> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dub.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuring referral links for your partner groups

> Learn how set default referral links, additional links, and UTM parameters for each partner group in your Dub partner program

> [!TIP]
>
> This feature is only available on [Business plans and
> above](https://dub.co/pricing).

## Where to find your referral link settings

Each [partner group](/help/article/partner-groups) has its own referral link settings. To find them, open a group and click **Links** in the top navigation.

![Group referral link settings](https://assets.dub.co/cms/group-link-settings-main.png)

## Default referral links

A default link is created during program setup, so new [partner groups](/help/article/partner-groups) always have a referral link. You can also set up additional default links that are automatically created when a partner is enrolled in the partner group.

Click **Create Link** to add more default links:

![Group default links](https://assets.dub.co/cms/default-links.png)

> [!NOTE]
>
> When creating a default link, you'll be asked to enter a **Destination URL**.
> This is the page users land on after clicking a referral link. It’s often your
> homepage or a dedicated program landing page.

**Default Link Behavior**

* **When you create a default link**, a new link is generated for every partner in that group. This includes both current and future partners in that group.
* **When you update a default link's** destination URL, it updates all the corresponding partner links in that group with the destination URL you set.
* **When you delete a default link**, the link remains for existing partners in that group to ensure historical stats/commissions are preserved.

## Additional partner links

You can also let your partners create their own links beyond the defaults:

![Additional partner links](https://assets.dub.co/cms/additional-partner-links.png)

For your additional partner links, you can specify the following:

* **Link limit**: the maximum number of links partners can create
* **Link domains**: the domains that your partner's links must match (either any page on that domain, or the homepage only)

![Adding link domain](https://assets.dub.co/cms/adding-link-domain.png)

> [!WARNING]
>
> Ensure the domain you're adding has conversion tracking set up, or your links
> won't be tracking correctly. [Learn more here.](/docs/quickstart/server)

## Link settings

Define the link structure and UTM parameters for all partners in the group.

![Adding link domain](https://assets.dub.co/cms/link-settings.png)

### Link structure

Dub supports two referral link formats. Choose based on how you want links to look and where they’ll be shared. Both formats work the same for attribution.

![Link structure](https://assets.dub.co/cms/link-structure.png)

> [!NOTE]
>
> You can use any of the referral link types interchangeably – the option above
> is to determine which format is shown in the partner dashboard.

**Option 1: Short Links**

**Format:** `getacme.link/{partnerName}`

A clean, branded short link that’s easy to remember and perfect for sharing in social posts, bios, or messages.

> [!TIP]
>
> We recommend using short links for several reasons:
>
> 1. Some web browsers block [client-side click tracking](/docs/sdks/client-side/features/click-tracking), which breaks attribution – with `getacme.link/john` the click will be tracked server-side too, which improves attribution accuracy
> 2. Some web browsers drop query params, which breaks attribution as well
> 3. It's cleaner ✨

**Option 2: Query Parameter**

**Format:** `acme.com?via={partnerName}`

Appends the partner name as a query string on your destination URL. Ideal for users who are [migrating from Rewardful](/help/article/migrating-from-rewardful) and want to maintain backwards compatibility for existing partner links.

Query parameter links do not carry UTM parameters. Because the partner key is already appended as a query string on your destination URL, group UTM settings are not applied with this link structure. Use [**Short Links**](/help/article/partner-link-settings#option-1-short-links) if you want default UTM tags on partner referral links.

### UTM parameters

Set default [UTM parameters](/help/article/utm-builder) for all links in this group. This gives you group-specific insights in analytics.

![Link UTM](https://mintcdn.com/dub/WwNwOq3Bz4Og2pEa/images/dub-partners/link-utm.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=WwNwOq3Bz4Og2pEa\&q=85\&s=a3614de47f5af26145120609aed1f6ed)

You can set a value for any of the following parameters:, Source, Medium, Campaign, Term, Content, and Referral.

When you update a group's [UTM template](/help/article/how-to-create-utm-templates), all partner links in the
group are refreshed and overwritten with the new UTM tags.

These settings only apply when the group uses the [**Short Links** structure](/help/article/partner-link-settings#option-1-short-links). They are not applied when [**Query Parameter**](/help/article/partner-link-settings#option-2-query-parameter) is selected.

#### Dynamic values

Group UTM parameters are shared by every partner in the group, but you can personalize them per partner using dynamic values. Dynamic values are placeholders that Dub replaces with partner-specific information when a link is created or synced.

![Link UTM input](https://mintcdn.com/dub/WwNwOq3Bz4Og2pEa/images/dub-partners/link-utm-input.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=WwNwOq3Bz4Og2pEa\&q=85\&s=a47a9901b09bc7ae2f8186662f34c9b9)

The following dynamic values are supported:

| Dynamic value | Replaced with |
| - | - |
| `{{PARTNER_NAME}}` | The partner's name |
| `{{PARTNER_LINK_KEY}}` | The key (slug) of the partner's referral link |

To use a dynamic value, type it into any of the UTM fields above. As you type `{{` in a field, Dub will suggest the available dynamic values so you can pick one without typing it out in full.

Dynamic values can also be combined with static text in the same field. For example, if you input `partner-{{PARTNER_NAME}}` as the UTM source, the link would track as `acme.com/partern-link?utm_source=partner-steven`.

## Changing your referral link domain

If you need to change the domain used for your referral links (for example, from `ref.getacme.com` to `ref.acme.com`), you must follow the steps below in order. Skipping or reordering these steps will break your existing partner links.

**1. Add your new domain in Dub**

Add your new domain (`ref.acme.com`) in your [domains settings page](https://app.dub.co/settings/domains).

**2. Set up a redirect on your old domain**

Set up a redirect from your old domain to your new domain so that any traffic hitting an existing partner link is forwarded to the new domain. You'll want a wildcard redirect that maps `ref.getacme.com/:path*` to `ref.acme.com/:path*`.

Most hosting providers and CDNs support wildcard redirects. Check your provider's documentation for how to configure them (often via a configuration file, dashboard setting, or rewrite/redirect rule). If you're on [Vercel](https://vercel.com/docs/routing/redirects/configuration-redirects), you can add this to your `vercel.json` file.

**3. Update your default link**

Once both the new domain and the redirect are in place, update your **Default Link** to use the new domain on your [group links page](https://app.dub.co/program/groups/default/links).

## How partner group changes affect referral links

As mentioned earlier, a partner's link settings are tied to the [partner group](/help/article/partner-groups) they're in. When you update a partner's group, or delete groups, their partner links will be updated as well.

### Moving partners to a group

When a partner is moved to a new group, their links automatically update to match the new group’s defaults and UTM parameters.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Why would you move partners?**
>
> * To promote them from a starter group to a group with a higher reward tier
> * To try out new rewards in a test group
> * To tidy up your structure and general reorganization

### Deleting groups

If you delete a group, all partners in that group are moved to the default group. Their links are updated to match the default group’s settings.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Why would you delete a group?**
>
> * The campaign has ended
> * You created a duplicate group by mistake
> * A beta trial group is no longer needed

## Reassigning links to another partner

Every partner link belongs to a single partner. Sometimes you might need to change that, for example when:

* A link was created for the wrong partner
* A team member leaves and their links should go to a different partner
* You want to turn an existing link into a partner link

**1. Open the link builder**

From your **Links** page or from the [partners details](/help/article/managing-program-partners#links) page, click the link you want to reassign to open it in the link builder.

![Partner details links](https://mintcdn.com/dub/sSEEohZ6Gw1fvNKN/images/dub-partners/assign-to-partner-link-hover.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=sSEEohZ6Gw1fvNKN\&q=85\&s=1bc335342b30ef3ff14026096fa87c1f)

**2. Open the partner assignment modal**

Click the `⋯` more options button at the bottom of the link builder and select **Assign to Partner**. You can also press `B` while the link builder is open.

![Link dropdown](https://mintcdn.com/dub/sSEEohZ6Gw1fvNKN/images/dub-partners/assign-to-partner-dropdown.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=sSEEohZ6Gw1fvNKN\&q=85\&s=50f89a30284ef33d5b89fba0c52eb0e5)

**3. Select the new partner**

In the **Partner** dropdown, search for the partner you want to assign the link to and select them. Click **Save**.

![Reassign link modal](https://mintcdn.com/dub/sSEEohZ6Gw1fvNKN/images/dub-partners/assign-to-partner-modal.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=sSEEohZ6Gw1fvNKN\&q=85\&s=1fa7632ec8d1f45cdfca7e0dc4c0d6de)

To remove the partner from the link without assigning it to anyone else, click **Remove partner**.

**4. Save your link**

Click **Save changes** in the link builder to finish reassigning the link.

The link now appears under the new partner's [Links tab](/help/article/managing-program-partners#links), and the new partner earns rewards from its future activity.

### What happens to existing activity

When you reassign a link, Dub keeps the activity it already has:

* **Past commissions stay with the original partner.** Commissions earned before the change, including pending ones, aren't moved to the new partner.
* **Future commissions go to the new partner.** This includes recurring sales from customers who were originally referred through this link.
* **The link keeps its stats.** Its clicks, leads, and sales stay on the link after you reassign it.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Because recurring sales from existing customers will earn commissions for the
> new partner, make sure you're reassigning the link to the right partner before
> saving.

If a partner has two partner accounts and wants all of their links, commissions, and payouts in one place, they can [merge their partner accounts](/help/article/merging-partner-accounts) instead.


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