Publishing & Sharing Your Form Types – Links & Social Distribution

Get Your Form to Your Audience – Share Links Everywhere #

Publishing your form gives you a unique URL that you can share anywhere, anytime. Whether you’re collecting feedback, processing orders, or gathering survey responses, FORMEPIC makes it simple to distribute your form through direct links and social media channels. Share once, collect unlimited responses, and track every submission in real-time—all without any technical setup or coding required.

With FORMEPIC’s publishing and sharing features, you gain instant access to a shareable link that works across all devices and platforms. Your form automatically adjusts to mobile, tablet, and desktop screens, ensuring a seamless experience for every respondent. Social media integration means you can reach your audience wherever they are—email, X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, or WhatsApp—with pre-configured share buttons that include your form title and URL.

The benefit? You save time, expand your reach, and maintain complete control over how and where your form appears. No need to worry about hosting, domains, or technical infrastructure—your form is live and ready to collect responses the moment you hit publish.

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Understanding Form Publishing #

Publishing your form makes it accessible via a unique URL that can be shared with anyone. When you publish a form in FORMEPIC, the system generates a permanent link that points to your live form, allowing respondents to access and submit their information.

What Publishing Means:

• Your form becomes live and accessible via a unique URL
• The form URL follows the format: formepic.app/form/{your-form-id}
• Respondents can access your form without logging into FORMEPIC
• All submissions are collected in your Responses dashboard
• You maintain full control to edit, pause, or unpublish at any time

Publishing vs. Preview:

• Preview mode lets you test your form privately before going live
• Published forms are accessible to anyone with the link
• Changes made in the builder automatically update the published form
• Preview and published forms share the same configuration but different URLs

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Prerequisites #

Before you can publish and share your form, ensure you meet these requirements:

Required Form Elements #

You must have ONE of the following:

• A Submit Button field – Standard forms require a submit button to process responses
• A Payment Field (Stripe or PayPal) – Forms collecting payments process submissions through the payment field

Why This Matters:
Without a submit button or payment field, respondents cannot complete and submit your form. FORMEPIC prevents publishing incomplete forms to ensure a smooth user experience.

If Your Form Cannot Be Published:

1. Go to the Form Builder
2. Add a Submit Button field from the Field Palette (under Input Fields)
3. Alternatively, add a Stripe Payment or PayPal Payment field if collecting payments
4. The publish/share option will become available once the required field is added

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Accessing Publish & Share Options #

Desktop:

1. Open your form in the Form Builder
2. Look to the top right corner of the builder interface
3. Click the Publish button (globe/world icon)
4. The Publish & Share panel opens on the right side

Mobile:

1. Open your form in the Form Builder
2. Switch to Preview mode using the Chat/Preview toggle at the bottom center
3. Tap the Publish button in the bottom-right corner
4. Access share options from the mobile panel

From the Form Builder:
The Publish button is always visible in the builder header when your form meets the publishing requirements (has a submit button or payment field).

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Share Link Functionality #

Getting Your Form URL #

When you access the Share Link tab in the Publish panel, you’ll see:

1. Form URL Display – Your unique form link in a read-only input field
2. Copy Button – One-click copying to your clipboard
3. Usage Instructions – Quick reference for sharing best practices

To Copy Your Form Link:

1. Click the Publish button in the builder
2. Ensure you’re on the Share Link tab (first tab)
3. Click the Copy button next to the URL field
4. A success toast confirms “Link copied to clipboard!”
5. Paste your link wherever you want to share it

Your Form URL Format:

https://formepic.app/form/abc123-your-form-id

This URL is permanent and won’t change unless you delete and recreate your form.

Using the Direct URL #

Where to Share Your Link:

• Email campaigns – Paste the link in your email body or as a button URL
• Text messages – Send via SMS to respondents
• Website pages – Add as a hyperlink in your content
• Social media posts – Include in captions or comments
• Printed materials – Display as a shortened URL (use a URL shortener service)
• Chat platforms – Share in Slack, Teams, Discord, WhatsApp groups

Link Behavior:

• Opens your form in a new browser tab/window
• Works on all devices (mobile, tablet, desktop)
• No login required for respondents
• Automatically responsive design
• Submissions tracked in your dashboard

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Social Media Sharing Options #

FORMEPIC provides direct sharing buttons for major social platforms and messaging apps:

Available Social Share Buttons #

Platform	Description
Email	Opens default email client with pre-filled subject and body containing your form link
X (Twitter)	Creates a new post with your form title and link, ready to publish
Facebook	Opens Facebook share dialog with your form URL
LinkedIn	Shares your form link to your LinkedIn network
WhatsApp	Opens WhatsApp with your form link ready to send

How Social Sharing Works #

Email Share Button:

• Opens your device’s default email application
• Pre-fills the subject line with your form title
• Includes the form URL in the email body
• You can add custom message text before sending

X (Twitter) Share Button:

• Opens X.com (Twitter) in a new window
• Creates a draft post with your form title and URL
• Character count optimized for maximum engagement
• Add hashtags or mentions before posting

Facebook Share Button:

• Opens Facebook’s share dialog
• Automatically pulls your form title as the description
• Includes the form URL as a clickable link
• You can add additional context before sharing

LinkedIn Share Button:

• Opens LinkedIn sharing interface
• Pre-fills post with your form title and link
• Great for professional surveys, B2B forms, and industry research
• Add professional commentary before posting

WhatsApp Share Button:

• Opens WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp app
• Pre-fills message with form title and URL
• You can send to individual contacts or groups
• Perfect for quick distribution to team members or communities

Using Social Share Buttons #

1. Click the Publish button in the builder
2. Navigate to the Social Share tab (fourth tab)
3. Click any social platform button
4. A new window/tab opens with pre-filled share content
5. Customize the message if needed
6. Post/send to share with your audience

What Happens When Someone Clicks Your Shared Link:

• They’re redirected to your live form
• No account creation or login required
• Form displays in their browser
• They can fill and submit immediately
• Their submission appears in your Responses dashboard

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Share Link Best Practices #

Maximize Response Rates #

1. Add Context to Your Links
When sharing your form URL, always include:

• What the form is about – “Customer Feedback Survey” vs. just a link
• Why you’re collecting responses – “Help us improve our service”
• How long it takes – “Takes only 2 minutes to complete”
• Any incentives – “Enter to win a $50 gift card”

2. Use URL Shorteners for Print Materials
If including your form link on printed materials (flyers, business cards, posters):

• Use services like Bitly, TinyURL, or Rebrandly
• Create a memorable short URL like bit.ly/feedback-2024
• Test the shortened URL before printing
• Consider using a QR code instead (see QR Codes documentation)

3. Track Different Distribution Channels
Add tracking parameters to your URL to identify where submissions come from:

https://formepic.app/form/abc123?source=email
https://formepic.app/form/abc123?source=social
https://formepic.app/form/abc123?source=website

You can then filter responses by these parameters in your analytics.

4. Test Before Mass Distribution
Before sending your link to thousands of people:

• Click the link yourself to ensure it works
• Test on mobile and desktop devices
• Submit a test response to verify the workflow
• Check that email notifications are working (if configured)

5. Personalize Social Media Posts
Don’t just paste the link—add value:

• Ask a compelling question
• Share why their response matters
• Include relevant emojis or hashtags
• Tag relevant accounts or communities
• Create urgency (“Only 48 hours left to respond!”)

When to Use Direct Links vs. Other Methods #

Use Direct Share Links When:

• Emailing your contact list
• Posting on social media
• Sharing in messaging apps (Slack, Teams, Discord)
• Adding to website navigation menus
• Including in email signatures
• Distributing via SMS campaigns

Use Embedded Forms When:

• You want the form directly on your website
• You need seamless user experience without redirects
• You’re integrating into a landing page
• You want to maintain consistent branding
• See “Embedding Your Form on Websites” documentation

Use QR Codes When:

• Creating printed materials (flyers, posters, brochures)
• Displaying at physical events
• Adding to product packaging
• Including in presentations
• See “Sharing Using QR Codes” documentation

Use Custom Domains When:

• You want branded URLs (yourdomain.com/form)
• You’re building trust with professional appearance
• You need consistent brand experience
• You’re integrating into existing web infrastructure
• See “Custom Domains – Advanced Publishing Options” documentation

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Tips & Tricks #

Shorten Your Share Text:
When sharing on platforms with character limits (X/Twitter), keep your message concise but compelling. Focus on the benefit to the respondent rather than the features of your form.

Create Multiple Distribution Campaigns:
Don’t rely on a single share. Create a multi-channel distribution strategy:

• Day 1: Email announcement
• Day 2: Social media post
• Day 3: WhatsApp to key contacts
• Day 5: Follow-up email to non-respondents

Leverage Your Network:
Ask team members, partners, or brand advocates to share your form link with their networks. This exponentially increases your reach.

Pin Important Forms:
If you have a recurring form (weekly feedback, monthly survey), pin the share link in:

• Slack channel descriptions
• Discord server announcements
• WhatsApp group descriptions
• Social media bio links

A/B Test Your Share Messages:
Create two versions of your social media post or email and see which generates more responses:

• Version A: Question-focused (“What’s your biggest challenge?”)
• Version B: Benefit-focused (“Get personalized recommendations”)

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Important Notes #

Form Link is Always Active:
Your form URL remains active as long as your form exists in FORMEPIC. Even if you close the Publish panel or edit the form, the link continues to work.

Changes Update Automatically:
Any changes you make to your form in the builder automatically update the published version. Respondents always see the latest version of your form.

No Limits on Shares:
You can share your form link as many times as you want, across as many channels as you want. There are no restrictions on how you distribute your form.

Submissions Are Real-Time:
When someone submits your form via the share link, their response appears immediately in your Responses dashboard. No delays, no manual imports.

Social Share Buttons Don’t Track:
The social share buttons open the respective platform’s sharing interface but don’t track how many times the button is clicked. To track engagement, monitor your form analytics or use URL parameters.

Email Client Dependency:
The Email share button requires a configured email client on the user’s device (like Outlook, Mail, or Gmail desktop). If no email client is set up, the button may not work as expected.

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Common Issues & Troubleshooting #

“I don’t see the Publish button” #

Cause: Your form is missing a submit button or payment field.

Solution:

1. Go to the Form Builder
2. Add a Submit Button from the Field Palette (Input Fields section)
3. Or add a Stripe Payment or PayPal Payment field
4. The Publish button will appear in the top right corner

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“The Copy button doesn’t work” #

Cause: Browser clipboard permissions may be blocked.

Solution:

1. Check your browser’s permission settings
2. Allow clipboard access for formepic.app
3. Try manually selecting and copying the URL (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C)
4. If using mobile, tap and hold the URL to select and copy

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“Social share buttons open but don’t pre-fill content” #

Cause: Browser popup blockers or third-party cookie restrictions.

Solution:

1. Allow popups for formepic.app in your browser settings
2. Ensure third-party cookies are enabled for social platforms
3. Try opening in an incognito/private window to test
4. If still not working, manually copy the form URL and paste it into the social platform

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“Recipients say the form link doesn’t work” #

Cause: Link may be broken during copying or email formatting issues.

Solution:

1. Verify the complete URL was copied (check for line breaks in emails)
2. Test the link yourself before distribution
3. Use a URL shortener to avoid formatting issues
4. Send as a clickable hyperlink rather than plain text
5. Check that your form hasn’t been deleted or unpublished

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“Email share button doesn’t open my email client” #

Cause: No default email application is configured on the device.

Solution:

1. Set up a default email client in your system settings
2. Alternatively, manually copy the form URL and paste into your email application
3. On mobile, ensure you have an email app installed (Gmail, Outlook, Mail)

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“How do I track which share channel performs best?” #

Cause: FORMEPIC doesn’t automatically tag share sources.

Solution:
Add tracking parameters manually to your URLs:

Email campaign: formepic.app/form/abc123?source=email
Social media: formepic.app/form/abc123?source=social
Website: formepic.app/form/abc123?source=website

Then analyze responses in your dashboard by filtering or exporting data with the source parameter.

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“Can I password-protect my shared form?” #

Cause: You want to limit access to specific people.

Solution:
Yes! FORMEPIC supports password protection:

1. Go to Form Builder → Security panel
2. Enable Password Protection
3. Set a password
4. Share the form link AND the password with authorized respondents
5. See “Password Protection” documentation for full details

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“My form link shows a 404 error” #

Cause: The form may have been deleted or the URL is incorrect.

Solution:

1. Verify the form still exists in your Forms dashboard
2. Re-copy the form URL from the Publish panel
3. Check for typos in the URL if manually typed
4. Ensure the complete URL is being used (including https://)
5. If the form was deleted, you’ll need to recreate it—deleted forms cannot be recovered