How to create a user referral system in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a User Referral System in Bubble.io

 

Building a user referral system in Bubble.io is an outstanding way to drive user growth by incentivizing existing users to invite new ones to join your application. This guide provides an exhaustive, step-by-step approach to creating a user referral system within Bubble.io's dynamic environment.

 

Prerequisites

 

• A Bubble.io account with a project where you want to implement the referral system.
• Basic understanding of Bubble.io's interface, including workflows, data types, and elements.
• A prepared design or UI layout where the referral system will be featured, such as a user dashboard.
• Basic understanding of how email or notifications work in Bubble.io for sending referral invites.

 

Setting Up Your Data Structure

 

• Create a new data type for referral tracking in your Bubble.io app. Navigate to the Data tab and click on 'Data Types'.
• Add a new data type called 'Referral', which will store information related to referrals.
• Create fields within the "Referral" data type:
• Referrer (User): Reference the User data type to track the user sending the referral.
• Referral Code (Text): Unique code generated for each user to share for referrals.
• Invitee Email (Text): Store the email address to which the referral invite was sent, if applicable.
• Status (Text): Track the status of the referral (e.g., "Pending", "Completed").

 

Setting Up Referral Code Generation

 

• Go to your workflow editor in Bubble.io, and select the workflows for user signup or profile completion.
• Add an action within this workflow to generate a unique referral code for each user. Use Bubble.io's 'Random string generator' feature to create the referral code.
• Save this referral code to the user's record in the database by making changes to the current user's data.

 

Creating a Referral System UI

 

• Design a section in your app, such as a user dashboard or profile, where users can see and manage their referral information.
• Include elements like a text field to show the generated referral code and buttons to share via email or social media.
• To implement invite sharing, use Bubble.io's 'Send Email' action in your workflow that triggers when a user clicks a 'Share' button.
• In the email workflow, include the user's referral link which append their unique referral code, e.g., https://yourapp.com/signup?referral=CODE.

 

Setting Up Referral Tracking and Rewards

 

• Set up a workflow to detect when a new user signs up with a referral code. Check URL parameters during user signup using Bubble.io's 'Get Data from Page URL' action.
• If a referral code is present in the URL, check your 'Referral' data type to validate and track the referral.
• Update the referral's status to "Completed" after successful user signup.
• Implement logic to give rewards or points to the referring user once the referred user completes an action, such as account creation or first purchase.

 

Testing and Validating the Referral System

 

• Thoroughly test the referral system by going through the process: creating referral codes, sharing them, and using them on new signups.
• Ensure each step updates your database correctly, such as tracking status changes and applying rewards.
• Test email deliverability and check that links work as expected, especially using different devices and email clients.

 

Deploying the Referral System

 

• Once testing is complete and the referral system works seamlessly in the Bubble.io development environment, prepare to deploy.
• Move to the production environment by deploying your Bubble.io application.
• Monitor referral activities regularly to catch and resolve any potential issues promptly post-deployment.

 

By following these steps, you can successfully implement a robust user referral system within Bubble.io. This enhances user engagement and broadens your application's reach through social sharing while rewarding users for their advocacy.