard payout model used across the industry but no one had truly figured out how to apply it effectively in the context of editorial content until Linkby came along.
Most major publishers don’t offer editorial inclusion on a CPC basis directly to brands because it’s operationally complex to execute for one-off partnerships. When brands go direct, they're typically routed to sponsored content teams offering flat-fee branded packages—not performance-driven editorial.
Traditional affiliate networks don’t always offer CPC, because it conflicts with their core CPA (cost-per-action) model. These networks monetize through rev-share deals with advertisers, whereas Linkby flips the model and shares revenue with publishers instead. Offering CPC could raise trust concerns among advertiser partners, especially if there's a risk of click inflation to chase payouts. You will see some of the sub-affiliate networks offer it but if you ask publishers, each will tell you a different tale of why it didn't work for them at scale.
Linkby solves this with its proprietary tracking technology, combined with third-party verification, to protect advertisers from non-human traffic. As AI-driven bots become more sophisticated, ensuring that clicks come from real users is critical. Otherwise, advertisers could lose budget without even realizing it.
Want to connect with Reid to learn more? We think you will.
Reid Webb
Current Email: [email protected]
Connect with him on LinkedIn here.
