What's a focus group?

Focus groups are small, diverse groups of people brought together to discuss and give feedback on a product, service, idea, or advertisement before it’s launched to the general public. 

Companies use focus groups to get insights into how their target audience feels about what they’re offering. The participants share their opinions, thoughts, and reactions, which helps the company tweak or improve their product or messaging.

For example, if a brand is thinking about launching a new snack, they might gather a focus group to taste it and give their honest feedback.

The company could then use those insights to adjust the flavor, packaging, or marketing before the official release. Focus groups help companies avoid launching something that might not resonate with their audience.

Focus groups are often led by a moderator who asks the participants questions and guides the discussion to make sure the brand gets valuable feedback.

This qualitative research gives companies a deeper understanding of what their audience wants and how they can improve their offering.