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Growth Playbook

Invites, Sharing & Viral Loops

Why It Works

Referral programs are proven growth drivers because they leverage trust. People are 4x more likely to try something recommended by a friend versus discovering it through ads. PayPal's $20/$20 referral program produced 7-10% daily growth, while Dropbox's free storage rewards drove 3900% growth in 15 months.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Create server-side invite pages that work across all platforms:

// pages/invite.tsx
export default function InvitePage({ code }: { code: string }) {
	useEffect(() => {
		// Redirect to mini app
		window.location.href = `https://world.org/mini-app?app_id=${YOUR_APP_ID}&path=/invite?code=${code}`
	}, [code])

	return <div>Redirecting to mini app...</div>
}

Universal-link format

https://world.org/mini-app?app_id={app_id}&path={path}

Deep-link (opens World App directly if installed)

worldapp://mini-app?app_id={app_id}&path={path}

Need to break out of an in-app web-view? Append open_out_of_window=true.

Create a shareable link that includes the referral information:

function generateInviteLink(userId: string): string {
	const baseUrl = 'https://world.org/mini-app'
	const appId = 'your_app_id'
	const path = encodeURIComponent(`/invite?code=${userId}`)

	return `${baseUrl}?app_id=${appId}&path=${path}`
}

3. Implement Share Functionality

Add share buttons at key moments in your user journey:

import { MiniKit } from '@worldcoin/minikit-js'

async function shareInvite() {
	const inviteLink = generateInviteLink(currentUser.id)

	try {
		await MiniKit.commandsAsync.share({
			title: 'Join me on [Your App Name]!',
			text: `I'm using this amazing mini app. Join me and we both get rewards! 🎁`,
			url: inviteLink,
		})

		// Track the share event
		trackEvent('invite_link_created', {
			user_id: currentUser.id,
			share_method: 'native',
		})
	} catch (error) {
		console.error('Share failed:', error)
	}
}

4. Handle Incoming Referrals

Process referral codes when new users sign up:

// On app initialization
function handleReferral() {
	const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search)
	const refCode = urlParams.get('ref')

	if (refCode && !currentUser.referredBy) {
		// Credit the referrer
		fetch('/api/process-referral', {
			method: 'POST',
			headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
			body: JSON.stringify({
				newUserId: currentUser.id,
				referrerCode: refCode,
			}),
		})
	}
}

5. Reward System

Implement two-sided rewards that benefit both parties:

// api/process-referral.ts
export async function processReferral(data: { newUserId: string; referrerCode: string }) {
	const referrer = await getUserByCode(data.referrerCode)
	if (!referrer) {
		return { success: false, reason: 'invalid_referrer' }
	}

	// Credit both users
	await Promise.all([
		creditUser(referrer.id, {
			type: 'referral_bonus',
			amount: 100,
			reason: 'Friend joined via your invite',
		}),
		creditUser(data.newUserId, {
			type: 'signup_bonus',
			amount: 50,
			reason: 'Welcome bonus for joining via invite',
		}),
	])

	return { success: true }
}

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.worldcoin&referrer=app_id%3D{app_id}%26path%3D{path}

World App prompts the install and then automatically forwards the user to your specified path.

Optimising Social-Share Previews

Specify a meta-tag image in the developer portal. If unset, the first showcase image is used. Localised versions are supported so you can translate on-image text.

Inside World App Discovery

  • Quick Actions: Mini apps can hand off context to one another. Split distinct flows into focused apps that trigger each other with Quick Actions.

  • Widget: Your mini app can live on the phone’s home screen. Prompt the user to add the mini app as a widget in the home screen.

Widget

Widget on iOS

Design Best Practices

Placement Strategy

  • After first value delivery: When user completes their first meaningful action
  • Post-achievement: Right after earning a badge, completing a level, or winning
  • Onboarding finale: As the last step of user setup

Copy That Converts

  • Personal benefit first: "Get 100 coins for each friend who joins"
  • Mutual benefit: "You both get rewards when they sign up"
  • Social proof: "Join 10,000+ users already earning rewards"

Visual Design

  • Use prominent, action-oriented buttons ("Invite Friends", "Share & Earn")
  • Show potential rewards clearly with icons or progress bars
  • Include preview of what the shared content looks like

Metrics to Track

Monitor these key events to measure your viral loop performance:

// Essential tracking events
const events = {
	invite_link_created: { user_id, share_method },
	invite_link_clicked: { ref_code, source },
	signup_source_invite: { ref_code, new_user_id },
	referral_reward_granted: { referrer_id, new_user_id, reward_amount },
}

Key Metrics Dashboard

  • Invite Conversion Rate: (Signups from invites) / (Total invite links clicked)
  • K-Factor: (New users from invites) / (Total active users)
  • Viral Cycle Time: Average time from invite sent to new user activated
  • Reward Cost per Acquisition: Total rewards paid / New users acquired

Quick A/B Test Ideas

Test these variables to optimize your viral loop:

  1. Reward Amount: Test 50 vs 100 vs 200 coin rewards
  2. Timing: Share prompt after first win vs after onboarding
  3. Copy: Personal benefit vs mutual benefit messaging
  4. Incentive Type: Coins vs premium features vs exclusive content

Start with small reward amounts and scale up based on unit economics. Cap total lifetime rewards per user to control costs.

Next Steps

  1. Implement universal links for your invite flow
  2. Add share buttons after key user achievements
  3. Set up two-sided rewards with World ID verification
  4. Track invite metrics and run small A/B tests
  5. Scale successful invite mechanics across more touchpoints