If you're running campaigns in Refer and want more than surface-level stats, you're in the right place. This guide is for marketers, ops folks, or anyone who's tired of dashboards that only tell half the story. We'll get into how to use advanced filters in Refer to make sense of your campaigns—without drowning in data or buying into shiny dashboard hype.
Why Filters Matter (And When They Don’t)
Before you dive into the how-to, let's set expectations. Advanced filters can help you:
- Find out what's actually working (not just what looks good at the top level)
- Cut through noise by focusing on the right segments
- Avoid making decisions based on averages
But—they're not magic. If your data's messy or your goals are fuzzy, filters won't save you. Also, there's a point where slicing data too thin just gives you random noise. Keep that in mind.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Want to Find Out
Don’t just click around hoping for a eureka moment. Ask yourself:
- Are you trying to see which referral sources bring in real leads?
- Do you want to know if incentives work better for certain groups?
- Are you checking if campaign performance drops off at certain times?
Write down your two or three burning questions. If you can’t state them simply, the filters won’t help.
Pro tip: If you just want a vanity metric (“how many total signups?”), you don’t need advanced filters. Save those for when you’re digging deep.
Step 2: Open Refer’s Campaign Performance Dashboard
Log into Refer and head to the campaign you want to analyze. The dashboard’s default view shows topline stats: total invites, clicks, signups, conversions.
Ignore the urge to tweak filters right away. First, scan the default numbers for anything obviously off (huge spikes, zeros where there shouldn’t be, etc.). If something looks weird, check your campaign setup before blaming the data.
Step 3: Find the Advanced Filter Panel
On the dashboard, look for the “Advanced Filters” button or sidebar. (If you can’t find it, you might not have the right permissions—ask your admin, or check if your plan includes it.)
Click it. You'll see filtering options like:
- Date ranges
- Referral source
- User attributes (location, device, etc.)
- Campaign variant
- Custom fields (if you’ve set them up)
You can usually stack multiple filters together. This is where the magic (and sometimes the headaches) happen.
Step 4: Build Your First Filter (Start Broad)
Resist the urge to go hyper-specific out of the gate. Start with a broad filter that ties back to your question. For example:
- Want to see if mobile referrals convert better? Filter by device type: "Mobile."
- Curious if a particular incentive is pulling its weight? Filter by campaign variant.
Apply one filter, then scan the key numbers. Does anything jump out? If not, keep it simple and try a different angle.
What works:
Broad filters show you meaningful patterns without drowning you in tiny data slices.
What doesn’t:
Stacking five filters at once, getting a result of “2 users,” and trying to draw big conclusions. That’s just reading tea leaves.
Step 5: Layer On (But Don’t Overdo It)
If your first filter shows something interesting—like a spike in conversions from a referral source—layer on a second filter to get more context.
Example:
You see “Facebook” drives lots of invites, but conversions are low. Add a filter for “Device: Desktop” vs. “Mobile.” Maybe mobile Facebook referrals convert better (or worse).
Pitfall to avoid:
Don’t keep slicing until you only have a handful of users in the segment. Small numbers = unreliable insights.
Pro tip:
If you’re going to share these filtered views, sanity check them. Ask: “If I made a decision based on this, would I be betting the farm on a sample size of 8?”
Step 6: Save Filtered Views (But Don’t Hoard Them)
Refer lets you save filter presets or custom views. This is handy for recurring checks (like “Signups from Europe, last 30 days, mobile only”).
But don’t turn your dashboard into a graveyard of saved filters you never use. Save the views you’ll check regularly, and clean out the rest every so often.
What’s worth saving:
- Segments you report on every week/month
- Filters tied to active campaigns or tests
What to skip:
- Weird one-off filters you used once and forgot about
- Slices with tiny numbers
Step 7: Pull Reports or Export Data
If you need to dig deeper (or share with someone who hates dashboards), export the filtered data. Most Refer dashboards let you export to CSV or Excel.
- Double-check your filters before exporting—there’s nothing worse than sharing a report that’s filtered wrong.
- If you’re sending to someone else, include a note on what filters were applied. Don’t make them guess.
Step 8: Gut-Check Your Insights
Here’s the part a lot of “data-driven” teams skip: Sanity check your findings.
- Are the numbers big enough to trust? (A segment of 20 people isn’t proof of anything.)
- Is the spike/drop real, or just a blip?
- Did you accidentally filter out a major group?
If something looks too good (or bad) to be true, it probably is. Go back to the default dashboard, remove all filters, and see if the trend still makes sense in context.
What Works Well in Refer’s Advanced Filters
- Quickly isolating problem areas. If a campaign tanks in France but does fine elsewhere, you’ll spot it fast.
- Comparing variants or incentives. You can see, side by side, if Version A outperforms Version B for real users.
- Spotting time trends. Want to know if weekends matter? Filter by date ranges and compare.
What Doesn’t Work (Or Isn’t Worth Your Time)
- Chasing micro-segments. Avoid filters that leave you with data on 5 people.
- Expecting filters to fix bad tracking. If tracking’s broken, no filter will save you.
- Hoping for “aha” moments every time. Sometimes, the data just says “meh.” That’s useful too.
Pro Tips for Staying Sane
- Always label your saved filters clearly. “Europe Mobile Q2” beats “Filter 7.”
- Use notes or descriptions. If Refer lets you, add context to saved views.
- Don’t let filters become a crutch. If you’re filtering just to find something, step away and rethink your questions.
- Review filters with someone else. A second set of eyes catches “obvious” mistakes you’ll miss.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Advanced filters in Refer are powerful, but only if you start with a clear question and don’t overcomplicate things. Focus on the big levers, not tiny slices. Save the views that matter, ditch the rest, and remember: It's better to check one or two things consistently than to get lost in a filter rabbit hole.
The best insights come from looking at your data regularly and asking honest questions. Don’t chase vanity metrics or wild theories. Keep it simple, iterate, and let the real performance trends guide your next move.