Last reviewed: 19 May 2025
Quick answer: The fastest way to promote a referral program is to combine post‑purchase touch‑points (email, SMS, on‑site popups) with evergreen channels like social banners and customer portals. Below is a playbook of high‑impact channels and step‑by‑step tactics.
Even the best‑designed referral program falls flat without visibility. Average share rate jumps from 4 % to 12 % when brands add two or more promotion touch‑points (ReferralCandy dataset, Q1 2025). More shares = more clicks = more revenue.
Below are the highest‑converting referral marketing channels for DTC brands:
If you’re still choosing software, our rundown of the best Shopify referral apps can help you pick a tool that supports every channel above.
How many channels should I use?
Start with at least two (email + on‑site) and scale to four‑plus as you track ROI.
What’s the best day to send referral emails?
Thursday and Tuesday see the highest share rates in 2025 data.
Do SMS reminders annoy customers?
Opt‑in SMS with value‑first copy (“Give your friend $10”) maintains < 0.3 % unsubscribe.
Can I promote referrals on paid ads?
Yes, retarget existing customers with a referral‑specific audience for high ROAS.
Ready to boost share rate today? Start by adding a referral widget to your order confirmation page, your easiest win in under 15 minutes.
Raúl Galera is the Growth Lead at ReferralCandy, where they’ve helped 30,000+ eCommerce brands drive sales through referrals and word-of-mouth marketing. Over the past 8+ years, Raúl has worked hands-on with DTC merchants of all sizes (from scrappy Shopify startups to household names) helping them turn happy customers into revenue-driving advocates. Raúl’s been featured on dozens of top eCommerce podcasts, contributed to leading industry publications, and regularly speaks about customer acquisition, retention, and brand growth at industry events.
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