---
title: "Social Signals"
url: "https://support.niftyimages.com/en/article/social-signals"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-08-27T17:35:52.857Z"
---

# Social Signals

Add real-time social proof to email with counters that grow as subscribers engage.

**Social Signals** renders a live engagement counter as a standard image. Each click—or each open, depending on your setup—can increase the count, so later viewers see the audience activity building in real time.

| **Why use it?** Create visible momentum around promotions, launches, events, products, content, and limited-time offers without scripts, AMP, or special email-client support. |
| --- |

### [**WATCH THE VIDEO**](https://support.niftyimages.com/en/article/social-signals-quick-video)

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/bf9f26c2-68da-4eb8-b409-ca658f201a90)

*A Social Signal can turn live audience activity into visible social proof inside the creative.*

## **1\. Start with a Social Signal**

Choose a ready-made Social Signal template, upload a background, or start from a blank canvas. The examples are designed to be edited directly in Studio.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/d0863210-9e44-4010-8b56-fe10135ff173)

*Example starter templates for live social-proof counters.*

## **2\. Design the counter layer**

The Signal Counter is a layer on the full Studio canvas, so it can sit alongside normal text, images, shapes, merge tags, Data Sources, weather fields, and other design elements.

-   Customize the counter text, font, colors, separators, and formatting to match your brand.
-   Use a Seed Offset to add a fixed amount to the displayed number. The real count is still used for threshold logic.
-   Set a Minimum Count to show fallback text—or hide the counter—until enough genuine engagement has accumulated.
-   Use a default-image threshold if you want to show a separate creative until the real count reaches your chosen level.

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/f67d341f-45c6-4f4f-a12c-fcd2a2562f19)

*Signal Counter layer settings, including fallback, seed offset, and minimum count.*

## **3\. Choose what counts as a signal**

-   ***You will choose clicks or opens as the counter AFTER setup in the More Options tab***
-   Clicks (default): each click increases the counter, then forwards the subscriber to your destination URL or Data Source link.
-   Opens: each render of the image increases the counter; no click is required.
-   For once-per-subscriber counting, add the standard nuid parameter using your ESP/CRM merge tag.

| **Unique counting** Without nuid, every qualifying open or click can count. With nuid, the same subscriber is counted once for that signal. |
| --- |

  

## **4\. Reuse one design with fresh counters**

Use the signal\_key parameter when you want one Social Signal design to maintain separate counters for different campaigns, products, listings, or other items.

| **Use** | **Example** |
| --- | --- |
| Fresh campaign | signal\_key=SUMMER\_SALE |
| Per-item count | signal\_key=PRODUCT\_ID (or your product/listing merge tag) |

  

![](https://cdn-assets.productfruits.com/07c5a8a1-6bf4-4cb2-893d-a885425b4f1a)

*More Options shows click/open counting, nuid for unique subscribers, and signal\_key for independent counters.*

## **Common use cases**

-   Flash sales and FOMO: “X people are loving this deal” as engagement grows across the send.
-   Launches and events: show live interest building around a release, registration, or announcement.
-   Catalogs and listings: use signal\_key with a product or listing merge tag for independent counts from one design.
-   Loyalty, content, and limited-time offers: highlight participation or reader interest, or pair Social Signals with a countdown timer for added urgency.

## **Testing & sending**

-   Counts update quickly at low volume so test sends can demonstrate the counter before launch.
-   Use the reset control before the real campaign if you want to zero test activity.
-   Once ready, add the NiftyImage to your email like any standard image. No JavaScript, iframe, or special email-client support is required.