Integrating referral codes in OVO’s onboarding to drive organic user growth
Client
OVO
Year
2025
Role/Category
UX Research, Product Design
Works
Referral Code Program
STATE AND CONDITION
Current Market Overview
Indonesia's digital wallet sector has witnessed substantial growth, with projections indicating that the number of mobile payment users will more than triple between 2020 and 2025. This surge underscores the increasing adoption of e-wallets among Indonesian consumers.
OVO's Position in the Market
While specific recent download figures for OVO are not publicly disclosed, historical data provides insight into its market standing. In 2019, OVO held a 29% market share, positioning it as a significant player in the industry. Additionally, OVO is integrated with nine out of the top ten e-commerce platforms in Indonesia and collaborates with over 1.3 million QRIS merchants, enhancing its accessibility and user engagement.
Competitor Analysis
GoPay: In 2019, GoPay led the market with a 58% share. Recent developments include expanding its app accessibility to all Indonesian consumers in 2023 and introducing a savings feature in January 2024, offering a 3.75% annual interest rate on balances.
DANA: Emerging as a strong competitor, DANA secured a 9% market share in 2019. It continues to grow, offering features like QRIS support for seamless cashless transactions.
Given the competitive dynamics and the rapid expansion of Indonesia's digital wallet user base, introducing a referral code system could provide OVO with a strategic advantage by:
Accelerating User Acquisition
Encouraging existing users to refer new users can leverage personal networks, fostering organic growth and expanding OVO's market presence.
Enhancing User Engagement
Rewarding both referrers and referees can increase app usage frequency and customer loyalty, leading to a more active user base.
Strengthening Competitive Position
By actively growing its user base through referrals, OVO can bolster its market share and better compete with rivals like GoPay and DANA.
GOAL
Develop a UI/UX
Besides enhance engagement and increase transaction frequency also project potential user growth if a referral system is implemented.
DESIGN AND RESEARCH
User Flow Strategy
We’ll integrate the referral system into the sign-up journey while keeping the process seamless and frictionless.
CURRENT REGISTRATION/LOGIN FLOW & DESIGN
Value Proposition
Enter Phone Number
Comfirmation by WA/SMS
Verify Phone Number
Create/Enter Security Code
Done
Since OVO combine the registration and login flow, the flow is simplier.
While this seamless approach reduces friction, it also presents a challenge when integrating a referral code system. Adding an extra step for referral code entry could disrupt the streamlined experience, increasing drop-off rates. Users might perceive it as an unnecessary hurdle, especially since OVO prioritizes speed in account creation. However, not including a referral input during onboarding risks lower participation and missed engagement opportunities.
To strike a balance, the referral system must be:
Non-intrusive – The referral code field should be optional and blend naturally into the existing flow.
Auto-applied when possible – If users click a referral link, the code should prefill automatically.
Contextually Motivating – Instead of forcing input, a subtle prompt can highlight the benefits of entering a referral code without disrupting the primary action.
By carefully placing the referral code within the first interaction points while keeping the sign-up experience frictionless, OVO can encourage participation without sacrificing usability.
CURRENT FLOW
ITERATIVE 01
ITERATIVE 02
In the first iteration, we attempted to integrate the referral code input alongside the phone number entry screen. The rationale behind this approach was to introduce the referral system early in the onboarding flow, increasing visibility and ensuring that users engage with it from the start. However, this placement led to several challenges.
Issue Identified:
❌ Spacing Constraints: The UI feels cluttered with both phone number input and referral code field on the same screen.
❌ Visual Hierarchy Conflict: The referral field may divert attention from the primary action (phone number entry).
❌ User Experience Disruption: Users may hesitate, causing slight friction in onboarding speed.
To address these concerns, we moved the referral code input field to the screen after users enter their full name, which appears after phone number verification. This approach keeps the initial login/sign-up process clean and focused, ensuring that the most critical step—phone number entry and verification—remains seamless.
Why This Works Better:
✅ Maintains Natural Input Flow: Users complete their name entry before seeing the referral option.
✅ Improves UI Balance: Keeps the Full Name screen clean while still allowing referral input.
✅ Encourages Engagement: Users are more likely to notice and consider using a referral code at this stage.
ITERATIVE 01
NEW FLOW
SCREEN BREAKDOWN
Copywriting
For the referral code input, we have two iterations of copywriting that slightly differ in their approach:
Title: Punya Kode Referral?
Desc: Masukin kodenya buat dapetin hadiah yuk.Title: Punya Referral Teman?
Desc: Masukin kodenya buat dapetin hadiah yuk.
In Iteration 01, the title "Punya Kode Referral?" directly asks users if they have a referral code. This phrasing is straightforward and encourages users
to input their code by emphasizing the action.
Meanwhile, Iteration 02 slightly shifts the focus by using "Punya Referral Teman?" as the title. This phrasing makes the referral feel more social, subtly reminding users that the code likely comes from a friend.
Between the two, Iteration 02 might feel more relatable and warm, as it emphasizes social proof by associating the referral with a friend rather than just a generic code.
However, Iteration 01 is more neutral and direct, which might work better in cases where users obtain referral codes from promotions or other sources beyond friends.
Input Type Field
For the referral code input, the design choice follows a format similar to an OTP code input, where users enter a 5-character referral code in separate fields. This approach is intentional, aiming to reduce cognitive load and make the process feel more intuitive.
By breaking the input into five distinct slots, users can focus on entering smaller chunks of information rather than typing a long, uninterrupted string. This method is commonly used in OTP verification, making it feel familiar and easy to complete. Additionally, this segmented input format helps minimize errors, as each character is clearly displayed in its own space, reducing the likelihood of typos.
Another advantage of this approach is that it creates a sense of progression—users can visually track their completion step by step, which psychologically feels less overwhelming compared to a standard text field. Overall, this design choice helps users enter their referral code with less friction, more clarity, and reduced stress, ensuring a smoother onboarding experience.
REFLECTIONS
Thoughts
While we've addressed some challenges, there are still considerations for this screen, particularly for users who don't have a referral code. We've included a small copy, "Gak punya kode referral? Lewati," similar to the option for resending an OTP code. However, we're concerned that some users might find this design confusing, as the text requires reading and could be easily overlooked.
Possible
Solutions
Use a button instead of a plain text link to improve visibility. But, based on the existing design consistency throughout the sign-up flow, introducing a button for the "Lewati" (Skip) option might create a visual hierarchy conflict. The primary action on this screen is to input the referral code and proceed, while the skip option is secondary. A button could unintentionally draw too much attention, making users feel like they must decide between two equal choices rather than recognizing skipping as a secondary option.
Insight
I realized this study case is far more from perfection, and realized there will be another more great approach facing some those concern. While this study case isn't much but I've learned a lot about how something so small can make a lot of impact. Through this study case, I can implement it for another design approach.
You've reached the end, thank you for your attention to my work.