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Estimating your screen-in rate for Lyssna panel orders
Estimating your screen-in rate for Lyssna panel orders
Krystal Taylor avatar
Written by Krystal Taylor
Updated over a week ago

What is a screen-in rate?

When you order Lyssna panelists for an unmoderated study that includes a screener, you will be required to provide your estimated screen-in rate (SIR) to complete your order. Your screen-in rate is the expected percentage of panelists you anticipate will successfully meet the qualifications of your screener when compared to the total number of available panelists in the pool.

Why do you need to select a screen-in rate?

Your estimated screen-in rate is important, as it will give us an idea of the percentage of participants who are likely to match your selected demographics and meet the criteria of your screener. This helps us to estimate if your panel order can be fulfilled and calculate how long your order can expect to take.

Example: An order for 100 responses with a screen-in rate of 50% requires Lyssna to screen ~200 panelists that match the demographic.

How to determine the screen-in rate for your study

To help you determine your estimated screen-in rate, you should consider the percentage of panelists you'd expect to successfully qualify after answering your screener questions:

  • 75–100% - Most participants are likely to pass your qualifying questions. The screening questions are broad and inclusive, such as targeting individuals who own a smartphone.

  • 50–75% - The screening questions are somewhat specific, like targeting individuals who use social media regularly.

  • 25–50% - The screening criteria are moderately refined, such as targeting individuals who have purchased clothing online in the past year.

  • 15–25% - The screening questions are niche or quite specific, like targeting individuals who have attended a music festival in the last two years.

Helpful tip: Choosing a higher screen-in rate won't get you more participants or make your orders faster. The most important thing is to select the option that best matches your screener, so that we can accurately assess feasibility and fulfill your orders on time.

Comparing estimated and actual screen-in rates

Once your order has been placed, it will appear in your test's Recruitment activity section, which is found at the bottom of the test's Recruit tab:

As panelists participate in your test we will display and update your actual screen-in rate on the order, along with your estimated SIR for comparison:

If your study's actual screen-in rate falls below 10% and you have had more than 60 participants attempt your study, your order will be canceled automatically. Should this happen, we will automatically refund your unused credits and screener fees.

Common questions

What happens if my estimated screen-in rate is higher or lower than the actual screen-in rate?

When you select a screen-in rate(SIR), this is only to give us an idea of the percentage of panelists who'll match your questions, which in turn helps us estimate how long it may take to process your order. As long as the actual screen-in rate doesn't fall below 10%, we'll continue to fulfill your order as normal. It means that if your actual screen-in rate is lower than your estimate, your order might take longer to process, and potentially faster if the actual rate is higher.

Will I need to provide a screen-in rate for moderated interviews with attached screener questions?

You will only need to provide an estimated screen-in rate for unmoderated tests with attached screener questions. Moderated interview studies do not require a screen-in estimate before placing an order with Lyssna's panel.

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