How to Create a Viral Refer-a-Friend Giveaway

A refer a friend giveaway is a contest where participants earn bonus entries by sharing with friends. Referred users convert 3 to 5 times better than cold traffic, and Nielsen research shows people are 77% more likely to buy when a friend recommends something.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to plan, build, and promote a referral giveaway that actually grows your list.

Why Referral Giveaways Work

Referral giveaways grow your list faster because they tap into trust. According to Nielsen, people are 77% more likely to buy a product when a friend recommends it.

That trust extends to many types of contests too. When someone shares your contest with a friend, they’re vouching for it. The friend is more likely to enter because the recommendation came from someone they know.

Referral traffic is also more targeted. People don’t spam their entire contact list. They share with friends who would actually be interested in the prize.

This means you’re not just collecting more emails. You’re collecting emails from people who are a better fit for what you sell.

Step 1: How to Plan a Refer-a-Friend Giveaway

A successful referral giveaway starts with three decisions: who you’re targeting, what you’re offering, and how people will enter.

Find the Right People to Spread the Word

Your best referrers are people who already know and trust your brand. Start with your email list. Subscribers who open your emails regularly and have purchased before are most likely to share.

Social followers work too, but email subscribers typically convert better because they’ve already opted in.

If you want faster reach, consider partnering with an influencer in your niche. One share from the right person can drive more entries than a week of your own promotion. Build the relationship first. Comment on their posts, share their content, then make the ask.

Set a Clear Goal

Your goal shapes every other decision. Here are the most common ones:

• Grow your email list: Make email signup the primary entry method. Add referral sharing as a bonus action.
• Drive sales: Offer a coupon code to everyone who enters. Give a bigger discount to people who refer friends.
• Build brand awareness: Run a voting contest where friends need to vote for entries. Every voter becomes a potential customer.

Pick one main goal. Trying to do everything dilutes your results.

Choose a Prize Worth Sharing

The prize determines whether people bother to share. It needs to be desirable enough to motivate action but relevant enough to attract your target audience.

Gift cards and gadgets get lots of entries, but many of those people will never buy from you. A prize tied to your product or niche attracts fewer entries from better-qualified leads.

For example, if you sell photography gear, a camera bag works better than an iPad. You’ll get fewer total entries but more people who actually care about photography.

Include the prize value in your giveaway title. “$500 Camera Gear Giveaway” performs better than “Photography Prize Pack.”

Here is a list of loads more proven contest prize ideas for inspiration.

Make Entry Simple

Every extra step loses participants. The ideal flow: enter email, click share, done.

Give people a script they can copy and paste. Something like: “I just entered to win [prize]. Want to try? Join here: [link]”

Let them share however they prefer. Some people use Facebook, others prefer email or text. Offer multiple options.

Write Clear Rules

Your rules protect you and set expectations. Cover these basics:

• Who can enter (age, location)
• How to enter and earn bonus entries
• What the prize is and whether it can be exchanged for cash
• When the giveaway ends
• How you’ll pick and contact the winner

Keep the language simple. If your rules need a lawyer to understand, participants won’t read them.

Step 2: How to Set Up Your Refer-a-Friend Giveaway

The fastest way to create a referral giveaway on WordPress is with RafflePress.

RafflePress is a WordPress giveaway plugin that makes it easy to run an online contest on your website that drives subscribers, followers, and traffic.

The plugin includes a ready-made template that handles referral tracking automatically.

Here’s how to set it up:

Install and Activate RafflePress

Download RafflePress from your account dashboard and upload it to WordPress. If you need help with plugin installation, see this guide on installing RafflePress.

After activating the plugin, enter your license key. You’ll find it in your RafflePress account under Downloads.

Choose the Refer-a-Friend Template

Go to RafflePress » Add New. Give your giveaway a name, then select the Viral Refer-a-Friend Template.

This giveaway template comes pre-configured with two entry methods: joining your email list and referring friends. Each referral gives participants bonus entries, which motivates sharing.

Add Your Prize Details

Click the prize section to add your prize name, description, and image. Include the prize value in the title if you can. Giveaways that show specific dollar amounts tend to get more entries.

If you’re offering multiple prizes, click Add Another Prize and repeat.

Configure Entry Methods

The template includes two default actions:

Join an Email Newsletter: Connects to your email provider so new subscribers enter automatically. Go to the Integrations tab to connect your list.

Refer a Friend (Viral): Gives participants a unique link to share. You can enable sharing via Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and email.

Click the Refer a Friend action to customize how many bonus entries each referral earns. I typically use 1 to 3 entries per referral. More than that can dilute your winner pool.

You can add other actions from the Actions tab if you want participants to follow you on social media or visit a specific page.

Customize the Design

Click the Design tab to change your layout, button colors, and background. You can upload a custom background image if you want the giveaway to match your branding.

Set Your Rules

Go to Settings » Giveaway Rules and click Generate Rules. RafflePress creates a basic set of contest rules covering eligibility, entry period, and prize details.

Review and edit these to match your specific requirements. For more guidance, see our complete guide to writing giveaway rules.

Step 3: Launch and Promote Your Giveaway

A giveaway that nobody sees won’t generate referrals. Promotion starts before you go live and continues throughout the contest.

Publish Your Giveaway

RafflePress gives you three publishing options: embed on an existing page, use a shortcode, or create a standalone landing page.

The landing page option usually performs best. It removes distractions and keeps visitors focused on entering. Click the Publish tab, then enable the Giveaway Landing Page option. Set your URL slug to something short and memorable.

Before going live, test the full entry flow yourself. Make sure referral links generate correctly and track back to the original entrant.

Promote to Your Existing Audience First

Your email subscribers and social followers are your best initial promoters. They already trust you and are most likely to share.

Send a dedicated email announcing the giveaway. Include the prize, deadline, and a direct link. Keep it short. One clear call to action works better than multiple options.

Post on your social channels with a strong visual of the prize. Pin the post so new visitors see it first.

Build Momentum During the Contest

Add a banner to your homepage linking to the giveaway. This catches visitors who arrive through other pages.

Create a leaderboard showing top referrers. Public recognition motivates people to share more. You can build this manually or use a tool like Jeeng to display real-time standings.

Post reminder content throughout the contest. Share updates on entry counts or highlight the prize again. A mid-contest push often brings a second wave of entries.

Submit to Giveaway Directories

Sweepstakes directories drive additional traffic from people actively looking for contests to enter. These visitors often share heavily because they want to maximize their chances.

Submit your giveaway to sites like Contestgirl, Sweepstakes Advantage, and similar directories. The traffic quality varies, but it adds volume and helps your referral mechanics work.

For more ideas, see these contest promotion tips.

Step 4. Pick a Winner and Follow Up

A random draw is the fairest way to choose your winner. It removes bias and keeps your contest legally compliant.

How to Select a Winner

In RafflePress, go to RafflePress » Giveaways and click the “Needs Winners” link next to your contest.

You’ll see every participant and their total entries. Click “Pick Winner,” select your options, and click “Choose Winners Now.”

The winner is highlighted instantly. Click “Email Winner” to notify them directly from the dashboard.

Announce the Results Publicly

Post the winner on social media and tag them. This builds credibility for future giveaways and shows participants their entry mattered.

Send a thank-you email to everyone who entered. Include a consolation offer like a discount code. This turns non-winners into customers and keeps them engaged for your next contest.

Review What Worked

Check your RafflePress Entries Report to see which actions drove the most entries. These are contest metrics that actually matter.

Go to RafflePress » Giveaways, click “Users” under your giveaway, then click “Entries Report.”

The pie chart shows how participants entered. If referrals drove 60% of entries, lean harder into that next time. If social shares underperformed, test a different platform.

Track traffic and conversions with MonsterInsights to see how giveaway visitors behaved on your site. This tells you whether referrals turned into real leads or just contest entries.

Popular Refer-a-Friend Giveaway Ideas

Here are some proven examples and ideas to inspire your refer-a-friend giveaway:

• Product Launch Referral Giveaway: Offer early product access or exclusive discounts for referring friends before your big launch with a product launch giveaway.
• Email Subscriber Referral Contest: Give existing subscribers bonus entries for every new signup they refer to your newsletter.
• Social Media Sharing Giveaway: Participants earn entries by sharing giveaway posts and tagging friends on platforms like Instagram and Twitter.
• Customer Loyalty Referral Program: Reward loyal customers who bring in new customers with special discounts or free merchandise with these brand loyalty strategies.
• Milestone Celebration Giveaway: Celebrate hitting a business milestone (like reaching 10,000 followers) with a high-value prize, encouraging referrals to reach the goal faster.

For even more ideas, check out this list of refer-a-friend promotion ideas for small businesses.

FAQs About Refer-a-Friend Giveaways

Now that you know how to create a viral refer-a-friend giveaway, go ahead and get started! Not only will you delight your audience with the chance to win a fantastic prize, but you’ll also increase your brand awareness and get more leads to grow your business.

What are you waiting for?

You might also find the following giveaway and contest guides helpful:

• How to Use Contest SEO to Boost Your Website’s Rankings
• Simple Contest Ideas Proven to Promote Your Business
• Refer a Friend Promotion Ideas for Small Businesses

If you liked this article, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for RafflePress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.