How Cello helped Typeform achieve a 27.2% sharing rate.

Typeform is an online platform that allows users to create engaging, interactive forms, surveys, and quizzes. Its focus is on user-friendly design, and its customizable interface makes it easy to collect data in a visually appealing and conversational manner.

Referrals have always been an important growth lever for Typeform. Previously, they used Partnerstack for their referral program but decided to switch to Cello to enhance the user experience. By integrating Cello, they were able to significantly reduce the friction of user sharing, as the software is directly embedded in their product.

How did they succeed?

Typeform implemented Cello at the end of 2023, and its referral program’s success can be attributed to its well-thought-out strategy. Here’s what they did:

First and foremost, they opted for an iterative approach to rolling out their referral program. To kick off, Typeform hosted a hackathon during which they rolled out an initial MVP version, ensuring a quick go-live. They then made data-driven improvements and implemented prioritized recommendations provided by Cello to efficiently enhance their referral flywheel.

Specifically, they started by optimizing the top of the funnel to build a strong foundation before adding features to improve bottom-of-the-funnel performance. This approach allowed them to gather feedback and relevant data before scaling up the number of active referrers.

This methodical approach has been instrumental in increasing their new user ARR, which has consistently grown since their referral program went live, reflecting the effectiveness of their strategy.

Second, Typeform designed a go-to-market playbook in which they defined actions to build awareness for their new referral program. This included

1. Dedicated emails
2. In-app messages
3. Social media posts
4. Community post and engagement with community members at the start
5. Secondary menu on website and product when authenticated
6. Website footer
7. Help center article

Third, Typeform prioritized this growth channel by appointing a dedicated person - a champion - to oversee the necessary steps and monitor performance of their referral program. This helped them to go live quickly and win all important stakeholders.

Let’s examine some of the specific actions that contributed to the success of Typeform’s referral program.

Moments of Delight

From the outset, Typeform implemented Cello’s “Moments of Delight” feature to increase user engagement and participation in the referral program. In addition to in-product prompts, they are also using targeted email follow-ups, both of which led to a higher sharing rate. For instance, when a survey has hit a certain number of responses, users receive an email with a subtle nudge to refer someone to Typeform.

Referee Landing Page

Cello's research shows that a specialized landing page for referral programs can triple conversion rates. Acting on this insight, Typeform created a customized landing page for referees, which resulted in a signup conversion rate of 12.7%.

First-level menu integration

Initially, the referral program’s sharing widget was embedded in the second-level menu. In late July 2024, as a final step in their gradual roll-out, Typeform successfully added the widget to the first-level menu for 100% of their paid user base. The menu launcher quickly became the most effective tool for driving user activation.

They also introduced a notification badge - a red dot - on the referral widget, which appears once for all users and then every time a referral-related action occurs (such as someone viewing their referral link). This feature effectively guided users to engage with the referral widget.

The combination of first-level menu integration and the notification badge led to a 500% increase in active rate within three weeks.

The result?

By launching their new referral program with Cello, Typeform achieved remarkable results. Through gradual improvements from top to bottom of the funnel, they reached a 27.2% sharing rate, demonstrating strong user engagement. Additionally, the signup conversion rate increased to 12.7%, underscoring the program’s effectiveness in driving new user acquisition. Overall, this channel accounts for the lowest CACs in Typeform’s marketing mix.

By optimizing its referral program with Cello, Typeform enhanced user engagement and highlighted the program’s critical role in driving business growth.