# Leaderboards

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**2/20/25 UPDATE** - you can now choose a "theme" for your subscribers' codenames!

**11/15/25 UPDATE** - You can now manually edit your subscriber's points from the /admin screen AND you can choose lower cooldown periods so your subscribers can earn points more often (various use cases

**1/8/26 UPDATE** - You can now send a webhook to List Gadget from tools like Zapier, Make.com, or anybody who can send webhooks---to earn points for your subscribers!

Watch that video here:

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### Summary

1. **Understand the Purpose of the Leaderboard**
   * The primary goal is to increase email engagement (opens and clicks) over time.
   * Recognize that this is a long-term strategy with no immediate benefits (other than it's fun and different!!)
2. **Verify Email Provider Settings**
   * Ensure that the email provider and merge tag for email addresses are correctly set in your List Gadget account. <https://listgadget.com/account>
   * This information is crucial for the leaderboard functionality.
3. **Create a New Leaderboard**
   * Navigate to the "New" section and select "New Leaderboard."
   * Assign a descriptive name (e.g., "Top Subscribers" or "Most Engaged Subscribers").
   * Optionally, include a brief description that will display on the leaderboard page (e.g., "Earn points by engaging with my emails").
4. **Set Points and Cooldown Period**
   * Determine the points awarded per action (e.g., 1, 10, or 100 points per click).
   * Set a cooldown period to prevent users from repeatedly clicking to earn points (suggested: 3 days for most cases).
5. **Customize Button Text and Appearance**
   * Choose a clear and engaging button text (e.g., "Click to Earn Points").
   * Optionally, customize the button colors to align with your brand.
6. **Test the Leaderboard Functionality**
   * Send a test email to yourself to ensure that the leaderboard displays correctly and that the merge tag populates the subscriber's email address.
   * Verify the URL generated for the leaderboard button to ensure it includes the correct email address.
7. **Monitor and Adjust as Necessary**
   * After launching, monitor engagement and adjust leaderboard settings if needed (e.g., changing button text or description).
   * Avoid frequent changes to points and cooldown settings to maintain consistency.