Create a clean, trackable referral link in seconds. Add a referral code, choose your parameter name, and get a ready-to-share URL with optional UTM tracking.
Required fields
The page you want referred visitors to land on (e.g. your homepage or signup page).
A unique identifier for the referrer. Can be a username, ID, or custom code.
The query parameter that carries your referral code in the URL.
Used in the share message templates below.
Fill in the required fields to generate your link.
Quick tips
No credit card required. Set up in minutes.
Referred customers convert more
Customers acquired through a referral have a 16% higher lifetime value on average and convert 3 to 5 times more than cold traffic from paid ads.
Track every referrer separately
A unique code per person means you know exactly who is driving signups. Use that data to reward your top referrers and double down on what works.
Reduce CAC with every share
A referral link costs nothing to distribute. When a share converts, your customer acquisition cost drops. Well-run referral programs can cut CAC by 30 to 40 percent.
Everything you need to know about referral links, how to track them, and how to turn word-of-mouth into a repeatable growth channel.
A referral link is a unique URL that identifies who sent a visitor to your website. When someone clicks the link and completes an action such as signing up or making a purchase, your system records the referral back to the person who shared it. The unique identifier is usually embedded as a query parameter in the URL, for example yourstore.com/signup?ref=john_doe. Referral links are the foundation of any word-of-mouth or refer-a-friend program.
They all serve the same purpose: carrying a referral code in the URL. The parameter name you choose depends on your platform or personal preference. 'ref' is the most widely recognised. 'via' is popular with consumer apps and conveys word-of-mouth naturally. 'r' is short and clean for SMS or character-limited contexts. What matters is consistency: pick one name and use it across all your referral links so your analytics stay clean.
Enable this tool's UTM tracking section and add utm_source (e.g. 'email'), utm_medium (e.g. 'referral'), and utm_campaign (e.g. 'friend_invite'). GA4 will automatically attribute sessions and conversions to those values under Acquisition reports. Your referral parameter (ref=code) is separate and is read by your own application to credit the referrer, while UTM parameters feed attribution data to your analytics platform.
Yes. A referral link on its own lets you manually track who sent traffic. You can read the query parameter in your sign-up flow, store it against the new user's record, and reward the referrer manually. This works well for small-scale programs. When you want automatic reward distribution, fraud detection, multi-tier programs, or bulk link management you will benefit from a purpose-built referral platform like 99minds.
Short and memorable codes work best for links people share verbally or on social media. Options include a first name (sarah), a name and number (sarah42), a customer ID, or a random alphanumeric string for privacy. Avoid spaces and special characters since they can break URLs or get encoded as percent signs. This generator automatically formats your input to remove spaces and keep it URL-safe.
Once your referral link is generated, you can switch between Link, Email, WhatsApp, and SMS templates. Each template formats a ready-to-send message with your referral URL and brand name included. You can copy the message with one click and paste it wherever you plan to share. These are starting-point templates and you should always personalise them before sending.
Shortening is optional. Long URLs with query parameters can look technical and reduce trust on social media. Running your referral link through a URL shortener (such as Bitly or a branded short domain) makes it cleaner and easier to share via QR codes or print materials. The shortener preserves all query parameters when redirecting, so referral attribution and UTM tracking still work correctly.
The technical structure is similar: both are URLs with a unique identifier in a query parameter. The key difference is intent and reward structure. Referral programs reward existing customers for bringing in people they know personally. Affiliate programs recruit external publishers or content creators who promote your brand to an audience they have built. Affiliate links often include network-specific parameters (like ClickBank or Impact IDs) and involve revenue-share commissions, whereas referral rewards are typically store credit, discounts, or gift cards.
Go beyond a single link
99minds gives you a complete referral program platform: automated rewards, fraud detection, multi-tier incentives, and real-time analytics. Launch in minutes and let your customers grow your business for you.