Interested in strategizing for an upcoming study’s recruitment?
Or, do you want to see if you’re keeping up with the best practices in research study recruitment?
Keep reading to see an overview of Rekrewt’s step-by-step processes, ensuring you’ll get closer to your enrollment goal.
1 Define Your Perfect Participant
The first step is knowing exactly who you’re looking for. Ensure you’ve completely finalized your inclusion/exclusion criteria while strategizing your recruitment.
Typically, we start with identifying the demographic and geographical characteristics that your study requires.
- Who makes up your ideal demographic? (start with age and gender)
- Where do these individuals need to be located? (is this study in-person or online? If in-person, how likely are participants to travel based on the study benefits and/or compensation?)
Then, we’ll move onto more granular characteristics that can’t necessarily be targeted online as easily.
- Who fits the study? (medical condition, common symptoms, behaviors, interests)
- Who should be excluded? (pre-existing conditions, medications, medical history)
You’ll then want to identify their motivation to join. Common reasons to enroll include:
- Potential health improvements
- Access to new treatments
- Compensation
- Advancing medicine
- Benefitting a specific community
- Long-term and overnight studies provide necessities
Identify what you believe the top 2-3 reasons to join are and focus on those. You’ll want to base your ad campaign on these 2-3 reasons. This ensures your enrollment process is a user-friendly experience and you’ll be more likely to keep participants at the forefront of your strategy.
2 Build a Winning Recruitment Strategy
A strong recruitment strategy is the foundation for success. Studies show that social media ads and online visibility have become one of the most effective tools for recruiting research participants, with 72% preferring digital outreach. Here’s how to build a strategy that gets results:
Custom Ads & Targeting: Use the platforms listed below to zero in on your audience. You may want to use our tips below to determine which platforms will perform the best within your audience.
Which Platform is Right for You?
Facebook – A go-to for reaching a diverse audience. Are you using groups effectively to connect with niche communities? Keep in mind this selection is best for an older audience and for those that have an Interest group within the Facebook ads platform.
Instagram – If your study requires a wide range of ages, this platform performs especially well. From Gen Z to individuals 55+, Instagram can be a great resource if granular targeting is used.
Google Search – Find participants who are already looking to participate in research studies and inform them of your opportunity! Be sure you’re layering geography to ensure you’re receiving relevant traffic.
LinkedIn – The place for professional and industry-specific recruitment. How do you leverage your network to find the right expertise?
TikTok – For creative and vibrant content, TikTok can be a game-changer.
Reddit – Great for finding small, niche communities based on interests or location.
Landing Pages: Create user-friendly, mobile-optimized landing pages where participants can learn about the study and express interest.
Ensure that potential participants clearly understand the study’s purpose, benefits, and any compensation for their involvement by using plain language for participants better understanding.
Once you’ve contacted individuals from the landing page, be sure you’ve discussed all aspects of the trial with them, ensuring comprehension and voluntariness. Don’t assume everyone reads every bit of your content online, whether in your ads or on your landing page.
Quick Pre-Screening Forms: Simplify the process with easy-to-use forms that screen participants efficiently.
Community Engagement:
- Collaborate with local organizations to build trust and increase participation rates.
- Engaging communities can significantly improve recruitment numbers.
- Print off flyers with QR codes to track what locations bring in the most individuals.
3 Streamline the Process
Technology is your best friend when it comes to recruitment. Incorporate the following to streamline your workflow:
- Appointment Scheduling: Allow participants to book appointments directly through an online scheduler. Offer flexible scheduling and virtual participation to accommodate varying lifestyles, which may enhance retention and completion rates.
- Automated Follow-ups: Use email and SMS automation to engage participants and reduce drop-offs. Implement follow-up strategies to maintain engagement and reduce dropout rates, such as regular updates and reminders.
- Compensation Automation: Ensure participants are paid promptly to maintain trust.
Remember: Making the process simple and convenient increases the likelihood of participants following through.
4 Track, Adjust, & Succeed
Real-time tracking is critical for optimizing your recruitment efforts. Mid-campaign adjustments are necessary to stay on track, monitoring and tweaking are essential:
- Ad Performance: Track clicks, sign-ups, and conversions to identify what’s working.
- Retention Rates: Measure how many participants stay engaged through the entire process.
- Demographic Balance: Make sure you’re hitting the right audiences to avoid bias.
By staying flexible and responsive, you’ll be able to fill your study quickly and efficiently.
5 Stay Compliant and Ethical
Ensuring your recruitment efforts comply with industry regulations is non-negotiable. Adhering to guidelines like IRB approvals and HIPAA ensures that participants feel secure in sharing their personal information, which is key to building trust. Remind participants that their information will not be shared (use appropriate wording based on where your research is based).
It’s important to be sure you’ve addressed where and how any data is stored before recruitment begins.
At Rekrewt, we specialize in research participant recruitment, providing tailored solutions to meet your study’s needs.
Whether you’re looking for short-term assistance or long-term support, we have the tools and expertise to help you succeed. Let’s talk about how we can make your recruitment process seamless—and get your study off the ground!
