Deemed the ‘smallest big city in America’ Columbus is on the come-up as the next ‘underrated’ American city. This can be annoying for natives that are already hip to its charm, but the good news is you have bragging points that you knew all the local spots before they were featured in Columbus Alive.
Another advantage of knowing the ins and outs of a city is participating in focus groups. Focus groups are a great way to share (and explore!) your knowledge of popular brands and companies that impact your city. Companies will pay you in exchange for your opinion on products, services, experiences, etc. Oh but if you want to see the focus groups in a city near you, check out this article.
If you want to learn more about paid focus groups in Columbus, we wrote this article for you. Read below to get our top picks of local studies!
Studies you can participate in
As the capital of Ohio, much of the state’s economy relies on Columbus. In fact, 20 Fortune 1000 companies are based in Columbus. A few of the most well-known companies are:
- Big Lots
- Express
- Victoria’s Secret
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- Nationwide Insurance
You may realize from the list that Columbus is an undercover fashion hub. Along with it’s edgy local art scene, craft beers, and small business scene, Columbus has the business diversity and interest for great focus groups.
Online focus groups that are worth checking out
Before we get into the local pickings, we think it wise to sign up for a few of these online focus groups.
Online options are great because they are generally faster, more abundant, and convenient than their in-person counterparts.
They pay a bit less, and they are not quite as fun, but you need the diversity especially if you want to maximize your earning potential.
1. YouGov
YouGov is one of the biggest names in market research with over 3 million members and they offer a constant stream of paid surveys, product tests and focus groups. Once you sign up, they will only send you the studies you are eligible for, which is super convenient.
Qualification: Residents of the USA and be at least 14 to join.
Click Here to Apply for YouGov
2. SurveyJunkie
The company specializes mostly in surveys as their name implies, but they also conduct online interviews on occasion. What’s great about this firm is that they have a mobile app that you can access in any location.
Qualification: Residents of USA 16+ only.
Click Here to Apply for Survey Junkie
3. Respondent Focus Groups
A marketplace that connects respondents like you with companies like eBay and Allstate. Expect to earn $20 to $150 per online survey. Some are difficult to qualify for depending on your profession or special qualifications but could be worth it.
Qualification: Residents of USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Must be 18+.
Click Here to Apply for Respondent
4. Branded Surveys
Take part in video surveys, focus groups, and more with Branded Surveys. Get paid via PayPal, e-gift cards or prepaid credit cards.
Qualification: Residents of USA 14+
Click Here to Apply for Branded Surveys
5. Toluna Influencers
Here you can take several video surveys to earn a wide variety of rewards (cash, gift cards, etc.). You can request a payment once your account balance reaches $10.
Qualification: Residents of USA must be 14+
Click Here to Apply for Toluna Influencers
Top 5 Companies Conducing Focus Groups in Columbus
Here is our roundup of the top (4) market research companies in Columbus! We usually rank 5 companies, but only 4 qualified to be the best this time. We’re picky! See our ranking process here.
1. Spencer Research:
This smaller company is based in Columbus, but has partner locations in other major U.S. cities as well. They won me over with their local charm and specialization: they only offer product & taste tests (my favorite).
Others agree with our positive assessment. They boast 4.8 stars on Google and 4.2 on Facebook. No Yelp presence, which is a bit weird, but it’s better than negative reviews! In case you still aren’t convinced with their social cred, they are BBB accredited with an A+ rating.
Check them out! Sign-up is relatively short and painless with a short registration form.
2. L&E Opinions:
This is a popular choice among focus group connoisseurs. We like that you can explore the available studies before registering, so you can see what offers are available before handing over your precious inbox zero.
Currently, they offer quite a few finance focus groups and product and taste tests.
Pay is between $50-100 for 1-2 hour studies, and compensation is through Visa or e-gift cards. They also offer a referral program where every 20 people you refer gets you $20.
Fill out their demographic survey to join their database and qualify for studies.
3. Schlesinger Group:
If you’ve read any of our other city guides (maybe you like to travel, or just love us that much – thanks <3) you know Schlesinger is a favorite of ours – and others too!
In Columbus, they don’t have much of a social presence with local Yelp or Facebook pages. But trusty Google users rank them 4.4 stars out of 53 reviews, commenting on their fun studies and nice atmosphere.
They offer focus groups for consumers and professionals in business and healthcare.
This branch is a relatively new location located off of East Campus View Blvd.
4. Complete Connection Research:
This is a smaller firm, but they carry a high reputation. According to their website, they were the highest rated overall facility for focus groups, by Impulse Survey of Focus Facilities. They’ve also worked with bigwigs such as Coca-Cola, Proctor & Gamble, and IBM.
They average about 4.5 stars between Google and Facebook, and 1 lonely 5 star review from Yelp from 2012. People enjoy the friendly, welcoming staff.
The pay is quite nice, averaging about $100-200 dollars per study, though they do have many groups that are for special populations. You can check out typical studies on their Facebook page.
Fill out their pretty extensive survey to make sure to sign up so you don’t miss any other opportunities.
Blackbox Companies
We found another company that performs market research, but we can not confirm if they recruit for focus groups at this time. This qualifies as a blackbox. They do have good reviews on Google, so if you stumble upon an opportunity, we say give it a shot!
LextantLabs – 580 N. 4th St., Suite 610, Columbus, OH 43215
Final Thoughts
Columbus does not have many market research companies, but there are still plenty of opportunities to make some extra money through focus groups. I hope we gave you some direction to get started!
If you try any of the companies on our list or have a suggestion, please let us know in the comment section below. We love to hear from you.
Till payday!
I am a father to a beautiful baby girl, a husband and a serial gigster 🙂 I live in Toronto, Canada. My claim to fame: I made thousands of dollars from focus groups and surveys over the last 15 years. Studied Marketing in Ryerson Univerity and worked in Marketing and Marketing Research for the last 14 years+ My mission is to educate others how to be successful with side hustles. You can contact my be email or on Facebook.
Complete Connection Research and L&E are great companies to work work for. Over the years I have enjoyed working with them.