How to crack the code on panel building in 2025

This year, ReOps teams are doubling down on building dynamic, up-to-date user panels as a cornerstone of their UX research strategy. Why? Because the most successful research happens when you can quickly and easily tap into a curated group of engaged participants who truly reflect your target audience. A well-maintained panel means faster recruitment, higher-quality insights, and a streamlined way to keep your participants engaged over time.  

ReOps teams are prioritizing panel building to overcome common challenges like fragmented data, time-intensive manual updates, and inconsistent participant experiences. By investing in dynamic user panels, they're solving these issues while building a scalable foundation for long-term research success.  

"Having a dedicated user panel has been absolutely vital for running product research. It allows us to connect directly with our customers – especially in our case, where we want to reach UX researchers and designers, who can be hard to find through other means. Panels ensure we can consistently put customers first while eliminating the messiness of relying on spreadsheets or coordinating through internal teams." Becky Wright, Sr Staff Product Researcher, UserTesting

This blog post explores the key challenges ReOps teams face when building panels, how leading organizations are tackling these obstacles, and actionable strategies for scaling your panel efficiently. Whether you're just getting started or looking to take your panel to the next level, this guide will set you up for success.  

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6 common challenges with building a user panel 

Imagine having direct access to engaged participants who know your product, all neatly organized and ready for research. That’s the dream! But the reality? It’s often more like herding cats while juggling spreadsheets and budget constraints. Here are the top headaches that other ReOps teams are facing as it relates to building their own panels: 

1. Managing participants costs a fortune and eats up time ‍

Building a panel from scratch is no small feat. Between finding participants, verifying their info, and keeping things organized, it’s easy to feel like you have another full-time job. 

Lukas Eckelhart, Program Manager, UX Ops at Glovo, shared that their original panel was first built in Airtable. It worked “okay”, but didn’t have all the integrations and workflows that their team needed:

"Airtable worked okay, but it didn’t have all the integrations and workflows that Rally has in terms of tracking participation metrics, scheduling, email outreach. All of that still had to be done on another platform or somewhere else. We had to manually track communication, which was very painful." Lukas Eckelhart, Program Manager, UX Operations, Glovo

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2. Outdated profiles = inaccurate data

If only participant data could update itself 🤔. One day your star participant is a loyal customer; the next, they’re inactive – and no one told you. Cue wasted outreach and questionable data. 

Lauren Law, ReOps Manager at Contentful, shared that prior to adopting Rally, they used multiple different tools to run through their panel building process. Using multiple tools to manually update participant data made it difficult to keep team members up to date, and keep governance and compliance in check, shared Lauren. 

“Nothing ran seamlessly and scheduling was always quite difficult especially when we were looking to schedule with more than one of our researchers. There was never truly one place to keep connected, so everyone had to look in multiple areas to find the most up-to-date information.” Lauren Law, ReOps Manager, Contentful 

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3. Recruiting takes forever

Want to find your own users for a panel? Good luck. Sifting through internal tools and syncing with other departments can feel like navigating an escape room with no prize at the end.

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4. External panels are a double edged sword

They’re fast, they’re easy, but they’re also expensive and often filled with people who have never heard of your product. Not exactly ideal for research that needs depth.

"With an internal panel, you have a bit more control over who you recruit compared to external. So, in terms of participant quality, it really makes a difference.” Lukas Eckelhart, Program Manager, UX Operations, Glovo

5. Governance is a buzzkill

Privacy laws, consent forms, contact rules and internal policies can make building a panel feel more like a legal seminar than an empowering research initiative. One misstep, and you’re in compliance quicksand.

6. Finding unicorn participants is hard

“We need a high-value customer up for renewal in 6 months who uses the premium tier and logs in outside of office hours.” Sound familiar? Narrow criteria can make finding the right participants as elusive as spotting Bigfoot.

“For B2B teams especially, it can be tough to find customers – like decision-makers or niche audiences – through external panels or general-purpose tools. If you’re relying on proxy users who don’t quite align with your actual customers, that’s a clear sign you might need a dedicated panel.” Becky Wright, Sr Staff Product Researcher, UserTesting

Do these hurdles sound familiar? Research teams just like yours fight these challenges on the daily. 

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What are your options to build and manage a user panel?

Managing user panels can feel overwhelming.. Whether you’re using spreadsheets, CRM software, or external panels, we understand the struggle and we hear about these challenges daily. 

What panel management option are you currently using? Let us know!

Managing user panels with tools like spreadsheets, CRMs, or external panels has its perks – spreadsheets are simple and cheap, CRMs centralize data, and external panels provide instant access to diverse participants. However, the limitations often outweigh the benefits: spreadsheets lack scalability and governance, CRMs aren’t designed for research workflows, and external panels can be costly and disconnected from your product’s unique audience. 

That’s why leading research teams are turning to specialized panel-building platforms. These are purpose-built tools that automate recruitment, compliance, and participant engagement to make managing panels faster, easier, and more impactful.

 "If you plan to reach out to the same group of users over and over, then I would say it definitely makes sense to invest in a panel." Lukas Eckelhart, Program Manager, UX Operations, Glovo 

In the next section, we’ll dive into how top teams are turning the challenges listed above into opportunities with a dedicated panel building platform.

‍Contact us and we’ll help you develop a panel building business case your boss can’t say no to

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10 steps to successfully build a user panel 

If you’re ready to stop writing blank cheques to external panel providers and start building your own internal panel of engaged users, the time is now. ReOps leaders from teams at Gitlab, UserTesting, Rockwell, and more have listed panel building as a top priority for 2025.

They have cracked the code on growing panels of their own users. Here's what they’re doing to go from “where do we even start?” to “look at this thriving, dynamic panel of research-ready participants.” 

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1. Start with the right tool

Before you dive in, choose a panel-building tool that suits your needs. Specialized platforms streamline recruitment, segmentation, consent management, and participant engagement – all without drowning you in spreadsheets. If you’re just starting, consider options that balance affordability with scalability, so you can grow your panel as your needs evolve.

Spoiler alert: most successful teams didn’t start with a perfectly polished panel tool. They built scrappy spreadsheets, learned what worked (and what didn’t), and scaled from there. Progress, not perfection, is the name of the game.  

‍Access our Panel Building Template here to start collecting panelists. When you’re ready for a panel building tool, it’ll be easy to upload this sheet. 

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2. Size your panel right

Start with some math (sorry): How many responses do you need per study? Use a formula that factors in your desired sample size, estimated response rate, and study frequency (e.g., 500 responses per survey with a 30% response rate means recruiting at least 1,667 participants). Don’t forget to aim 10-20% higher to cover drop-offs due to opt-outs or lower-than-expected engagement. Bonus tip: account for geographic and demographic diversity to ensure well-rounded insights.  

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3. Recruit far and wide

Your panel is out there, but they won’t all find you. Leverage your existing channels: email lists, website banners, social media posts, or in-app pop-ups. Want to go big? Try in-person events or QR codes on product packaging. For competitor or broader market research, consider using targeted ads. Be creative, but stay compliant with privacy regulations.  

"For us, recruiting users in-app works best. However, it works best for a certain group of people – it’s usually the most engaged users and the most frequent users of the app." Lukas Eckelhart, Program Manager, UX Operations, Glovo 

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4. Ditch the boring invites

“Pretty please, will you join our panel?” 👎🥱

Vs.

“Join our panel to get early access to features, influence our product roadmap, and get rewarded for your contributions.” 🤩🔥

Make the pitch to join your panel feel exciting and personal. Your panel should be the club everyone wants to join.

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5. Think of panelists as people, not rows

Treat your panelists like VIPs by valuing their input, addressing concerns promptly, and ensuring their experience feels meaningful. When participants feel respected, their engagement goes way up.  

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6. Make it personal

Segment your panel into tailored sub-groups like power users, infrequent customers, or international participants. This ensures that when you need specific insights, you’ve got the right people ready to respond. It also shows participants that you “get” them. 

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7. Automate wherever you can

Spreadsheets are great...until they’re not. Your panel management tool will automate repetitive tasks like managing consent, updating profiles, and sending personalized invites. This frees you up to focus on research instead of admin work, making your life way easier.  

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8. Show them the love

Engage your panelists with consistent communication. Send thank-you notes, share how their feedback influenced decisions, or give them a sneak peek of upcoming changes. Happy panelists are not only more responsive, but they’re also less likely to ghost you.  

“We are working on blog posts that share information about our past studies, and emails about the past year to keep panelists informed and excited about the impact they have made.” Lauren Law, ReOps Manager, Contentful 

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9. Keep it short and sweet  

Your screeners, that is. Don’t ask for information you already have, and avoid redundancy. If your participants sense their time is valued, they’ll stick around longer.  

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10. Reward and recognize 

Incentives work! Whether it’s gift cards, coupons, or even charitable donations, keep rewards relevant to your audience. Recognition goes a long way too: share research outcomes and how participants’ input made a difference to keep them invested.  

"It’s essential to collaborate with both legal and finance teams to ensure everything aligns with tax implications. It’s important to make sure the incentive is optional and clearly communicated, as some users may not be able to accept it due to company policies. We’re exploring other ways to incentivize participation, which aligns with our values and engages users in a meaningful way. Looking for small ways to continuously improve is key to providing the best experience for your panel members." Becky Wright, Sr Staff Product Researcher, UserTesting

And when you’re ready to scale, specialized panel-building platforms are the real MVPs. They make recruitment, segmentation, and governance a breeze - no spreadsheets required. Leading research teams are already prioritizing these tools in 2025. Why not join them?

‍Contact us and we’ll help you develop a panel building business case your boss can’t say no to

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Now what? 4 steps to to manage your user panel 

So you’ve got your user panel set up. How do you ensure that participant data is always up to date and participants stay engaged? Here’s what leading ReOps teams have shared with us: 

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1. Work together (like a team of superheroes) 

Scaling a panel isn’t a one-person job. You’ve got to pull in the marketing, product, sales, and CS teams to create a dream team of panel-building powerhouses. Think of it as assembling the Avengers – each team brings their own unique powers to the table. Don’t let them forget that building a panel of users they can talk to benefits them, too. 

• Marketing can run campaigns to recruit fresh faces.  
• Sales can share insights on the most engaged and high-value users. 
• Product teams can give you access to users who are already dialed into the brand.  
• CS has direct access to customers and has already built a relationship. 

“Managing a research panel requires collaboration. Assemble a team including product marketing, marketing operations, legal, and security to handle branding, accessibility, and compliance. Regular collaboration, whether through meetings or calls, is essential to ensure everything runs smoothly. Using tools like Rally can simplify the process, but ongoing teamwork is key for a successful panel." Becky Wright, Sr Staff Product Researcher, UserTesting

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2. Get your data sources to talk to each other

Data is your secret weapon. Integrate Salesforce, Snowflake, or your CRM tool to your panel to keep panelists’ info up-to-date without lifting a finger. That means:  

• Automatically pulling in fresh, accurate user data.
• Segregating participants into specific groups based on behavior or demographics. No more guessing who’s interested!
• Keeping everyone updated with a 2 way data sync – your company CRM automatically updates when something changes in your panel, and vice versa. 

"Our Salesforce integration plays a huge role in maintaining our customer panel. It helps us ensure that customers are still with the company and keeps their information up-to-date. The integration allows us to monitor and share customers' engagement with the product research team with the rest of the organization. It’s a valuable tool for ensuring we reach out to the right people for our various research projects. Becky Wright, Sr Staff Product Researcher, UserTesting

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3. Embrace your inner marketer 

Treat your panel like it’s the hottest new product on the block. Use marketing strategies to grow it:  

• Content Marketing: Share your cool findings or participant stories to reel in new sign-ups.  
• Landing Page: Design your own landing page that lives on your marketing website to collect sign-ups. 
• Referrals: Reward existing panelists for bringing in new recruits – it’s like a pyramid scheme but in the best (most legal) way.  
• Social Proof: Show how being part of your panel makes a real impact, and watch the sign-ups roll in.  
• Ads: Run ads geared toward your ideal research participants.  
• Incentives: Offer incentives like exclusive rewards, sneak peeks, or cool perks to make signing up irresistible.

“Audit all potential touchpoints with users and explore new ways to connect. Even with a low budget, creative methods like social media, posters, or flyers can attract fresh participants and diversify your panel.” Lauren Law, ReOps Manager, Contentful 

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4. Run a refresh campaign 

A stale panel is a useless panel. Lauren Law, ReOps at Contenful, suggests running a refresh campaign annually. To keep things fresh, try:  

• Regular surveys and re-engagement campaigns to get your panelists back in action.
• Apply cooldowns and re-qualify participants to avoid bugging the same people over and over.  
• Rotate out inactive users to keep your panel dynamic and engaged.  

"Looking at the metrics has helped us identify when it’s time for a panel refresh. We used our old email templates when we first implemented Rally, and we saw an uplift in engagement metrics when we simplified them. We keep an eye on user engagement – basically checking who is still responding to our invites, who has participated, who has no-showed. This helps us make sure that the panel is still fresh and still has the same response rates and engagement rates that are expected from researchers and stakeholders." Lukas Eckelhart, Program Manager, UX Operations, Glovo 

With these strategies in your back pocket, scaling your user panel won’t just be possible – it’ll be (dare we say it) simple. 

‍Contact us and we’ll help you develop a panel building business case your boss can’t say no to

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Build dynamic user panels in Rally 

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“Rally is the perfect tool for managing a user panel. It brings everything together in one place: hosting the panel, setting up studies, scheduling incentives, and staying compliant with governance rules. The panel properties and seamless screeners help us collect user information and keep profiles up to date, so we can easily find the right participants. Features like last contact date for tracking outreach and quick search filters make it simple to manage the panel efficiently, while the flexibility to customize how we view and set up the panel keeps everything streamlined.” Lauren Law, ReOps Manager, Contentful 

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More about panel building in Rally

Keep your panel fresh, automatically. 

Keep your participant data up-to-date with zero effort by syncing profiles with your company CRM. Rally automatically updates participant profiles when they engage with screeners, surveys, consent forms, email outreach, and more. 

Recruit high-quality participants in half the time. 

Reach the right participants quickly with the freshest, most accurate data at your fingertips. Ensure studies are filled with engaged, qualified contributors every time.

Protect participants with flexible governance.

Automatically apply custom cooldowns when participant info changes, triggered by research activity or updates from your connected company CRM.

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Final thoughts

Building and maintaining dynamic user panels is becoming key for ReOps teams aiming to streamline their research. While the challenges can be tricky, starting with the right tool, automating data updates, collaborating with other departments, and ensuring proper governance can turn panel-building from a pain into a powerful asset. By focusing on efficient recruitment and engagement, UXRs, ReOps and Product teams can quickly access high-quality, relevant participants.