Bulletin Board Focus Groups (BBFGs) are on-line focus groups in which participants log into a URL to answer questions that are posted to the site.  The discussion guide is programmed such that new questions are automatically posted every day.  Moderators monitor the site and can probe individual respondents or the group as a whole. Observation: Client observers can log in to view the groups and can type comments or probing questions that will be seen by the moderator and other observers, but will NOT be seen by the participants.

Stimulus: Any stimuli that can be presented on the Web (Web pages, Flash and PowerPoint presentations, Audio/ Video Files and Images) can be presented to respondents.  The Link Group can control when the stimuli are visible and for how long.

Recruiting:  Participants can be recruited via email invitations or traditional methods such as phone recruiting, and we can accommodate participants from multiple countries or time zones in a single group.

Timing:  Typically, a study is conducted over a 3-5 day period with new questions posted at the same time each day.  Respondents are able to read and respond to each others’ points throughout the duration of the group.

Output:  Immediately upon the conclusion of the research, a verbatim transcript of the group is generated and provided to clients.

Response Quality - Participants are not rushed to respond in real time so they generate more comprehensive and informative responses.  Respondents are assured of complete privacy as there is no face-to-face contact between respondents, and respondents are more willing to open up regarding sensitive or controversial topics.