Member Avatar for KahneFan

I just started a forum for forum owners to help forum owners. I've got about 30 members in 3 weeks, so I've decided to run a referral contest. Each member has a referral link in their profile, which they can provide to others or, upon registration, new members can list who referred them. So, I've posted a contest for $20 to whomever can get the most registerd (and posting) members wins. I thought it as a good way to possible get the initial membership to grow, but some (on other sites) have said it seems desperate. I could see it appearing desperate if my site was old and dying, but since it's new, I'm unsure of how to get it going. Does this seem desperate or OK?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by dailyearner

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Referral contests can work well for a new forum if they’re positioned and run to reward quality rather than just raw signups. As experimented here, the difference between “looks desperate” and “launch celebration” is mostly in the rules, the messaging, and how you verify results. Several members (for example , and ) encouraged retrying, and ’s note about big contact lists highlights that a few motivated referrers can move the needle if handled correctly.

Practical rules that reduce abuse and increase long-term value:

  • Define a valid referral: registration via link or named referrer, plus a minimum of meaningful activity (recommend 2–3 posts) within 7–14 days and the account still present after 14–30 days.
  • Use a fixed contest window (3–4 weeks) and publish the rules and timeline in advance.
  • Require a minimum threshold of qualified referrals before a prize is paid to avoid paying for one-off signups.
  • Consider tiered payouts (small per-qualified-referral up to a cap + a top prize) to reward both steady sourcing and volume.

Anti-abuse and alternative incentives:

  • Screen for obvious fraud (duplicate emails, same IP ranges, rapid-fire accounts) and manually verify top claimants. Avoid pay-per-post schemes—they tend to generate low-quality activity, as ’s suggestion implies. If cash is tight, non-monetary rewards (special ranks, featured threads, free premium time) scale better and build social proof.

Quick checklist: clear rules, activity threshold, timeframe, anti-fraud checks, public winner announcement, and a post-contest report. Iterate on the format rather than abandoning it—well-governed incentives, repeated thoughtfully, often outperform one-off pushes.

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Member Avatar for madam mo

is that twenty a referral, i have over 3000 contacts i can refer so i would like to know

Member Avatar for Ezzaral

$20 flat to whoever referred the most and it's probably over by now since the post is several months old.

Member Avatar for KahneFan

It was flat. And that contest has ended. However, I may be having more soon.

Member Avatar for Ezzaral

So did it result in some worthwhile referrals for you then?

Member Avatar for KahneFan

My minimum was 5, which no one hit. But, my membership was still low and I'm not sure if I gave enough time. However, it did produce a few members.

Member Avatar for bluesea50

Nice Idea
try it again

Member Avatar for alexlao

Referral Contests are always a good way to attract new members to the forums.

Member Avatar for dailyearner

not bad
but if you can pay per post
u can promote your forum very well

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