Set up a Kickstarter pre-launch page and a tracking link per creator
The official features and limits of the pre-launch page, how three kinds of tracking divide the work, and a template for logging each creator's results; official pages checked on 2026-11-02.
Warming up a Kickstarter project takes two things: a page where visitors can follow your launch, and a way to tell how many visits each creator sent. Kickstarter provides a pre-launch page and custom referral tags, while the link mapping at ShareHub (www.sharehub.fun) is still in pilot and development. This page uses the official help pages checked on 2026-11-02 to show what the pre-launch page and three kinds of tracking can and cannot do, with a template for logging each creator's results.
Key takeaways
- The pre-launch page lets visitors click "Notify me on launch" and get an email when the project goes live. The follower count shows only once it reaches 10 or more, and a creator cannot message followers directly, only post a pre-launch update.
- A referral tag gives each link its own URL, and the dashboard's Backer Source table adds up pledges, share of total funds and amount per tag. These are aggregated figures with no information about individual backers.
- The official pages do not say whether referral tags work on the pre-launch page URL, so during the warm-up it is safer to log which creator sent each visit yourself, and a click is not a pledge.
The pre-launch page: what the official page says
| Topic | What the official page says |
|---|---|
| When to set it up | First-time creators set it up in the Promotion tab of the project editor after the project is approved; repeat creators can open that tab before review |
| Page address | You activate the page after confirming the project URL, and that URL is the pre-launch page address until launch; the preview page and the pre-launch page have different URLs |
| What the page shows | Project title, subtitle, image, category, location, creator name and avatar, pre-launch updates, and an editable description that does not appear in the Kickstarter app |
| How people follow | A visitor clicks "Notify me on launch" and gets an email when the project goes live; the follower count appears once it reaches 10 or more |
| Exposure | Pre-launch pages appear in Discover search and in the Upcoming Projects section |
| When to share | Kickstarter suggests sharing the page at least a week before the planned launch |
| What you cannot do | You cannot message followers directly, only post a pre-launch update, and you cannot schedule an automatic launch because you must click "Launch project" yourself |
| Before launch | Kickstarter suggests lining up at least 10 people who are likely to back the project and asking them to follow the page, so they can pledge as soon as it launches |
How three kinds of tracking divide the work
- Referral tags: A creator can create tags before launch in the Promotion tab, or after launch in the creator dashboard, and each tag gets its own URL. The dashboard shows pledges, share of total funds and amount per tag, and allows up to 20,000 tags. Kickstarter says it cannot provide backer-specific data and recommends connecting Google Analytics for deeper analysis.
- UTM parameters: Key-value pairs added to the end of a link and read by Google Analytics to show where traffic comes from. Google recommends always using utm_source, utm_medium and utm_campaign, missing parameters show as "(not set)", and values are case-sensitive. They need Google Analytics on the destination page.
- Your own records: Whatever the platform dashboard and analytics tools cannot cover, such as the date each creator received a link, the follow-up status and the feedback, has to be written down by you.
One link per creator, before and after launch
The warm-up has a gap: visitors reach the pre-launch page or your landing page first and the project page only after launch, while referral tags report on the project page. A middle link covers that gap. ShareHub's link mapping is designed this way: each creator gets one short link that points to the warm-up landing page or the pre-launch page before launch, then to the project link carrying that creator's referral tag after launch, with clicks on the short link always recorded separately. This is still in pilot and development. You can try it in the free link demo, where you create a short link and see its stats page; the product in the demo is fictional and the short link only redirects to the official homepage of the platform you choose.
A template for logging each creator
Give each creator one row and fill it in the day the link goes out:
| Creator | Own link | Date sent | Clicks | Change in followers | Follow-up status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creator A | Short link A | 2026-00-00 | From the stats page | From the pre-launch page | Sent / replied / posted |
| Creator B | Short link B | 2026-00-00 | From the stats page | From the pre-launch page | Sent / replied / posted |
Three points when filling it in. Clicks come only from that creator's own link, so do not merge the numbers of several creators. The page does not show the follower count below 10, so count from your own list early on. After launch, replace the followers column with the pledge count that the referral tag shows in the dashboard.
How ShareHub handles it
ShareHub helps brands find, contact and follow up with micro-creators, and it is in early access. Link mapping gives each creator one short link and records its clicks separately; it covers only the creator side of a campaign, and not advertising, an email system or building a store. ShareHub does not process pledges and does not promise funding results. Read our guide to creator marketing before a Kickstarter launch, see how to track backers from each creator, or learn about ShareHub.
Common mistakes
- Treating the pre-launch follower count as a forecast of pledges, although the official page only says followers get an email when the project launches and does not say they will back it.
- Giving every creator the same link, which makes it impossible to tell afterwards who sent each visit.
- Assuming more clicks mean more pledges, although a click only shows that a link was opened and pledges are shown in the platform dashboard.
Scope and limits
This page repeats what the Kickstarter and Google Analytics help pages said on 2026-11-02 and does not cover advertising, email systems or building a store. Official features can change, so check the official pages before you act. ShareHub's link mapping is still in pilot, and what is available follows our official announcements. This is general information and not legal, tax or financial advice. More topics are in the guides index.
Frequently asked questions
When can I set up the pre-launch page?
First-time creators set it up in the Promotion tab of the project editor once the project is approved, while repeat creators can open that tab before review. Kickstarter suggests starting to share the pre-launch page at least a week before the planned launch.
Can I message the followers of my pre-launch page directly?
No. A creator can post a pre-launch update, which anyone visiting the project can see and which sends a notification to current followers, but there is no way to message followers directly. The update is the only channel the page provides.
Is the follower count always shown on the pre-launch page?
No. The official page says the count appears only once it reaches 10 or more, so early in the warm-up you need to count followers from your own list instead. Check the number again after the page has been shared.
Sources and update log
- Kickstarter Help Center: setting up your project's pre-launch page
- Kickstarter Help Center: when and how should I start planning my promotion strategy
- Kickstarter Help Center: how do I track referral stats
- Google Analytics Help: URL builders
- 2026-11-02: first version, written from the official pages listed above and checked on that date.
ShareHub is an early-stage traffic matchmaking platform connecting brands with micro-creators. Apply for early access if you want to try a small test.
Want to see how a tracked link per creator works? Try the free link demo.