In this article:

1. Creating refcodes
2. Analyzing and visualizing your refcodes
3. Using multiple refcodes

A refcode (reference code) is a short word or phrase added to the end of a URL to make it unique and trackable.

We highly recommend using refcodes to collect data on what links your supporters are clicking. For example, you could use the refcode "email" in a link you're sending out via email and the refcode "website" in a link on your website. You can then track refcode data from your Statistics page and see how they compare. Learn more about using refcodes.

Here are some common use cases for refcodes:

• If you’re testing content, refcodes will help you determine which message works best for your supporters.
• If you’re asking supporters to fundraise on your behalf or planning an event with fundraising hosts, you can give them custom links and track their donations.
• If you’ve got multiple links in an email, you can find out which link most people use to give.

There are many more ways for admins to use refcodes. We recommend using refcodes for every fundraising link you send out.

Creating Refcodes

Head to the Contribution Forms tab of your Dashboard and open your form.

Under the “More” dropdown in the navigation bar at the top of your screen, select “Promote.”

A pop-up appears with sections for you to customize your URL.

 

Copy the link at the top of the page to paste your refcode in a fundraising email or on your website.

For accurate data, don’t repeat any refcodes on the same contribution form.

You can make as many refcodes as you want using the custom URL builder. Just copy the new link each time you make a new refcode.

If you’re using ActBlue Express Lane, refcodes are critical for determining which donation link amounts people click. Contact us with any questions about using refcodes with the ActBlue Express Lane. 

Analyzing and Visualizing Your Refcodes

To see which refcode raised the most money, open your contribution form and click the “Stats” button.

You can view how much money each refcode brought in, the conversion rate, mobile donation rate, and recurring stats for each refcode. If you scroll to the bottom of the page, you can see the total amount the form brought in.

You can also search for a specific refcode.

View a breakdown of your refcodes in the “Refcode chart” tab.

You can view a refcode's performance since you created it, or over a certain period of time, and even by hour. 

Visit this chart after sending an email to know how each refcode performs.

Visit this chart after sending an email to know how each refcode performs.
A different shape represents each refcode. You can select which refcodes you want to review by clicking on its name in the Refcodes key.

Using Multiple Refcodes

You can also build a second refcode into your links, using the “refcode2=” parameter. Here’s what it looks like:

The refcode2 parameter won’t display on your Statistics page, but you can access that data when you export the spreadsheet for your contribution form.

If you have any questions, please contact our support team using the email address you use to access your ActBlue account.