The power of focus groups in qualitative research

Focus groups have been used since the 1940s to explore consumer behaviours, perceptions, and decision-making processes and for many people they are synonymous with qualitative market research. Focus group discussions are good for generating ideas and building consensus. They can help identify issues, gather feedback for improvements, and uncover new trends.

At FieldworkHub, we specialise in recruiting for, and facilitating, focus groups that generate meaningful, actionable insights for our clients. Our expertise helps businesses, public sector and not-for-profit organisations to understand their target audiences better and refine their strategies accordingly.

What is a focus group?

A focus group is a moderated discussion involving a small group of participants, typically between six and twelve, who share common characteristics relevant to the research topic. Focus groups typically last one to two hours, with 90 minutes being the most popular length.

Unlike one-to-one interviews, focus groups encourage interactive discussions, allowing participants to engage with different viewpoints. These discussions often reveal insights that may not surface in isolated settings.

Why focus groups matter in market research

Focus groups are a powerful way to explore customer motivations, test new concepts, and understand brand perceptions. At FieldworkHub, we have arranged successful focus groups for clients in many industries, including consumer goods, financial services, technology and government organisations, which have helped them to make informed decisions (you can find numerous case studies on our focus group projects here).

Key benefits of focus groups

The key benefits of focus groups can be summarised as follows:

• Uncover rich insights: Group interactions encourage participants to generate ideas and articulate thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to express in surveys or structured interviews.
• Gain a deeper understanding of social influences: Observing how opinions evolve through group discussions provides a more nuanced understanding of consumer sentiment and market trends.
• Tailored and adaptable approach: Focus groups can be customised to address specific research goals, such as testing advertising messages, refining product features, or gauging brand perception.

Challenges in running focus groups and how to overcome them

While focus groups offer immense value, they come with challenges that require expert facilitation:

• Participant dynamics: Dominant personalities can easily take over the discussion and overshadow quieter participants, impacting the breadth of insights obtained from a focus group. The moderators that FieldworkHub provides are all highly skilled in facilitating focus groups in ways that create an inclusive environment where all participants feel comfortable sharing their views.
• Moderator bias: An inexperienced moderator can introduce bias into a focus group without necessarily realising it, through the way they look, what they say to the group and how they interact with different respondents. We take great care to select moderators with a relevant background and experience, and the training needed to guide discussions effectively while maintaining objectivity.
• Scheduling constraints: Having the right sized group can make a big difference to the success of focus group research, so we always recommend an element of over-recruitment when arranging focus groups, particularly face-to-face groups where the drop-out rate tends to be slightly higher, even though we go to great lengths to ensure that our participants turn up. Groups also need to be held at times when participants are likely to be available – for example, groups with people in regular full-time employment need to be scheduled after working hours. To maximise attendance, early evening on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is often the best time to hold focus groups.

Best practices for conducting effective focus groups

At FieldworkHub, we recommend a structured approach to extract the maximum value from focus group discussions:

1. Define clear research objectives: A well-defined research goal ensures that discussions remain focused and yield relevant insights.
2. Recruit the right participants: Our rigorous recruitment process ensures participants match the client’s target audience, based on demographics, interests, and behaviours.
3. Skilled moderation: Our expert moderators foster engaging discussions while ensuring a fair representation of viewpoints.
4. Strategic discussion guides: We develop discussion frameworks with typically, around 6 to 8 main topic areas to ensure that each topic can be covered in the time available.
5. Thorough data analysis: We can go beyond conducting sessions by delivering comprehensive reports that translate qualitative data into actionable strategies.

Conclusion

Focus groups remain vital in qualitative market research, offering unparalleled insights that can shape strategic business decisions. At FieldworkHub, our expertise in participant recruitment, moderation, and data analysis ensures that our clients receive valuable and actionable findings.

Are you looking to incorporate focus groups into your next research project? Contact FieldworkHub to discover how we can help you unlock deeper consumer insights and get more value for money from your market research budget.