There is no doubt that technology has furthered the capabilities and accessibility to perform qualitative market research. What once depended on in-person focus groups or interviews, today’s advancements allow for real-time communication from one end of the world to the other. Technology’s impact on recruiting qualitative market research studies has made an impressionable impact on the field.
With most qualitative research being conducted online, recruiters aren’t limited by geography or commuting constraints. For many market research studies, researchers have a larger selection of available and qualified participants, which directly influences the study outcomes.
Geographic restrictions aren’t a factor
With most qualitative market research studies now being hosted on virtual platforms, recruiters aren’t limited to searching for qualified participants in a geographic region.
Removing geographic restrictions has improved recruiting efforts, especially if the focus of a study is specialized with a limited population.
Let’s say a satellite-based internet company such as Starlink or Xplornet wanted to learn about how users felt about its service. Given the fact that users who rely on satellite-based internet likely live in remote areas, conducting an in-person focus group would be costly and geographically challenging.
Recruiting qualified participants to attend an in-person focus group or in-depth interview for such a study would be time-consuming and frustrating. If this same qualitative study is hosted online, recruiting becomes much easier.
This isn’t to say that recruiting is easy, but it certainly removes roadblocks that otherwise add to the challenge.
Traveling to a Facility is an Impediment
Even in cities with large populations from which to draw, we have found that removing the need to travel to a facility has made recruiting much easier. When a focus group requires in-person attendance, there are additional logistical burdens the participant must consider before committing.
Participants are more willing to say “yes” to joining a study when hosted in a virtual format.
While there are pros and cons to online focus groups, there is no doubt that recruiting for online qualitative studies offers up more available participants for the researcher to select from. We can’t emphasize enough technology’s impact on recruiting qualitative market research studies.
With technology on our side, reaping the benefits of qualitative market research is more available than ever. If your company is considering a qualitative market research study, there is no better time than now.
Request a proposal today to start the conversation on how our team can help you with your market research needs.
Updated on July 27, 2023: We are committed to providing our readers with the latest information and updating our previous articles as needed. We hope that you find this updated information informative and useful. Edited by Elizabeth Zuponcic
