Participant Access via Link
Overview
Every study on Yazi generates a shareable link. When a participant clicks the link, it opens WhatsApp with a pre-populated message containing a unique passcode. The participant sends this message to begin the study — no manual sign-up, no app download, no account creation.
This is the simplest way to get participants into a study. Share the link anywhere — email, social media, website, QR code, SMS — and anyone who clicks it is directed straight into the WhatsApp conversation.
Important: The study link will only work once the study has been published to WhatsApp. If the study is still in draft or unpublished, clicking the link will not start the survey. Make sure you publish your study before distributing the link.
How It Works
Participant Flow
Participant clicks the study link (from email, social media, QR code, etc.).
WhatsApp opens automatically — on either phone or PC — with a pre-populated message containing a unique passcode.
Participant taps send.
The passcode is recognised and the study begins immediately in the WhatsApp chat.
The passcode identifies the participant and links them to the correct study. No additional steps, no login, no form to fill out.
Live Link vs. Test Link
Every study generates two links, both accessible from the Share tab in the study builder:
Live link — The link you share with real participants. Responses are recorded permanently.
Test link — Identified by "test" appended to the URL. Use this to preview the participant experience yourself.
Why the Test Link Matters
The test link is particularly important for AI interviews. The AI remembers previous conversations — if you've already completed an AI interview on the live link and reached the maximum question count, the AI won't ask you anything further on subsequent attempts. The test link overrides previous AI interview responses, allowing you to test the full experience again from scratch.
For standard surveys and diary studies, the test link functions identically but keeps test responses separate from real participant data.
Tip: Always use the test link when previewing AI interviews. Use the live link only for real participants.
Where to Share
The study link can be distributed through any channel:
Email — Embed the link in an email invitation or newsletter.
Social media — Post on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter/X.
Meta ads — Use as the click-through URL in Facebook/Instagram advertising campaigns.
Website — Embed as a button or banner on your site.
QR code — Convert the link into a QR code for print materials, events, or in-store displays.
SMS — Send the link via text message.
Other messaging apps — Share via Telegram, Signal, email groups, Slack, etc.
Panel partners — Provide the link to recruitment agencies or panel providers for distribution.
WhatsApp direct — Use the Share button in the Yazi dashboard to send directly to a specific person via WhatsApp.
Sharing from the Platform
You can share the link directly from the Yazi dashboard. Open the Share tab in your study, click the Share button next to either the live link or test link, and WhatsApp opens with the link and a message ready to send. Alternatively, copy the link to distribute via any other channel.
Cost Advantage
When a participant initiates the conversation by clicking a link and sending the passcode, it is classified as a service conversation by Meta. Service conversations are free — no messaging cost is incurred. This makes link-based distribution the most cost-effective invitation method.
By comparison, a broadcast message invitation costs approximately $0.04 / R0.68 per participant at the marketing rate. A link click costs nothing.
QR Codes
Any study link — live or test — can be converted into a QR code using a standard QR code generator on the web. Yazi does not generate QR codes natively — simply paste your study link into any free QR code tool to create one.
When scanned, the QR code opens WhatsApp with the pre-populated passcode message, identical to clicking the link.
QR Code Use Cases
Events and conferences — Display on screen or print on materials for attendees to scan.
Retail locations — Place at point of sale or on receipts.
Product packaging — Include on packaging for post-purchase feedback.
Print advertising — Embed in flyers, posters, or brochures.
Physical stores — Place at different locations to collect on-site feedback.
UTM Parameter Tracking
For panel integrations, CRM matching, or campaign tracking, you can append UTM parameters to the study link.
How It Works
Append a unique identifier to the link as a URL parameter (e.g.,
?id=participant123).The identifier follows the participant through the entire study.
It appears alongside their responses in the exported data.
On completion, participants can be redirected to a custom URL with their ID appended.
Use Cases
Panel integration — The panel provider appends a participant ID to the link. Yazi captures it. On completion, a redirect sends the ID back to the panel for incentive payout.
CRM matching — Append a customer ID from your database to match survey responses to existing customer records.
Campaign tracking — Append a campaign source (e.g., ?source=facebook_ad) to track which distribution channel drives the most responses.
Multi-channel comparison — Use different UTM parameters for email vs. social vs. QR code, then compare response rates by channel.
Completion Redirects
When a participant finishes the study, they can be redirected to a custom URL with their identifier appended. This enables panel completion tracking, incentive fulfilment, redirection to further research or sign-up forms, or redirection to a client website such as a product page or review site.
Technical note: Yazi URLs contain a question mark as part of the base URL structure. When appending additional UTM parameters, this creates multiple question marks in the URL. Some panel systems automatically strip duplicate question marks — confirm with your panel provider that their system handles this correctly before launch.
Social Media Recruitment
The study link integrates naturally with Meta's advertising ecosystem:
Facebook and Instagram ads — Use the link as the ad's click-through URL. Participants tap the ad, WhatsApp opens, and they're in the study.
Organic posts — Share the link in posts, stories, or bio links.
WhatsApp click-to-chat ads — Meta's native ad format that opens WhatsApp directly.
This is particularly effective for recruiting participants who aren't on traditional research panels — real consumers encountered in their natural browsing environment.
Link Sharing Best Practices
Make It Frictionless
The fewer steps between seeing the link and starting the study, the better. Don't require participants to visit a landing page first unless screening is necessary. The WhatsApp pre-populated message means participants only need to tap one button to begin.
Set Expectations Before the Click
Wherever you share the link, include a brief description of what the study is about, how long it will take, any incentive offered, and that it takes place on WhatsApp. This reduces drop-off from participants who click without understanding what they're signing up for.
Monitor Link Performance
Track how many participants enter the study from each distribution channel using UTM parameters. This helps you identify which channels deliver the best response rates, optimise recruitment spend across channels, and understand the quality of responses by source.
Link Access vs. Broadcast Invitations
How participant enters: With link access, the participant clicks a link and WhatsApp opens with a passcode. With broadcast invitations, the participant receives a WhatsApp message directly.
Phone number required upfront: Link access does not require a phone number — anyone with the link can participate. Broadcast invitations require you to upload a contact list with phone numbers.
Meta messaging cost: Link access is free (classified as a service conversation). Broadcast invitations cost approximately $0.04 / R0.68 per message at the marketing rate, or approximately $0.01 / R0.15 at the utility rate.
Best for: Link access is ideal for open recruitment, social media campaigns, panel partners, events, and website visitors. Broadcast invitations are best for existing customer lists, known participant databases, and follow-up studies.
Participant identification: With link access, participants are identified via UTM parameters or remain anonymous. With broadcast invitations, participants are identified by their phone number from the uploaded list.
Scale: Link access is unlimited — anyone with the link can participate. Broadcast invitations are limited by your contact list size and daily sending limits.
Tip: Use link access for broad recruitment where you don't have phone numbers. Use broadcast invitations when you have a specific list of people you want to reach.
Known Limitations
Study must be published — The link will not work until the study is published to WhatsApp. Always publish before distributing.
WhatsApp required — Participants must have WhatsApp installed. If they click the link without WhatsApp, they'll be prompted to download it. Consider your audience's WhatsApp penetration before relying solely on link distribution.
One study per link — Each link corresponds to a single study. If you're running multiple studies, each has its own unique link.
AI interview testing — Use the test link for AI interviews to reset previous conversation history. The live link retains memory of prior completions.
UTM formatting — Confirm that any panel or tracking system you integrate with handles Yazi's URL structure correctly, particularly around multiple question marks in the URL.
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