Australia social media start-up Linktree raises $45m

Existing investors Airtree Ventures and Insight Partners also took part. It follows a $10.7 million Series A in October last year. Dan Rose, chairman of Coatue and previously an executive at Amazon and Facebook, will join the Linktree board.

Linktree provides businesses and entrepreneurs with social media profile landing pages that allow them to direct their audiences to other websites or internet content. The crux of the service is that social media feeds typically limit users to only one link in their profile bio. By simply expanding one link into many, the company claims to facilitate more engrossing audience engagement.

“What Linktree has created is a new and deeper way to connect with the brands and people that matter to you,” Danny Rimer, a partner at Index, said in a statement. “It reflects the changing nature of these relationships, where we place much more value on transparency and authenticity. In an online world that is fragmented and noisy, Linktree is the only link you will ever need. But it's more than a link. It is a starting point for building a closer connection.”

Linktree claims to have more than 12 million users globally, four million of whom signed up in the last three months. Target clients include brands, artists, publishers, agencies, creators, and small businesses that want to curate an online ecosystem. It is used by the likes of Jamie Oliver, Qantas, and Major League Baseball. According to Forbes, the platform currently averages 32,000 signups a day, up 300% compared to March 2020.

Linktree users include a number of current and former portfolio companies of Index and Coatue, including Facebook, Shopify, Patreon, and TikTok. The new funding will go towards building out the currently 80-strong team and developing new products, including tools to make social commerce easier so more transactions can happen with fewer clicks. Part of the plan is to open a network of “creator hubs” that will double Linktree offices. The first of these will be established in Los Angeles.

“There’s been a sea change when it comes to how we interact with the brands and creators we love,” Alex Zaccaria, co-founder and CEO, Linktree, added. “We want to understand them holistically and connect with them directly; we learn about their values, philanthropic causes, passion projects and promotions through social media where we’re spending our time. There’s no longer a need for brand-immersive websites or big campaigns to make a memorable impression or drive engagement.”

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• Topics
• Australasia
• Consumer
• Media
• Early-stage
• Australia
• Coatue Management
• AirTree Ventures
• TMT