Getting the Most Out of Online Bulletin Boards

Online bulletin board focus groups have been around for years now; they are one of the original online alternatives to in-person focus groups.  With online bulletin boards, participants log in at their convenience over the course of several days (or several weeks or more, depending on the project), and provide their responses to questions, as well as comments to others’ responses.  They’re not interacting in real-time, so there’s less spontaneity, but online bulletin boards have some important advantages.  For example:

  • Everyone gets to answer every question, and they have time to think about each question before answering.
  • Online bulletin board discussion participants tend to be more candid and less influenced by others’ opinions.

The challenge is to make sure participants treat the online discussion like a focus group and engage in the conversation, rather than treating it like a survey, and provide very brief answers.  There are a variety of ways to ensure participant engagement; a recent presentation by my colleague Holly O’Neill included some great strategies for doing so.  (Fellow researchers: Holly shared her expertise at a Qualitative Research Consultants Association chapter meeting.  One of the many reasons to become a member!)  Here are some of my favorite strategies, from both Holly’s and my experience:

  • When recruiting participants, make it clear the online discussion is not a survey and will require their active engagement.
  • Be specific in your initial requests for engagement, e.g., “I’d like you to go back through this morning’s conversation and make at least three comments on others’ posts.”
  • Use indirect questioning techniques (such as projective techniques) early and often.  These techniques aren’t just for in-person focus groups, they can provide great value in online bulletin board discussions.  We’ve learned from the field of behavioral economics that people assume their decisions are based on logic only, when in reality, emotions and context play an important role.  Indirect questioning techniques give participants permission to consider factors beyond logic.  For example, we might ask participants to find images on the web that illustrate what they think of a product or service.  Or we might ask participants to tell us what people say about a certain topic, and then tell us what people really think about that topic.

To find the best ways to learn about your customers and prospects, give me a call at 818-752-7210 or email info at bureauwest.com.

Sources: “Turbo Charge Your Online Qualitative With Online Projectives & Exercises,” Holly O’Neill, QRCA So. Cal. Chapter, 3/14/15; Bureau West research