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Promoter /a/ link vs racer /r/ link
Direct answer
There are two doors. The /r/ link is the public race. The /a/ link is the promoter desk. Both only give credit when someone taps Get my link, and neither pays cash. Use /r/ to climb the weekly board. Use /a/ if you publish to an audience and want a listing.
How do they compare side by side?
| Racer /r/ | Promoter /a/ | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Homepage, Get my referral link | /go/affiliates/ |
| Goal | Climb the weekly board | Tracked credit and a public listing |
| Credit rule | Friend taps Get my link | Visitor taps Get my link |
| Prize | Site Drops and banner, not cash | Listing tiers, not the banner, not cash |
| Signup | None | Name, website optional |
Who should race?
Racing fits someone with a website who can ask a few people directly. The reward is homepage time for that site this week, from a Rising drop to the 7-day banner. See the Site Drop ladder.
Who should promote?
Promoting fits someone who already has an audience: a blog, a newsletter, a list, a community, or a site where a link to ViralRefer makes sense. When visitors from your /a/ link tap Get my link, you get credit toward listing tiers (Starter, Listed, Partner). Visits alone do not count, the same rule as the race.
Why are the two separate?
Mixing "promote my brand" with "win the contest" would confuse readers and reward the wrong behavior. Someone with a big list could otherwise take the banner every week without any personal asks. Keeping the desk separate lets the race stay a skill contest and gives promoters their own honest reward.
How do I get each link?
- Racer: open the homepage and tap Get my referral link. No email.
- Promoter: open the promoter desk at /go/affiliates/ and sign up with a name. A website is optional.
You can hold both. A promoter link does not enter you in the race. Get a separate /r/ link if you also want the board.
Which rules apply to both links?
Credit only comes from a Get my link tap by a unique person. No cash is paid on either side. The operator cannot take contest prizes. Full background: count a skill action, not a hit and the operator cannot win.
Which link fits which person?
- A designer with a portfolio site and a few friends who also build sites: race with /r/.
- A newsletter writer who covers free tools for makers: promote with /a/.
- A community moderator who wants to share ViralRefer in a resources thread: promote with /a/, following the community rules.
- Someone with both a site and an audience: hold both links and use each for its own job.
Not sure which fits? Ask whether you will mostly message people one at a time or publish a link to an audience. One-to-one messages fit the race. Publishing to an audience fits the promoter desk. The promoter credit explainer covers the listing tiers in more detail, and the same honest-sharing advice applies to both doors: say what the link is and that you benefit.
FAQ
If I promote, do I automatically race?
No. Get a separate /r/ link on the homepage if you want the board too.
Can promoters take the homepage banner?
No. The banner is a race prize for /r/ credits under the weekly rules.
Is the promoter program affiliate cash?
No. There are no cash payouts. You get tracked credit and a listing.
Do promoter visits count?
No. Only visitors who tap Get my link count.
Related guides and tools
Get my referral link Featured Partner vs the free raceOfficial rules · Open worldwide, 18+. No purchase necessary. No cash prize.