Introduction
Referral campaigns are a powerful marketing tool that turn your existing customers into brand advocates. With Rivo's comprehensive referral campaign builder, you can create highly customized referral campaigns that seamlessly integrate into any page of your website. Our intuitive visual editor allows you to refine layouts, enhance text, create compelling visuals, configure advanced features, and set up sophisticated fraud prevention - all designed to drive customer engagement and boost your referral marketing efforts.
Creating your first campaign (Give $10, Get $10)
In this example, we're going to create a Give $10, Get $10 campaign that rewards both the advocate (your existing customer) and their friend (the new customer).
From the Referral Campaigns page, click New Campaign
Enter the internal name for your campaign and click Save
In General, scroll down to Advocate Incentive and click Add
Select your preferred reward type in the Ways to Redeem prompt. Options include:
Amount Discount - A fixed dollar amount discount
Percentage Off - A percentage discount on purchases
Free Shipping - Remove shipping costs for the customer's order
Free Product - Offer a free product with purchase
Complete the reward preferences:
Reward title (ex. $10 off) - The name that will be displayed to your customers
Discount (ex. $10) - The value of the discount or reward
Minimum cart requirement (optional) - Set a minimum purchase amount required to use the reward
Apply to (optional) - Choose whether the reward applies to all products or specific collections
Purchase type (optional) - Apply to one-time purchases, subscriptions, or both
Reward expiration (optional) - Set how many months before the reward expires to create urgency
Save changes and continue with the Friend Incentive by clicking Add and following the same process
Once you have created both rewards, scroll to the top of the page to access the campaign builder sections
Customize your campaign by toggling between the different sections of the referral campaign builder
Campaign Builder Sections
Customize your campaign by toggling between the different sections of the referral campaign builder. Each section offers comprehensive customization options:
General
Campaign Status - Toggle your campaign ON/OFF. When active, it renders on embedded pages
Campaign Name - Internal name for dashboard identification
Display Type - Choose Inline (embedded in page), Popup (overlay), or None (API-only)
Embedded Campaign Code - HTML snippet to add to your Shopify theme
Advocate & Friend Incentives - Configure discount rewards for both parties
Campaign Expiration - Optional expiration date for urgency
Pages
Customize the copy and behavior for each step of your referral flow:
Advocate Signup - First page with form fields, marketing consent, terms & conditions
Advocate Share - Share page with social options, email invitations, and personal link
Friend Claim - Landing page for referred friends with fraud prevention checks
Friend Reward - Success page with discount code and auto-apply options
Advocate Reward - Reward page for advocates after successful referrals
Design
Colors & Branding - Primary/secondary colors, header, title, button, and footer styling
Typography - Font families, sizes, and text alignment options
Layout Options - Custom heights, background types (Cover/Columns), and positioning
Share Mode - Display social sharing as Blocks or Tabs
Email Features - Enable subject customization, notes, and 3-day reminders
Background Images - Upload custom backgrounds (recommended: 1420 x 800px)
Advanced
Custom CSS - Add your own styling code for complete design control
Post-Purchase Overlays - Show referral prompts to returning customers with timing controls
Streamlined Mode - Enable simplified referral flow for faster conversions
Custom Landing Path - Set custom URL paths for your campaign
All Orders Eligible - Allow rewards for all order types, not just first purchases
Click Save to save the changes and don't forget to set your campaign live by toggling the Campaign Status to ON.
📝 Important Note: Make sure to save changes before switching to a different heading of the referral campaign editor.
💡 Find out more: For more detailed information on customizing your referral campaign, check out our Referral Campaign Builder guide and Referral Reward Types.
Social Sharing & Email Invitations
Rivo's referral campaigns support multiple sharing channels to maximize your reach and make it easy for advocates to share with their networks.
Available Sharing Channels
Email Invitations - Send personalized emails directly to friends with custom subject lines and messages
Facebook - Share referral links on Facebook with automatic link previews
Twitter - Tweet referral links with customizable messages
SMS - Send referral links via text message with custom messages
WhatsApp - Share through WhatsApp with personalized messages
Direct Link - Copy and paste the referral link anywhere
Email Invitation System
The email invitation feature allows advocates to send personalized referral emails directly through your campaign:
Multiple Recipients - Send to multiple email addresses at once using comma-separated lists
Custom Subject Lines - Advocates can personalize email subject lines
Personal Messages - Add custom notes to make invitations more personal
Automatic Reminders - Send follow-up emails after 3 days to increase conversion rates
Frequency Limits - Built-in limits prevent spam (maximum 3 invitations per email address with 3-day cooldown)
💡 Pro Tip: Enable email subject and note customization to increase engagement rates. Personal messages from friends perform significantly better than generic referral emails.
Embedding your campaign
There are several ways to integrate your referral campaign into your store:
Dedicated Landing Page - Create a dedicated page on your website for your referral program
Navigation Menu - Add a link to your referral campaign in your store's main navigation
Pop-up Buttons - Create buttons that open your referral campaign in a popup window
Post-Purchase Pop-up - Display a referral campaign popup when customers return to your store after making a purchase
✨ Learn more about embedding options: Add your dedicated referrals landing page to your website → or Add a referral campaign pop-up →
Best Practices for Successful Campaigns
Keep your rewards balanced - Offer compelling rewards for both advocates and friends, but make sure they align with your profit margins
Create urgency - Set expiration dates for rewards to encourage quicker redemption
Make sharing easy - Enable multiple sharing options (email, social media) and customize the sharing messages
Promote your campaign - Feature your referral program prominently on your website, in emails, and across social media
Test your campaign - Before full launch, test the entire referral process to ensure everything works smoothly
Common questions
Can I have multiple referral campaigns active at one time?
Yes! This flexibility is particularly beneficial when tailoring campaigns to specific layouts and designs or when A/B testing different reward structures.
What campaign will my customers view if I have created multiple campaigns?
At the moment, the last campaign edited will be your default campaign when both advocate and referred friend claim their rewards, regardless of the other active campaigns. Make sure to share the same rewards across your campaigns for consistency.
What's the maximum amount of referral campaigns I can have?
There is no limit! A/B test to your heart's desire.
How do I know if my referral campaign is working?
Track performance using the Referral Analytics feature, which shows statistics on referred orders, conversion rates, and impact on sales.
Can I customize the emails sent to customers during the referral process?
Yes! In the Design section of your campaign, you can enable email customization options that allow advocates to personalize subject lines and messages when sharing via email.
What advanced features are available for referral campaigns?
Advanced features include post-purchase overlays for returning customers, streamlined mode for faster conversions, custom CSS styling, custom landing paths, and the ability to make all order types eligible for rewards (not just first purchases).
How do I prevent referral fraud?
Rivo includes built-in fraud prevention tools such as IP address validation, email verification, self-referral blocking, and frequency limits. For more details, see our Referrals Fraud Prevention Tools guide.
Can I customize the design and branding of my referral campaign?
Absolutely! The Design section offers extensive customization including colors, typography, layout options, background images, and even custom CSS for complete design control. You can match your brand perfectly.