A focus group is a research method that marketers use to obtain information about their product by directly communicating with the consumer of that product. It is, so to speak, a group discussion in which people who do not know each other (they are called respondents) discuss and express their attitudes toward some product or activity. And then marketers conclude. For example, they may be asked to test promotional materials, packaging quality and design, the functionality of electronics, the taste of a new product – in general, anything at all. As a rule, this is commercial information that affects many people, because manufacturers want to know the opinion on their chocolates, ketchup, insurance, mortgages, and other products that many people encounter regularly. To the average person, however, they are interesting because participation in them brings a little money, as well as expanding the scope of the commonplace, and allows meeting other people and trying some new products.
📌 Target audience
The main category of respondents (the so-called target group) are consumers between the ages of 18 and 34. This age restriction is since most people in this period of life are open to anything new, they have the enthusiasm and desire to buy. As an exception, there are also surveys of people under 60 years of age (but not older) when it comes to medicines or health devices.
The subject matter also plays a role. For example, men will not be called to discuss hair dye or diapers, and young mothers – machine oil and sets of screwdrivers. Also, the rules say you can’t take part in, for example, San Antonio focus groups if you have already been interviewed within six months. It is also strictly forbidden for professionals to participate in such groups: journalists, marketing experts, and employees of a competing company. It is also important that the person who goes to focus groups is not squeezed and silent, and not afraid to express his opinion – because it is for him money is paid. The biggest disadvantage of this kind of part-time work is that most focus groups are held during working hours. This is not entirely convenient for both working participants and recruiters, who have to look for successful people who are willing to spend a couple of hours of work time talking.
The research comes in three varieties. “In the field” – a short interview (max. 15 min.) for which people are recruited right on the street. The reward is a chocolate bar, tea, or a product that has been researched. The most popular format is a discussion: 10-12 people gather around a table and chat for 1.5-2 hours on a given topic. The conversation directs the moderator, he also gives the silent speakers and harasses too active. The third is individual interviews with representatives of highly specialized professions, people with psychological or physiological peculiarities, hobbies, etc. Can last 5-6 hours.
📌 Where to look and how much does it cost?
It is most difficult to find such a job for beginners, but with time, when you take part in a couple of focus groups, you will be remembered by recruiters, and they will call you themselves, inviting you to take part in the survey. And to start, you need to look for social networking groups, as well as specialized platforms on the Internet. You can write to recruiters, who are usually the administrators of these groups, directly and give brief information about yourself: age, gender, and the time when you are free.
📌 What to keep in mind?
The price for participating in surveys depends on many factors. The more unassuming the requirements for participants (a survey about chocolates or billboard ads), the less it pays. And the more specific the topic, the more you can earn. The average price is from $50 to $200 for the best-rated focus groups per session. But it all depends on the length of the survey, the subject matter, the form of the focus group, and so on.
