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Setting Up Referrals

Overview​

Sociable includes a built-in referral system that allows users to invite others and earn points for successful referrals. Each user receives a unique referral code that can be shared.

How Referrals Work​

  1. Referral Code Generation: Each user receives a unique 8-character referral code when their profile is created
  2. Sharing: Users share their referral code or personalized referral link
  3. Registration: New users register using the referral code
  4. Tracking: The system links the new user to their referrer
  5. Rewards: Points are awarded to the referrer

User Referral Codes​

Automatic Code Generation​

When a user profile is created, Sociable automatically generates a unique 8-character referral code:

FieldDescription
referral_codeUnique uppercase alphanumeric code (e.g., A1B2C3D4)
referred_byUser ID of the person who referred them

Finding Your Referral Code​

Users can find their referral code in their profile:

  1. Go to Profile
  2. Navigate to Settings or Referrals section
  3. Copy the referral code or link

The referral link format:

https://yoursite.com/register?ref=CODE

Where CODE is the user's 8-character referral code.

Referral Points​

Setting Up Referral Points​

Configure points rewards for successful referrals:

  1. Go to Components → Sociable → Points Rules
  2. Click Sync Rules to import default rules
  3. Find or create the referral rule
  4. Configure:
FieldRecommended Value
Rule Namecom_sociable.referral
TitleSuccessful Referral
Points20-50 (your preference)
Daily Limit0 (unlimited) or set limit

Points Triggers​

EventWho EarnsTypical Points
User registers via referralReferrer20
Referred user completes profileReferrer10 (bonus)

Tracking Referrals​

Admin View​

View referral statistics:

  1. Go to Components → Sociable → Users
  2. View the Referred By column
  3. Click on a user to see who they referred

User Statistics​

Users can track their referral stats:

  • Total referrals made
  • Points earned from referrals
  • Recent referral activity

Enabling the Referral System​

Step 1: Enable User Plugin​

The User plugin processes referral codes during registration:

  1. Go to System → Manage → Plugins
  2. Enable User - Sociable
  3. Ensure "Auto Create Profile" is enabled

Step 2: Configure Points​

Set up points rewards:

  1. Go to Components → Sociable → Settings → Gamification
  2. Enable Points System
  3. Go to Points Rules
  4. Configure the referral rule with desired points

Step 3: Enable Registration​

Ensure registrations are allowed:

  1. Go to Components → Sociable → Settings → Profiles
  2. Enable Allow Registration

SDK Integration​

Award referral points programmatically:

$sociable = Sociable::getInstance();

// Award referral points to the referrer
$sociable->points()->award('com_sociable.referral', $referrerId, [
    'target_type' => 'user',
    'target_id' => $newUserId,
    'description' => 'Referred a new user',
]);

Database Structure​

Referral data is stored in the #__sociable_users table:

ColumnTypeDescription
referral_codeCHAR(8)Unique referral code
referred_byINTUser ID of referrer

Best Practices​

Promotion​

  • Display referral codes prominently in user profiles
  • Create a dedicated referral page
  • Include referral links in email signatures

Incentives​

  • Offer meaningful point rewards
  • Consider tiered bonuses for multiple referrals
  • Create referral-based badges

Preventing Abuse​

  • Monitor for self-referral attempts
  • Set reasonable daily limits if needed
  • Verify new user accounts are legitimate

Badges for Referrals​

Create badges to reward top referrers:

BadgeCriteria
First Referral1 successful referral
Growing Network5 referrals
Community Builder25 referrals
Ambassador100 referrals

Create rules in Components → Sociable → Badge Rules using the referrals metric.

Troubleshooting​

Referral Code Not Working​

  • Verify the code exists and is valid
  • Check user hasn't already registered
  • Ensure registration is enabled

Points Not Awarded​

  • Confirm referral points rule is published
  • Check User plugin is enabled
  • Verify Points system is enabled
  • User profile may not be created yet
  • Check user has a valid referral_code in database

Next Steps​