Fast turnaround time. The results of a focus group can be written up immediately after the group has been conducted. This is important to do immediately while the experience is still fresh, particularly if the same moderator is conducting several focus groups. New technologies offer other options for conducting focus groups, for example, using the World Wide Web to convene participants in front of computer screens in varied locations. Focus Groups in Market Research.
Focus groups are particularly useful in pre-testing.
They may be used as a strategy to gain the insights and involvement of users as research activities are developed, and may help expand both the user audience and the scope of the research. Caution must be used, however, as focus groups do depend on a small sample of participants that may not ultimately represent the larger body. The focus group must be well-planned and carried out in an organized manner with appropriate data collection. Even if well-planned, a quantitative method may be needed to verify results for the target population. There is a subtle difference in how the questions are asked and answered in person and online, said David Bradford, a vice president and director of The Virtual Research Room, a marketing research firm, also known as Vrroom, that is based in New York.