How Cello boosted VEED’s referral program

VEED, a leading AI-powered online video editing platform, partnered with Cello to scale their existing word-of-mouth motion. By integrating key growth levers and embedding a thoughtful user referral journey, VEED achieved impressive referral-driven growth.

How did they succeed?

Enhanced referral program visibility

VEED integrated a gift icon into its primary menu to maximize visibility—one of the most effective placements for user referral programs. Cello’s research has consistently shown that prominent referral placements drive higher activation rates (up to 440% higher activation rate), ensuring users can easily discover and access the program.

Activation campaign for new users

When a new user joins VEED, an in-app announcement highlights the referral program, encouraging immediate participation. This proactive approach ensures higher initial engagement, turning first-time users into brand advocates from day one (up to a 227% higher activation rate).

Personalized landing page for maximum conversions

VEED’s referral landing page is customized to include:

• The referrer’s name for a personalized touch, making the invitation feel more authentic and trustworthy.
• The discount for a new user. This is clearly stated in multiple places on the page to drive understanding and conversions.
• The unique selling points of their product. When combined with the above, it becomes a no brainer to convert.

Personalization can lead to 213% higher signup rates when compared to landing pages with no personalization.

Balanced reward structure

VEED’s referral program offers a balanced reward structure for both referrers and new users (50% discount vs. 40% revenue), ensuring strong motivation on both sides. This dual-sided reward can lead to a 140% higher sign-up and 270% higher purchase rate overall (based on 4M proprietary Cello data).

In-app engagement notifications

VEED also introduced recurring in-app notifications, reminding users about their referral program at key moments, this keeps the program top-of-mind and drives activation. These nudges ensure users are reminded about the referral program, increasing the chances of engagement and sharing.

Results overview

The introduction of Cello led to promising results:

• 1.3M enabled users, demonstrating the scale and reach of the program.
• -90.4% CAC referrals compared to paid channels
• 14.5% sign-up rate, proving the effectiveness of the landing page and referral mechanics.
• 19.7% freemium-to-paid conversion, showcasing the program’s impact on revenue growth.

Next steps

Building on this success, VEED and Cello are now exploring additional improvements, including:

• Moments of delight: Enhancing user experience with small but impactful reward surprises that make referring even more rewarding.
• Incentivized casual contact loops: Encouraging more organic, low-friction referrals by making it easier for users to invite friends casually.
• Optimized menu placement: Testing a $$-based icon instead of the gift icon for increased visibility and engagement, ensuring users instantly recognize the value of participating in the program.

With Cello’s expertise and VEED’s commitment to growth, the referral program continues to be a powerful engine for user acquisition and monetization, setting new benchmarks for referral-driven expansion.