Creating Your First Promotion

This comprehensive guide walks you through creating your first promo code campaign from start to finish.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A Promo Code Queue account (sign up for free)
• Promo codes ready to distribute (App Store, Google Play, Steam, etc.)
• Basic information about your app or product

Step 1: Create a Product

First, you'll create a product that represents your app or service:

1. Log in to your dashboard
2. Click "Products" in the sidebar
3. Click the "+ New Product" button
4. Fill in your product details:

Product Details

• Product Name: Your app or product name (e.g., "My Awesome App")
• Description: Brief description of what your product does
• App Icon: Upload a square icon (recommended: 512x512px)
• Category: Select the category that best fits your product
• Platform: iOS, Android, Web, Steam, etc.

Click "Create Product" to continue.

Step 2: Create Your First Promotion

Now let's create a promotion for your product:

1. From the Products page, click on the product you just created
2. Click "+ New Promotion"
3. Configure your promotion settings:

Basic Settings

• Promotion Name: Internal name for tracking (e.g., "Product Hunt Launch 2026")
• Display Title: Public title users will see (e.g., "Get a Free Premium Account!")
• Description: Explain what users will get
• URL Slug: Custom URL path (e.g., product-hunt-2026)

Advanced Settings (Optional)

• Start Date/Time: Schedule when the promotion goes live
• End Date/Time: Automatically close the promotion
• Max Claims per User: Limit how many codes one person can claim
• Require Email: Collect emails before giving codes

Click "Create Promotion" to continue.

Step 3: Upload Your Promo Codes

Now it's time to add the promo codes you want to distribute:

Preparing Your Codes

Create a CSV file with your codes. Format it one of two ways:

Option 1: Simple list (one code per line)

PROMO-ABC-123
PROMO-DEF-456
PROMO-GHI-789
PROMO-JKL-012

Option 2: CSV with header

code
PROMO-ABC-123
PROMO-DEF-456
PROMO-GHI-789
PROMO-JKL-012

Uploading Codes

1. From your promotion page, click the "Codes" tab
2. Click "Upload CSV"
3. Select your CSV file
4. Review the preview to ensure codes were parsed correctly
5. Click "Upload X Codes"

Step 4: Configure Email Capture

When your codes run out, the promotion page can collect email addresses from interested users:

1. Go to your promotion's "Settings" tab
2. Scroll to "Email Capture Settings"
3. Toggle "Enable Email Capture" to ON
4. Customize the email capture message (optional)
5. Click "Save Settings"

Email Capture Options

• Custom Message: What to tell users when codes run out
• Button Text: Customize the submit button (default: "Notify Me")
• Success Message: What to show after they submit
• Privacy Policy Link: Link to your privacy policy

Step 5: Customize Your Promotion Page

Make your promotion page look professional and on-brand:

Customization Options

• Header Image: Add a banner image (recommended: 1200x400px)
• Brand Color: Set the accent color for buttons and highlights
• Instructions: Add custom instructions for redeeming codes
• Footer Text: Add disclaimers or additional information

Adding Redemption Instructions

Help users understand how to use their codes. Example for App Store codes:

How to redeem your code:
1. Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad
2. Tap your profile icon in the top right
3. Tap "Redeem Gift Card or Code"
4. Enter your promo code
5. Tap "Redeem" to download the app for free!

Step 6: Enable Bot Protection

Protect your codes from bots and automated scripts:

1. In promotion settings, scroll to "Security Settings"
2. Toggle "Enable CAPTCHA" to ON (recommended)
3. Set "Rate Limiting" to prevent abuse
4. Optional: Enable "Email Verification" for extra security

Security Options

• CAPTCHA: Requires users to complete a challenge before claiming
• Rate Limiting: Max claims per IP address per hour
• Email Verification: Send codes via email instead of displaying them
• Suspicious Activity Detection: Automatically flag unusual patterns

Step 7: Preview and Test

Before launching, make sure everything works correctly:

1. Click "Preview" at the top of your promotion page
2. Test the claim process yourself
3. Check that codes are being distributed correctly
4. Verify the email capture form appears when codes run out
5. Test on both desktop and mobile devices

Step 8: Launch Your Promotion

You're ready to go live!

1. Make sure your promotion status is set to "Active"
2. Copy your promotion URL (e.g., promocodequeue.com/p/your-slug)
3. Share it with your audience via:

Where to Share Your Promotion

• Social Media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram
• Product Hunt: Perfect for product launches
• Reddit: Relevant subreddits for your niche
• Email Newsletter: Send to your existing subscribers
• Your Website: Add a banner or embed the widget
• Developer Communities: Hacker News, Dev.to, etc.

Step 9: Monitor Your Analytics

Track your promotion's performance in real-time:

1. Go to your promotion's "Analytics" tab
2. Monitor key metrics:

Key Metrics to Watch

• Total Views: How many people visited your promotion
• Codes Claimed: How many codes were taken
• Claim Rate: % of visitors who claimed a code
• Email Captures: How many users signed up for updates
• Traffic Sources: Where your visitors came from
• Geographic Distribution: Where your users are located

Step 10: Export Email List

After your promotion ends, export your email list:

1. Go to your promotion's "Emails" tab
2. Click "Export as CSV"
3. Import into your email marketing platform
4. Follow up with a thank you message or product updates

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not Testing First

Always test your promotion with a few codes before sharing publicly. This helps you catch any issues early.

2. Forgetting Redemption Instructions

Many users don't know how to redeem App Store or Google Play codes. Include clear instructions.

3. No Email Capture

Don't waste the traffic when codes run out. Enable email capture to build your mailing list.

4. Weak Bot Protection

Bots can claim all your codes in seconds. Always enable CAPTCHA and rate limiting.

5. Ignoring Analytics

Check your analytics regularly to understand what's working and optimize future campaigns.

What's Next?

Optimize Your Promotion

• Connect your email marketing platform
• Add social sharing buttons to increase reach
• Create multiple promotions for different campaigns

Advanced Features

• Require Actions: Ask users to follow you on social media first
• Scheduled Promotions: Launch at specific dates/times
• Custom Domains: Use your own domain for promotion links
• White Label: Remove Promo Code Queue branding

Get Help

Next Steps