Focus groups are a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about a product, service, or advertisement in order to collect opinions and perceptions about an idea.
The goal of a focus group is to provide a deeper understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern that behavior. Businesses use the focus group method of conducting research to figure out what customers want, and it can serve as a very valuable tool. For example, a fast-food restaurant may elect to place a few images of various choices of advertisements and observe which advertisement made the participant hungry or which advertisement seemed to make the restaurant most inviting.
There are various types of focus groups, however, the online focus group is a fairly new variation that seems to be attracting the eye of many businesses. If your business elects to try out an online focus group it is important to make sure that proper planning and equipment is in place to maximize your results. Many businesses try their best to have variety in their focus group, however, this is a wasted effort. Certain populations might not be represented, for example, those that might not have access to a computer.It is best to have a well-defined target market and a moderator who will guide the discussion with pre-determined questions.
The participants will all be connected via conferencing software. One of the common misconceptions of online focus groups is that it would be difficult to gauge emotional reactions online. However, webcams can be used to record the facial expressions of participants as they perform tasks. After each task is completed, the moderator should then have a series of survey follow-up questions.
Make sure the online focus group software has chat technology. If your target participants do not have access to a web cam, consider shipping one to them and make use of screen sharing so that participants can view information from the moderator’s desktop. It is important to record the interview for additional analysis and playback.
There are many benefits to having your focus group online; you will find that just as in most capacities, people tend to open up more online than they would in person amongst others. Interacting over the web avoids travel expenses, and most conveniently you will have instant transcripts to save time. Using the above tips and tools should help your business create the most effective online focus groups.