App Onboarding
Mobile referral programmes
Plan a mobile referral programme around a useful invitation, a clear qualifying action, controlled rewards and the later experience of referred users.
A mobile referral programme lets existing users recommend an app and, where appropriate, rewards a defined outcome. Start with a useful invitation and a clear rule for who qualifies. A shared link, an install and a completed task are separate events, so decide which one matters before offering a reward.
Start with a reason to recommend the app
Ask what a user can honestly say the app helps someone do. Prompt for referrals only after the user has experienced that benefit. If the useful result remains hard to reach, an incentive may generate invitations without helping those invited.
State who can invite, who can accept, what each person receives and when. Put material account, location and product conditions beside the offer. If a service is available only in selected Australian areas, check eligibility before promising a benefit the invited person cannot use.
| Programme decision | Question to settle |
|---|---|
| Invitation | What useful task does the message describe? |
| Qualification | What completed action makes an invited user eligible? |
| Reward | Who receives it, when, and under what limits? |
| Review | Did invited users reach the task and return when another need arose? |
Let people choose how to share
Offer a short invitation and a referral link or code. Device sharing controls can let users choose a destination without the app importing their address books. Make the message editable where the receiving app allows it. Opening a share menu or copying a link shows sharing activity, but neither proves someone received an invitation.
Keep the message and landing page consistent. If a benefit depends on a completed task or expires, explain that condition before sharing and when the recipient arrives.
Define the qualifying outcome
Choose a qualifying outcome that reflects a useful completed result, not a link, an install or a button tap alone. Make the rule clear to both the referrer and the invited user before they act.
Control the reward
Set clear eligibility rules and review limits in advance. Check eligibility before awarding a reward. A shared device or repeated account detail may warrant investigation, but one signal alone does not prove abuse. Limit access to reward and review data to those who need it.
Use customer value and the work required to handle a referral as inputs to reward decisions. Do not select an incentive without considering the programme's economics.
Choose who can refer and how often to ask
Decide which groups can take part rather than assuming the programme is only for existing customers. Depending on the programme, eligible referrers might include customers, employees or partners, and each group may need different invitation wording and rules.
Set an asking rhythm that matches how often the business can reach those people. Make that choice explicit so invitations do not become an indiscriminate prompt.
Collect only what the programme needs
Before collecting information to run referrals, identify what is necessary for the programme's functions. The OAIC's APP 3 guidance says organisations covered by the Australian Privacy Principles may collect personal information only where it is reasonably necessary for their functions or activities.
It also says collection must be by lawful and fair means. Generally, it must come from the individual concerned unless that is unreasonable or impracticable.
Judge the invited user’s experience
Follow accepted referrals through to the qualifying outcome and review whether the invited user experience is sound. Compare programme cost with useful outcomes. Referred and other users may differ before joining, so a higher rate alone does not show that the programme caused the difference.
Use the findings to make a specific decision. Clarify an invitation, repair a task people cannot finish, revise a reward rule or stop an offer whose cost and user experience do not justify it.
Key Metrics to Track in a Referral Programme
- Referral conversion rate
- Percentage of invited users who complete the qualifying action.
- Cost per acquisition (CPA)
- Total programme cost divided by number of successful referrals.
- Referrer retention rate
- Proportion of rewarded referrers who continue using the app after receiving incentive.
- Spam compliance rate
- Percentage of shared invitations that comply with ACMA spam guidelines.
In this guide
- Choosing an app action that can support a referralChoose a referral qualifying action that reflects a useful completed task, with clear eligibility, timing and reversal rules.
- Designing referral sharing without exposing private contactsDesign a referral share flow that lets users choose where to share without importing contacts, while keeping links and conditions clear.
- Preventing repeated referral rewardsDefine one referral entitlement, make credit retries safe, resolve competing claims and reconcile issued rewards.
- Measuring referred users by activation and retentionDefine a referred-user cohort, calculate activation and useful return rates, and compare outcomes without confusing installs or causation.
