When to use URL parameters

URL parameters let you pre-populate survey fields automatically, making them ideal when you want to:

Automate survey creation from your applications or tools
Integrate PickFu into existing workflows without manual data entry
Build custom interfaces that feed directly into PickFu’s survey builder
Share pre-configured surveys with team members or clients
Test multiple variations quickly by changing URL values

What you’ll need: Basic understanding of URL structure and how query parameters work.

Understanding the basics

The survey endpoint

All PickFu surveys start with this base URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?

You’ll add your survey details after the ? symbol using parameters separated by &:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Your+question&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-value=Option+A&q1-o2-value=Option+B

Parameter structure

Parameters follow a consistent pattern:

q1-prompt=Which+logo+is+better?

Here’s what each part means:

q1 = Question number (q1 for first question, q2 for second, etc.)
prompt = The parameter name (what you’re setting)
Which+logo+is+better? = The value (with spaces replaced by +)

Important rules

URL encoding required: Special characters must be encoded:
- Spaces become + or %20
- Question marks become %3F
- Ampersands become %26
- Use an online URL encoder when needed
Question numbers start at 1: Use q1 for your first question, q2 for the second, and so on
Option numbers start at 1: Use q1-o1 for the first option, q1-o2 for the second, etc.

Quick start: Copy and paste examples

Here are ready-to-use templates you can customize: Compare two text options:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+name+is+better?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-value=Name+A&q1-o2-value=Name+B

Get a star rating:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Rate+this+design&q1-type=star_rating&q1-o1-value=Design+Concept

Rank multiple options:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Rank+your+favorites&q1-type=ranked&q1-o1-value=Option+1&q1-o2-value=Option+2&q1-o3-value=Option+3&q1-o4-value=Option+4

Collect open-ended feedback:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=What+do+you+think+about+this+idea?&q1-type=open_ended

Compare two images:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+design+is+better?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/image1.jpg&q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/image2.jpg

Building your survey URL step by step

Step 1: Start with the base URL

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?

Step 2: Add your question

Use q1-prompt= followed by your question text (with spaces as +):

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+logo+looks+more+professional?

Step 3: Choose your question type

Add &q1-type= followed by one of these types:

head_to_head — Compare two options directly
ranked — Rank 3-8 options in order (learn more about testing multiple options)
star_rating — Get 1-5 star ratings
emoji_rating — Collect emoji-based reactions (😭 to 😀) (learn about emoji polls)
single_select — Pick one from multiple choices (learn about single select)
multi_select — Pick multiple from a list (learn about multi select)
open_ended — Collect written feedback (learn about open-ended polls)
click_test — See where users click on images (learn about click tests)
five_second_test — Show content briefly, then ask questions (learn about 5-second tests)

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+logo+looks+more+professional?&q1-type=head_to_head

Step 4: Add your options

Add each option using &q1-o1-value=, &q1-o2-value=, etc.:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+logo+looks+more+professional?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-value=Logo+with+blue+background&q1-o2-value=Logo+with+white+background

Question types explained

Head-to-Head comparison

Best for: Comparing exactly two options to see which performs better Options needed: Exactly 2 Text example:

?q1-prompt=Which+slogan+is+better?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-value=Slogan+A&q1-o2-value=Slogan+B

Image example:

?q1-prompt=Which+design+is+better?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/design-a.jpg&q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/design-b.jpg

Ranked choice

Best for: Understanding preference order across 3-8 options (see poll type tips) Options needed: 3-8 Example:

?q1-prompt=Rank+these+names+from+best+to+worst&q1-type=ranked&q1-o1-value=TechFlow&q1-o2-value=CloudSphere&q1-o3-value=DataWise&q1-o4-value=NetPulse

Star rating

Best for: Getting quick 1-5 star ratings on a single item Options needed: 0 or 1 (optional) Simple rating:

?q1-prompt=Rate+this+product+concept&q1-type=star_rating

Rating with image:

?q1-prompt=Rate+this+design&q1-type=star_rating&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/product.jpg

Emoji rating

Best for: Capturing emotional reactions on a scale from 😭 to 😀 Options needed: 0 or 1 Example:

?q1-prompt=How+do+you+feel+about+this+ad?&q1-type=emoji_rating&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/ad.jpg

Single select

Best for: Choosing one option from 3-8 choices Options needed: 3-8 Example:

?q1-prompt=Which+feature+is+most+important?&q1-type=single_select&q1-o1-value=Fast+shipping&q1-o2-value=Low+price&q1-o3-value=High+quality&q1-o4-value=Good+reviews

Multi select

Best for: Selecting multiple options from 3-8 choices Options needed: 3-8 Example:

?q1-prompt=Which+benefits+matter+to+you?&q1-type=multi_select&q1-o1-value=Free+shipping&q1-o2-value=Money+back+guarantee&q1-o3-value=24/7+support&q1-o4-value=Premium+packaging

Open-ended

Best for: Collecting detailed written feedback Options needed: 0 or 1 (optional context image) Text only:

?q1-prompt=What+concerns+do+you+have+about+this+product?&q1-type=open_ended

With image:

?q1-prompt=What+would+you+improve?&q1-type=open_ended&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/product.jpg

Click test

Best for: UX testing to see where users click on designs Options needed: Exactly 1 (the image to test) Single click:

?q1-prompt=Click+where+you+would+buy&q1-type=click_test&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/landing-page.jpg

Multiple clicks (e.g., 3 clicks):

?q1-prompt=Click+the+3+elements+that+catch+your+attention&q1-type=click_test-3_clicks&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/homepage.jpg

Five-second test

Best for: First impression testing — shows content briefly then asks questions Options needed: Exactly 1 (the image to show) Example:

?q1-prompt=What+do+you+remember+about+this+design?&q1-type=five_second_test&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/design.jpg

Adding different types of options

Learn how to add various types of content to your surveys. (See poll option tips)

Text options

Use q{N}-o{M}-value= for text-based options:

&q1-o1-value=Option+A
&q1-o2-value=Option+B
&q1-o3-value=Option+C

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Choose+your+favorite&q1-type=ranked&q1-o1-value=Option+A&q1-o2-value=Option+B&q1-o3-value=Option+C

Image and video options

Use q{N}-o{M}-media_url= for visual content: Supported formats:

Images: .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .webp, .bmp, .svg
Videos: .mp4, .mov, .mpeg, .avi, .webm, .mkv

Example:

&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/design1.jpg
&q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/design2.jpg

Important notes:

Images must be publicly accessible (no password protection)
Use direct image URLs, not webpage URLs
HTTPS links work best

Amazon product options (ASIN)

Test Amazon products using their ASIN codes: What’s an ASIN? A 10-character Amazon product identifier like B08N5WRWNW How to find it:

Go to any Amazon product page
Scroll to the “Product Information” section
Look for “ASIN: B08N5WRWNW”
Copy the code

Example:

&q1-o1-asin=B08N5WRWNW
&q1-o2-asin=B079VSXNWR

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+product+looks+better?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-asin=B08N5WRWNW&q1-o2-asin=B079VSXNWR

Optional: Control how products display:

&q1-o1-mockup_rendering=listing  (shows as product listing)
&q1-o1-mockup_rendering=serp     (shows as search result)

Image stacks (multiple images per option)

Show multiple images for a single option, like a product gallery. (Learn more about testing image sets) Use q{N}-o{M}-image_set= with comma-separated URLs (max 6 images):

&q1-o1-image_set=https://example.com/img1.jpg,https://example.com/img2.jpg,https://example.com/img3.jpg

Choose layout:

&q1-o1-image_stack_layout=amz-horizontal  (side by side)
&q1-o1-image_stack_layout=amz-vertical    (stacked)

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Rate+this+product&q1-type=star_rating&q1-o1-image_set=https://example.com/front.jpg,https://example.com/back.jpg,https://example.com/detail.jpg&q1-o1-image_stack_layout=amz-horizontal

Pro tip: You can mix ASINs and image URLs in the same image set:

&q1-o1-image_set=B08N5WRWNW,https://example.com/custom.jpg,B079VSXNWR

Adding context to your questions

Context provides additional information or instructions that appear with your question. (Learn more about question context)

Text context

Use q{N}-context-text= to add explanatory text:

&q1-context-text=Please+consider+the+target+audience+is+millennials

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+ad+is+better?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-context-text=Target+audience:+millennials+aged+25-35&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/ad1.jpg&q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/ad2.jpg

Image or video context

Use q{N}-context-media_url= to show reference images:

&q1-context-media_url=https://example.com/product-specs.jpg

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Rate+this+product&q1-type=star_rating&q1-context-text=New+organic+skincare+line&q1-context-media_url=https://example.com/product-info.jpg&q1-o1-asin=B0DMFF4TMZ

Creating multi-question surveys

Build comprehensive surveys by adding multiple questions using q1, q2, q3, etc. (Learn more about multi-question surveys)

Two-question example

Question 1: Ranked choice Question 2: Open-ended feedback

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?
q1-prompt=Rank+these+names&
q1-type=ranked&
q1-o1-value=Name+A&
q1-o2-value=Name+B&
q1-o3-value=Name+C&
q2-prompt=Why+did+you+choose+that+order?&
q2-type=open_ended

Three-question example

Question 1: Image comparison Question 2: Star rating Question 3: Multiple choice

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?
q1-prompt=Which+design+is+better?&
q1-type=head_to_head&
q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/design1.jpg&
q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/design2.jpg&
q2-prompt=Rate+your+favorite+design&
q2-type=star_rating&
q2-o1-media_url=https://example.com/winner.jpg&
q3-prompt=What+feature+matters+most?&
q3-type=single_select&
q3-o1-value=Color&
q3-o2-value=Layout&
q3-o3-value=Typography&
q3-o4-value=Imagery

Targeting your audience

Learn how to reach the right respondents for your survey. (Learn more about choosing your audience)

Set the country

Use country= with a 2-letter country code: Supported countries: US, CA, GB (or UK), AU, DE, FR, ES, IT, JP, MX, BR, KR, ZA, PL

&country=CA

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+product+name+works+for+Canadians?&q1-type=ranked&q1-o1-value=Name+A&q1-o2-value=Name+B&q1-o3-value=Name+C&country=CA

Target specific demographics

Use targeting= with comma-separated trait permalinks. (Learn about audience targeting). Common traits:

Age ranges: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-plus
Gender: male, female
Income: under-25k, 25-50k, 50-75k, 75-100k, 100k-plus
Education: high-school, some-college, bachelors, masters, doctorate
Location: urban, suburban, rural

View our full list of available demographic targeting trait URL parameters in this guide.

&targeting=25-34,female,50-75k

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+ad+appeals+to+you?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/ad1.jpg&q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/ad2.jpg&targeting=25-34,female,urban&country=US

Collect demographic data

Use reporting= to ask demographic questions at the end. (Learn about demographic reporting)

&reporting=age,income,education

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Rate+this+product&q1-type=star_rating&q1-o1-asin=B08N5WRWNW&reporting=age,gender,income&country=US

Advanced features

Set sample size

Use sample_size= to specify how many responses you want. (Learn about poll sample sizes) Valid values: 5, 15, 30, 50, 75, 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000

&sample_size=100

Complete URL:

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Test+question&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-value=A&q1-o2-value=B&sample_size=100&country=US

Duplicate existing surveys

Use copy_from= to duplicate a survey you’ve already created: How to find the survey GUID:

Go to your survey
Look at the URL: https://app.pickfu.com/ask/ABC123/survey
Copy ABC123 (the GUID)

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?copy_from=ABC123

This creates an editable copy of survey ABC123. [IMAGE: screenshot showing survey URL with GUID highlighted in red rectangle — alt: “Location of survey GUID in PickFu survey URL”]

Troubleshooting common issues

Survey doesn’t load or shows an error

Check these:

URL starts with https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?
Special characters are URL-encoded
Parameters are separated by &

Test your URL in a URL encoder tool first to catch encoding issues.

Images don’t appear

Common fixes:

Verify image is publicly accessible (try opening in a private browser window)
Use direct image URL, not a webpage URL
Confirm URL ends with image extension (.jpg, .png, etc.)
Use HTTPS instead of HTTP when possible

Wrong number of options error

Check question type requirements:

Head-to-head: exactly 2 options
Ranked: 3-8 options
Single/Multi select: 3-8 options
Star/Emoji rating: 0-1 options
Open-ended: 0-1 options
Click test: exactly 1 option

Question type not working

Verify:

Question type is spelled correctly
Valid types: head_to_head, ranked, star_rating, emoji_rating, single_select, multi_select, open_ended, click_test, five_second_test
Use underscores (not hyphens) in type names

Special characters breaking the URL

Use URL encoding:

Space → + or %20
& → %26
= → %3D
? → %3F
# → %23
% → %25

Pro tip: Use an online URL encoder for complex text.

Amazon ASIN not working

Verify:

ASIN is exactly 10 characters
Product is from Amazon US marketplace
Product is currently active and available

Context not showing

Check:

Parameter names are correct: q1-context-text or q1-context-media_url
Media URL is publicly accessible
Context is added to the correct question number

Real-world use cases

Use case 1: A/B test product names

Scenario: You have two product names and need to know which resonates more.

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+name+sounds+better+for+a+project+management+tool?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-value=TaskFlow&q1-o2-value=WorkStream&sample_size=50&country=US

Use case 2: Test multiple logo designs

Scenario: You have four logo variations and want them ranked.

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Rank+these+logos+from+best+to+worst&q1-type=ranked&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/logo1.png&q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/logo2.png&q1-o3-media_url=https://example.com/logo3.png&q1-o4-media_url=https://example.com/logo4.png&sample_size=75

Use case 3: Product packaging with context

Scenario: Test packaging while providing product information.

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+packaging+would+you+buy?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-context-text=Organic+coffee+beans+from+Colombia&q1-context-media_url=https://example.com/product-story.jpg&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/package1.jpg&q1-o2-media_url=https://example.com/package2.jpg&sample_size=100

Use case 4: Amazon product comparison

Scenario: Compare two Amazon products side by side.

https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Which+product+looks+more+appealing?&q1-type=head_to_head&q1-o1-asin=B08N5WRWNW&q1-o1-mockup_rendering=listing&q1-o2-asin=B079VSXNWR&q1-o2-mockup_rendering=listing&sample_size=50

Use case 5: Landing page click test

Scenario: Understand where users naturally click on your landing page.

<https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=Click+where+you+would+click+to+learn+more&q1-type=click_test-3_clicks&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/landing-page.jpg&sample_size=30>

Use case 6: Multi-question user research

Scenario: Test product appeal, get ratings, and understand concerns.

<https://app.pickfu.com/ask/survey?q1-prompt=How+appealing+is+this+product?&q1-type=emoji_rating&q1-o1-media_url=https://example.com/product.jpg&q2-prompt=Rate+the+price+point&q2-type=star_rating&q2-o1-value=$49.99&q3-prompt=What+concerns+do+you+have?&q3-type=open_ended&sample_size=50&reporting=age,income>

Quick reference

Question types


Type	Parameter	Options Needed
Head-to-Head	head_to_head	2
Ranked	ranked	3-8
Star Rating	star_rating	0-1
Emoji Rating	emoji_rating	0-1
Single Select	single_select	3-8
Multi Select	multi_select	3-8
Open-Ended	open_ended	0-1
Click Test	click_test	1
Five-Second Test	five_second_test	1

Parameter types


Category	Parameter	Format	Example
Question	Prompt	q{N}-prompt=TEXT	q1-prompt=Your+question
	Type	q{N}-type=TYPE	q1-type=ranked
Options	Text	q{N}-o{M}-value=TEXT	q1-o1-value=Option+A
	Media	q{N}-o{M}-media_url=URL	q1-o1-media_url=https://…
	ASIN	q{N}-o{M}-asin=CODE	q1-o1-asin=B08N5WRWNW
	Image Set	q{N}-o{M}-image_set=URLS	q1-o1-image_set=url1,url2
Context	Text	q{N}-context-text=TEXT	q1-context-text=Instructions
	Media	q{N}-context-media_url=URL	q1-context-media_url=https://…
Targeting	Country	country=CODE	country=US
	Demographics	targeting=TRAITS	targeting=25-34,female
	Reporting	reporting=TRAITS	reporting=age,income
Config	Sample Size	sample_size=N	sample_size=50
Special	Duplicate	copy_from=GUID	copy_from=ABC123

URL encoding


Character	Encoded	Character	Encoded
Space	+ or %20	&	%26
=	%3D	?	%3F
#	%23	%	%25
/	%2F	:	%3A

Country codes


Country	Code	Country	Code
United States	US	Canada	CA
United Kingdom	GB or UK	Australia	AU
Germany	DE	France	FR
Spain	ES	Italy	IT
Japan	JP	Mexico	MX
Brazil	BR	South Korea	KR
South Africa	ZA	Poland	PL

Next steps

For more robust integrations

Consider using PickFu’s API instead of URL parameters when you need:

Better error handling and validation
Programmatic poll management
Webhook support for results
Structured response data
Poll status monitoring

For no-code automation

Try PickFu’s Zapier integration to:

Trigger polls automatically from other apps
Connect with 6,000+ tools (Google Sheets, Slack, Airtable, etc.)
Automate results processing
Build multi-step workflows
Link accounts for free

For full API access, create an API key at Settings > API Keys or see the authentication documentation. Visit our integrations page for all available options.

​When to use URL parameters

​Understanding the basics

​The survey endpoint

​Parameter structure

​Important rules

​Quick start: Copy and paste examples

​Building your survey URL step by step

​Step 1: Start with the base URL

​Step 2: Add your question

​Step 3: Choose your question type

​Step 4: Add your options

​Question types explained

​Head-to-Head comparison

​Ranked choice

​Star rating

​Emoji rating

​Single select

​Multi select

​Open-ended

​Click test

​Five-second test

​Adding different types of options

​Text options

​Image and video options

​Amazon product options (ASIN)

​Image stacks (multiple images per option)

​Adding context to your questions

​Text context

​Image or video context

​Creating multi-question surveys

​Two-question example

​Three-question example

​Targeting your audience

​Set the country

​Target specific demographics

​Collect demographic data

​Advanced features

​Set sample size

​Duplicate existing surveys

​Troubleshooting common issues

​Survey doesn’t load or shows an error

​Images don’t appear

​Wrong number of options error

​Question type not working

​Special characters breaking the URL

​Amazon ASIN not working

​Context not showing

​Real-world use cases

​Use case 1: A/B test product names

​Use case 2: Test multiple logo designs

​Use case 3: Product packaging with context

​Use case 4: Amazon product comparison

​Use case 5: Landing page click test

​Use case 6: Multi-question user research

​Quick reference

​Question types

​Parameter types

​URL encoding

​Country codes

​Next steps

​For more robust integrations

​For no-code automation

​Try PickFu’s Zapier integration to:

When to use URL parameters

Understanding the basics

The survey endpoint

Parameter structure

Important rules

Quick start: Copy and paste examples

Building your survey URL step by step

Step 1: Start with the base URL

Step 2: Add your question

Step 3: Choose your question type

Step 4: Add your options

Question types explained

Head-to-Head comparison

Ranked choice

Star rating

Emoji rating

Single select

Multi select

Open-ended

Click test

Five-second test

Adding different types of options

Text options

Image and video options

Amazon product options (ASIN)

Image stacks (multiple images per option)

Adding context to your questions

Text context

Image or video context

Creating multi-question surveys

Two-question example

Three-question example

Targeting your audience

Set the country

Target specific demographics

Collect demographic data

Advanced features

Set sample size

Duplicate existing surveys

Troubleshooting common issues

Survey doesn’t load or shows an error

Images don’t appear

Wrong number of options error

Question type not working

Special characters breaking the URL

Amazon ASIN not working

Context not showing

Real-world use cases

Use case 1: A/B test product names

Use case 2: Test multiple logo designs

Use case 3: Product packaging with context

Use case 4: Amazon product comparison

Use case 5: Landing page click test

Use case 6: Multi-question user research

Quick reference

Question types

Parameter types

URL encoding

Country codes

Next steps

For more robust integrations

For no-code automation

Try PickFu’s Zapier integration to: