Who is this article for?
This article will be useful to you if are a partner on PartnerStack looking for tips on how to test and share your referral link(s).
When sharing your link, you should be highlighting the solution that you, as an individual or as a company, are providing to your customers.
Don't have a referral link yet? You can create your PartnerStack account, apply to the PartnerStack Network and sign up for your first partnership program in the PartnerStack Marketplace.
Testing your referral link
Once you have joined a program, log in to your PartnerStack dashboard at dash.partnerstack.com/handshake.
- Ensure your browser has 3rd party cookies enabled (here are instructions for Chrome & Safari)
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In your program "Summary" or "Links" tab, copy your link
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Paste your link into a new tab and hit enter
- You will be redirected to the program's set destination page
- You will see the one of the following pairs of tracking information in your fully expanded link: "gspk" & "gsxid", or "ps_partner_key" & "ps_xid"
- After an hour check your program stats panel where you'll see your click registered
- Congratulations! You're ready to add your referral link to your content and start referring partners
My link isn't working
If you are not seeing the above tracking information when you follow your link, or if your test click doesn't register and appear in your dashboard after 2-3 hours reach out to our support team.
Some companies do not allow self-referrals (signing up through your own link). Do not test your link by signing up as this may result in the company you partner with removing you from their program for breaking their Terms of Service.
So you have your referral link now, that's great! But now what? What is the goal behind sharing your referral link?
Your job as a partner is to use your influence to generate clicks that lead to signups and/ or purchases which will earn you commissions!
Where can I share my link?
Sharing your link on Social Media
At a very high level, social media is a great place to reach a lot of people. Creating a Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn page to share your referral link can capture the attention of your target market.
- Upload content (pictures or videos) featuring the product you are sharing and upload it to your social media pages!
- Use hashtags to expand your reach to more people
- If you have a website, blog, or Youtube - write a review on the product or company you are partnered with and share it with your followers!
- Seek relevant forums, online magazines, or review sites to connect you with the right audience
- Facebook and LinkedIn groups are other great hubs that have a lot of engagement with your target audience
Sharing your link by Email
Self-promotion is an important aspect of being a partner. You want to ensure people remember that you have a referral link and who told them about a certain product or gift.
- Attach your referral link to your email signature
- Send out emails to your contact list
- Tell a friend or a coworker
Did you know 20% to 50% of all purchasing decisions are made through word of mouth?
Think about the product you are recommending: Does anyone come to mind (friends, coworkers, clients, etc.)? You know these people better than most people; think about their interests and make a personal recommendation!
Troubleshooting common Instagram roadblocks
- Ensure you are adding your link to the website input field, not the description area
- If you want to shorten your referral link, we recommend that you use bit.ly (your referral activity and commissions will still track properly)
Did you know?
If you switch your personal Instagram account to a business account (which is free to do) you get the following added features, which can positively impact your success as a Partner:
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Insights: This feature offers insights into the performance of your posts, which will help you understand which posts perform well and what content really resonates with your audience.
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Contact: Direct contact options build trust and loyalty when building your brand
- Industry: Clearly stating which Industry you operate within. This is helpful for both building brand recognition within the industry you operate in, as well as creating more networking opportunities.
- Links in Stories: Having the option to add additional links to stories opens up more opportunities for more traffic, as users are reported to take more action after clicking into a story.
Managing your social sharing image
The majority of companies will pre-set the image that appears when sharing your link on social media, but if you are hoping to update it, you can use the following tools to do so:
Do note that you may be limited to what you can do when changing the image, as the company does have primary control over its social sharing image.
Can I share my link in Google Ads, or other paid Ads?
Before sharing your link in paid ads, reach out to the company you partner with, or review their partnership terms and conditions to confirm if this is allowed in their program. Some companies do not allow ad bidding, or the use of paid ads in their partnership program. Breaking a program's terms and conditions can result in your removal from the program.
My full name/partner key is in my extended link, how do I change this?
Your name may be in your fully expanded link if the company you partner with uses UTM tracking in their links. UTM tracking can help companies understand their link performance, and some companies will include the partner_key in their UTM parameters.
Your partner key is created using the first and last name you enter when you create your account. Your partner key cannot be changed from within your dashboard.
To change your partner key reach out to the PartnerStack support team through your in-app chatbot (Top right-hand menu > Technical Support) and let them know what you would like to use as your new partner key. Please note that partner keys are alphanumeric, contain all lowercases, and cannot contain special characters or spaces.