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Parameters that start with meta_ in your study link are saved with every interview that starts from it. Use them to record where a participant came from or who they are in your own systems, then filter interviews by those values. For the full list of fields, limits, and reserved parameters, see Participant metadata. Before you start
1

Pick your keys and values

Decide what to record, for example the channel (source) and the shopper’s plan (plan). Keys can use letters, numbers, _, ., and -.
2

Append them to the live link

Add ? after the link, then each parameter as meta_<key>=<value>, separated by &:
3

Share the tagged link

Send each audience its own version of the link, for example meta_source=email in your email and meta_source=in-app in your product.
Each interview started from the link stores source, plan, and user_id with the values you set. Pillow drops the meta_ prefix. Metadata is saved once, when the participant starts the interview, and can’t be changed afterwards.
Links are visible in browser history and in the tools that carry them. Don’t put passwords, payment details, or health information in parameters.

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Use metadata

  • Read it on an interview: open the interview and click Metadata in the interview’s footer.
  • Filter the interview list: click Filter in the interview list, then in the Metadata section click Add and pick a key and its values. Filters match values exactly, so pro and Pro are two different values: pick one spelling per value and use it in every link.
  • Ask about a segment: Ask Pillow and the Pillow MCP tools can break down and filter interviews by metadata, for example “What did shoppers on the pro plan say about payment?”

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Troubleshooting

The parameter doesn’t start with meta_, its key uses a character other than letters, numbers, _, ., or -, or the link went over a limit and the parameter was dropped. If the participant had already opened the study in that browser, their interview kept the metadata from their first visit.

Review interviews

Filter and read interviews.

Interviews

How an interview runs and what it records.