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Share Your Research Studies with Participants Via Email

Last updated on May 28, 2025

Crowd provides multiple methods to distribute your user research study to participants: sharing via a direct URL link, embedding on your website, hiring from Prolific’s participant pool, or sending email invitations. This guide focuses on the email invitation method, which enables you to target specific individuals or groups directly, ensuring you gather feedback from the right audience.

Benefits of Using Email Invitations

Email invitations are ideal when you need to:

  • Gather feedback from specific customers, users, or stakeholders.

  • Target participants with particular expertise or experience.

  • Reach a known group, such as a mailing list, customer database, or internal team.

  • Track exactly who has received and responded to your study invitation.

This method offers precision and control, making it perfect for personalized research outreach.

Steps to Send Email Invitations

Step 1: Access the Email Invitation Feature

Begin by accessing the email invitation feature on your Crowd dashboard. Navigate to Workspace > Research Studies > Create with Templates > Publish Your Study, then click the "Go Live" button and select "Invite with Email" to open the setup modal. For guidance on creating and publishing a study, refer to "Creating Your First Research Study in Crowd".

Step 2: Configure Your Email Campaign

In the setup modal:

  1. Campaign Name: Enter a name for your campaign (visible only to you and your workspace members, e.g., "Customer Feedback Study 2025").
    Note: You can create multiple campaigns

  2. Add Recipient Emails:

    Option A: Enter Emails Manually:

    a. Input email addresses directly, separating each with a comma (e.g., user1@example.com, user2@example.com).

    Option B: Upload a CSV File (recommended for larger groups):

    a. Prepare a CSV file with email addresses in a single column, one per row.

    b. Click "Upload CSV", then select your file.

    c. Ensure proper formatting by downloading the Template CSV File.

  3. Verify the number of email invites available, as displayed by the system (limits vary by pricing plan).

Step 3: Customize Recruitment Settings (Optional)

Tailor the participant experience by adjusting recruitment settings before sending. Options include redirecting participants to a custom URL upon completion, recording screen activity (e.g., mouse movements, clicks) for deeper insights, or removing Crowd branding for a professional look. Configure these settings to align with your study goals. Learn more about Additional recruitment settings.

Step 4: Review and Send Invitations

  1. Double-check your campaign name and email addresses for accuracy.

  2. Use the "Click to Get a Study Email" option at the top of the modal to send a test email to yourself and preview the invitation.

  3. Confirm the number of participants aligns with your expectations, noting your plan’s email invite limit.

  4. Click "Send Email Invite" to distribute the invitations; Each recipient will receive an email containing a unique link to access your study.

Step 5: Monitor Participation

  1. Track your study’s performance directly on the recruit page under the performance section, where you can view key metrics: the number of emails sent, the number of people who started the test, and the number who completed it.

  2. You can also manage your prompt by editing, stopping, and viewing responses here.

  1. Additionally, monitor participation by checking the result page for detailed response data. For more on analyzing results, see Guide here.

Tips for Successful Email Invitations

Maximize response rates with these best practices:

  • Timing: Send emails in the morning for higher open rates.

  • Subject Line: Use clear, specific subject lines (e.g., "We Need Your Feedback on Our New Product").

  • Brevity: Keep the email concise, with straightforward instructions.

  • Value Proposition: Explain how their feedback will make an impact (e.g., "Help us improve your experience").

  • Time Commitment: Be transparent about the study duration (e.g., "This will take 5 minutes").

  • Incentives: Highlight any rewards for participation (e.g., "Complete the study for a $10 voucher").

  • Follow-Up: Send a polite reminder to non-responders after a few days.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Emails Not Sent: Verify email addresses are correctly formatted and within your plan’s invite limit.

  • Low Response Rates: Adjust your subject line or timing, and ensure the email clearly communicates value.

  • Participants Can’t Access Study: Confirm the study link is active and test it using the preview option.

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