Overview:
The Friend Landing Experience is where Friends arrive after clicking a referral link. It is their first interaction with your referral program.
This experience should make the reward and next steps immediately clear and drive the Friend to complete the qualifying action, such as signing up or making a purchase.
Types of Experiences
Extole supports multiple Friend Landing Experience formats:
Pop-up or Widget
A branded overlay that appears directly on your website.
Best for: Simple flows with a clear reward and single CTA.
Friend Landing Microsite
A full, standalone page hosted by Extole.
Best for: Programs that require more space or explanation, including:
Detailed reward information
Account creation context
Deep linking to specific experiences
No tech implementation
Embedded Experience
A fully on-site experience where you manage branding directly while Extole captures emails and performs quality checks in the background.
Best for: Brands that want the most integrated, on-brand experience.
Coupon Code Display Options
If your program offers a coupon reward, you can choose how the code is revealed.
Reward on Click
The coupon code appears immediately. No email entry is required.
Benefit: Lowest friction.
Consideration: Does not grow your email list.
Reward on Email Capture
The Friend enters their email address before the coupon code is revealed.
Benefit: Grows your email list.
Consideration: Adds friction and may reduce conversion rate.
When possible, auto-apply coupon codes at checkout to streamline the experience.
Key Metrics to Track
Signup rate (email capture flows): How often friends who click the referral link complete the required email capture/signup step.
Conversion rate: How often referred friends complete the qualifying action (e.g., first purchase) after clicking the referral link (or after signup, if required).
Testing Recommendations
Focus on high-impact variables:
Placement: Test which page triggers the experience.
Coupon application: Test auto-apply vs. manual entry.
Reward clarity: Refine headline, eligibility, and timing.
CTA optimization: Test copy and mobile placement.
Trust cues: Add “Invited by [Name]” or relevant credibility signals.
Best Industry Practices
Follow these guidelines to maximize Friend conversion:
Place the reward and primary CTA above the fold. Design mobile-first.
Focus on one primary action. Avoid competing CTAs.
Be transparent about eligibility rules. Highlight the top 1 to 3 requirements and link to full terms.
Ensure fast load times and reliable referral attribution across sessions and devices.