Learn how to message a participant, whether they're scheduled for an upcoming session or have already completed your test.
About messaging a participant
Here's an overview of when to use messaging and what's off-limits.
Use messaging to:
- Share instructions before a scheduled Live Conversation session
- Ask follow-up questions or clarify information related to the session
- Thank a participant for their feedback or provide additional feedback
- Invite a participant to schedule another session on the platform
- Don't ask a participant for personal contact information, such as an email address, phone number, or social media handle. Don't share yours either.
- Don't share links, or ask a participant to continue the conversation or take a test outside the UserTesting platform. This goes against the Customer Terms of Use, as we can't track or pay for feedback collected off-platform.
How to message a participant
To start a new conversation, open the participant's profile from your test results.
Start a new conversation (Classic experience)
- Open the test that includes the participant you'd like to message.
- Find and select the participant in the list.
- Select the participant's name.
- In the participant information window, select Contact [Username].
- Type your message in the text box.
- Select Send.
After you send a message, the participant gets an email notification and can reply from their dashboard. You'll be notified by email and in your dashboard when they reply.
Start a new conversation (New Experience)
- Open the test that includes the participant you'd like to message.
- Select the Results tab, then select Videos.
- Find and select the participant to open their profile.
- Select the message icon to open the conversation window.
- Type your message in the text box.
- Click the send button when you're ready to deliver your message.
Continue an existing conversation
- Select the account menu icon (shown as your initial), then choose Messages. If you have unread conversations, a badge shows how many.
- Select the All tab or the Unread tab to browse your conversations.
- Select a conversation to open it.
- Type your message in the text box.
- Click the send button when you're ready to deliver your message.
Frequently asked questions
Can a participant message me first?
On Classic: No, only you can start a conversation.
On the New Experience: Yes, participants can also start the conversation.
Can I share a link with a participant?
No, sharing links or continuing a conversation off-platform violates the Terms of Use. On the New Experience, if you try to send a link, you'll get a warning that the link will be sent as plain, non-clickable text. You can still send the message.
What should I do if a participant's behavior concerns me?
Contact Support to share what happened, and they'll help you figure out the next step.