29 Screener Survey Questions: Types, Examples & Best Practices

Behavioral Screener Questions

What Are Behavioral Screener Questions?

Behavioral screener questions shine a spotlight on what participants have actually done—recent purchases, online habits, event attendance, and more. These questions segment respondents based on action, not just identity. It’s one thing to know your target is a 30-year-old woman, another to know she buys eco-friendly cleaning products every month.

Why & When to Use

Use behavioral screeners when it matters how someone has acted—or NOT acted—in the past. These questions are prime for: - Pinpointing high-value shoppers who buy often - Segmenting between frequent users and occasional dabblers - Identifying viewers who binge-watch versus casual TV skimmers - Distinguishing conference attendees from those who’ve only read recaps online - Filtering for specific behaviors that match your research goal

Behavioral screener examples catch the right crowd, separating the doers from the daydreamers.

Sample Behavioral Screener Questions

Ready to dig into some behavioral screener examples? Try these:

1. How often have you purchased organic groceries in the past three months?

   1. Weekly
      
   2. Monthly
      
   3. Less often
      
   4. Never

2. In the last six months, how many times have you used a ride-sharing app (e.g., Uber or Lyft)?

   1. 0 times
      
   2. 1-2 times
      
   3. 3-5 times
      
   4. 6+ times

3. Have you attended a live sporting event in the past year?

   1. Yes
      
   2. No

4. During the last 30 days, how many hours per week did you spend watching streaming services (e.g., Netflix, Hulu)?

   1. Less than 1 hour
      
   2. 1–5 hours
      
   3. 6–10 hours
      
   4. 11+ hours

5. Which, if any, of the following fitness activities have you participated in during the last month?

   1. Running
      
   2. Cycling
      
   3. Yoga or Pilates
      
   4. Gym workouts
      
   5. None of the above

By weaving these behavioral screener questions into your survey, you’ll filter with precision—and maybe spot a pattern your competitors miss!

Shorter screener questions are more effective in evaluating respondent attentiveness in online surveys. (journals.sagepub.com)

Psychographic Screener Questions

What Are Psychographic Screener Questions?

Now we swap “what you do” for why you do it. Psychographic screener questions dig into attitudes, beliefs, personality, and lifestyle. This isn’t about where you live or what you bought, but about your values and motivations. Think “adventurous,” “eco-conscious,” or “brand-loyal.”

Why & When to Use

Use psychographic screening survey items to slice your audience by: - Attitude towards sustainability or innovation - Lifestyle preferences (minimalist, luxury, tech-forward) - Personal values (family-first, career-driven) - Brand affinity or general worldview

They’re ideal when you need to: - Develop customer personas for better targeting - Test creative concepts with segments aligned on values - Position a brand or product strategically against competitors

Psychographic screening survey questions will help you reveal why people might choose your product—or why they avoid it.

Sample Psychographic Screener Questions

Here are five must-have psychographic screener survey picks:

1. Which of the following best describes your approach to new technology?

   1. I love trying the latest gadgets as soon as they’re available
      
   2. I adopt new tech after others have tested it
      
   3. I prefer to stick with what I know
      
   4. I avoid technology when possible

2. How much do you agree with the following statement: “I try to buy from companies that are environmentally responsible.”

   1. Strongly agree
      
   2. Somewhat agree
      
   3. Neutral
      
   4. Somewhat disagree
      
   5. Strongly disagree

3. Which statement best matches your attitude toward travel?

   1. I travel as often as I can
      
   2. I travel for work only
      
   3. I prefer to stay close to home
      
   4. I rarely travel

4. When making a purchase, how important is brand reputation to you?

   1. Very important
      
   2. Somewhat important
      
   3. Not important
      
   4. I don’t pay attention to brands

5. Which of the following best describes your lifestyle?

   1. Health-focused
      
   2. Career-oriented
      
   3. Family-centered
      
   4. Social/active
      
   5. Laid-back/relaxed

With these psychographic screener questions, uncover the deeper “why” behind your audience’s choices—and give your research that extra magic.

Firmographic Screener Questions (B2B)

What Are Firmographic Screener Questions?

If consumers have demographics, businesses have firmographics. These questions focus on company-specific characteristics: industry, company size, revenue, decision-making authority, and even tools stack. Firmographic B2B screener questions are critical when you’re selling to businesses, not individuals.

Why & When to Use

B2B screening questions let you: - Filter for target industries (tech, healthcare, finance) - Home in on business size (startups vs. enterprises) - Segment decision-makers by title or function - Assess annual company revenue for product fit - Target organizations already using (or not using) a key technology

They’re a must for SaaS launches, account-based marketing campaigns, pilot studies for enterprise tools, and industry-specific research.

Sample Firmographic Screener Questions

Need some B2B screener question examples for your next project? Try these:

1. Which of the following best describes your organization’s industry?

   1. Technology
      
   2. Healthcare
      
   3. Manufacturing
      
   4. Retail
      
   5. Other (please specify)

2. How many full-time employees work at your company?

   1. 1-10
      
   2. 11-50
      
   3. 51-200
      
   4. 201-500
      
   5. 501+

3. What is your current job function?

   1. Executive/Owner
      
   2. Sales/Marketing
      
   3. Operations
      
   4. IT/Technical
      
   5. Other

4. What was your company’s approximate annual revenue last year?

   1. Less than $500,000
      
   2. $500,000–$5 million
      
   3. $5 million–$50 million
      
   4. $50 million+

5. Which software platforms does your organization currently use for project management?

   1. Jira
      
   2. Trello
      
   3. Asana
      
   4. None
      
   5. Other (please specify)

Mix and match these firmographic screener questions in your B2B surveys for pinpoint targeting—no more cold-lead headaches.

Effective firmographic segmentation enables B2B marketers to deliver personalized content, leading to higher conversion rates and optimized resource allocation. (salesintel.io)

Product-Usage Screener Questions

Focus and Purpose

In product research, product usage screener survey items are the MVP. They ask about current or past use of a product, brand, or solution and qualify respondents based on real-world experience. If you only want feedback from actual users or need to compare brand loyalists with switchers, these are your go-to.

Why & When to Use

Employ these screeners when you need: - Input from customers who’ve used your product in the last 3, 6, or 12 months - A/B test results only from people familiar with a competitor’s offering - Participant pools for satisfaction follow-ups or product updates - Detailed user stories or pain points for concept validation

In concept tests, satisfaction surveys, or competitive benchmarks, product-usage screeners ensure your feedback isn’t “empty calories.”

Sample Product-Usage Screener Questions

Need inspiration for your product usage screener survey? Here are five powerful questions:

1. When did you last use [product/brand name]?

   1. Within the past week
      
   2. Within the past month
      
   3. Within the past 3 months
      
   4. More than 3 months ago
      
   5. Never used

2. Which of the following brands of smartphones have you personally used in the past 12 months?

   1. Apple
      
   2. Samsung
      
   3. Google
      
   4. Other
      
   5. None of the above

3. Have you ever participated in a free trial of our service?

   1. Yes
      
   2. No

4. In the last six months, how frequently have you purchased beverages from a coffee shop?

   1. Daily
      
   2. Several times a week
      
   3. Weekly
      
   4. Monthly or less
      
   5. Never

5. Which streaming services have you subscribed to during the past year?

   1. Netflix
      
   2. Hulu
      
   3. Amazon Prime Video
      
   4. Disney+
      
   5. None of the above

Smart, targeted product usage screener survey items keep your research honest—and your results, actionable.

Purchase-Intent Screener Questions

What Are Purchase Intent Screener Questions?

Picture this: Your product hasn’t hit shelves yet, but you want to know who’s already itching to buy. Enter the purchase intent screener—questions designed to segment people by their likelihood to purchase soon or at all.

Why & When to Use

These screeners are essential when: - Testing new ad concepts for relevance and likelihood to convert - Segmenting early adopters, fence-sitters, and folks “just browsing” - Refining marketing funnels or nurturing campaigns - Validating product-market fit and pricing acceptability

With these purchase intent screener examples, you reach those most likely to turn curiosity into dollars (or at least solid feedback).

Sample Purchase-Intent Screener Questions

Ready to screen for buyers, not just browsers? Try these purchase intent screener examples:

1. How likely are you to purchase [product/service] in the next six months?

   1. Very likely
      
   2. Somewhat likely
      
   3. Not likely
      
   4. Not at all likely

2. Where are you in your decision-making process for [product/service]?

   1. Just started considering
      
   2. Gathering information
      
   3. Comparing alternatives
      
   4. Ready to buy
      
   5. Not interested

3. Which of the following describes your intent regarding our product?

   1. Already purchased
      
   2. Planning to purchase soon
      
   3. Considering purchase
      
   4. No plans to purchase

4. What would most influence your decision to purchase [category]?

   1. Lower price
      
   2. Better features
      
   3. Recommendations
      
   4. Brand reputation
      
   5. Nothing—I don’t plan to buy

5. Have you actively searched for information about [product/service] in the last month?

   1. Yes
      
   2. No

Blend these purchase intent screener examples into your survey, and you’ll zero in on serious buyers, not tire-kickers.

Eligibility & Qualification Screener Questions

Eligibility & Gatekeeping Explained

When participation isn’t just nice to have but must to have, you need eligibility or qualification screener questions. These are the “ID check at the door” questions—requiring you to meet strict criteria before progressing.

Why & When to Use

Use a qualification screener survey when: - Your study is legally required to restrict based on age, location, or medical status - Quotas are needed for balanced subgroups, like “half male, half female” - Sensitive research demands only those with certain conditions or qualifications participate - Regulatory compliance would otherwise land you (and your IRB) in hot water

These qualification screener survey items ensure your data is clean, compliant, and valid.

Sample Eligibility Screener Questions

Want compliance and clarity? Try these top eligibility questions:

1. Are you at least 21 years of age?

   1. Yes
      
   2. No

2. Do you currently reside in the United States?

   1. Yes
      
   2. No

3. Have you ever been diagnosed with [medical condition] by a healthcare professional?

   1. Yes
      
   2. No
      
   3. Prefer not to say

4. Which of the following statements best describes your current employment status?

   1. Employed full time
      
   2. Employed part time
      
   3. Not employed
      
   4. Student
      
   5. Retired

5. Have you participated in any market research studies in the past 90 days?

   1. Yes
      
   2. No

With these qualification screener survey examples, you’ll stay on the right side of requirements and quotas.

Best Practices: Dos & Don’ts for Writing High-Performing Screener Questions

Ready to craft the perfect screener survey? Here’s the secret sauce. Using the right approach makes your survey smarter (and your day easier).

Dos

• Keep it short and simple—single select, clear language, no riddles.
• Use neutral and unbiased wording to avoid tipping your hand.
• Randomize option order (when possible) to minimize order bias.
• Set clear rejection thresholds (like “must answer A or B to continue”).
• Review for restrictive logic so you don’t lock out good respondents by accident.

Don’ts

• Avoid leading language (“As a responsible parent…”)
• Don’t use insider jargon unfamiliar to general audiences.
• Never double-barrel (“Do you own or lease a car and prefer SUVs?”)
• Don’t hide important filters in the middle of a question pile—disclose intent.
• Watch out for demographic bias—don’t accidentally exclude with loaded terms.

Quick Checklist for Screener Flow

• Questions should flow from general to specific
  
• Qualify as early as possible to respect respondents’ time
  
• Balance strictness vs. inclusiveness
  
• Test your survey with a small group first
  
• Always check data for odd drop-offs

By sticking to these screener survey best practices, your survey will reach the right folks—and keep them in a good mood while doing so!

Conclusion & Action Plan

Well-crafted screener questions aren’t just a formality—they unlock more reliable, relevant, and actionable insights (and make you look like a research rockstar). The next step? Test your screeners, validate with a pilot run, and iterate for improvement. Dive even deeper with our survey design guide for all things methodology. Want to level up now? Grab our free screener question template and start screening smart!