Let’s be real—some of the best-paying focus groups still happen the old-school way: sitting around a table at a local research facility, chatting with strangers, and yes—getting paid AND fed. Sounds great, right?
So how do you land these sweet in-person gigs?
Step One: Google Like a Pro
Like many good things you start with a Google search. But how you search makes all the difference.
🚫 How NOT To Search
Skip broad phrases like:
- “paid focus groups”
- “get paid for opinions”
- “paid surveys near me”
Why? Because you’ll land in Spam City. The results are cluttered with shady sites and fake promises. Yelp isn’t much better—too many competitors leave phony reviews that cloud the picture.
✅ How TO Search
Instead, search using your actual location. Try:
“focus groups near [Your City, Your State]”
When I did this, I found legit companies in my area. Below are what popped up and passed the legitimacy test (more on that in a sec):
Your local list will be different, but once you find some names, do your homework (I’ll show you how in the next section).
Step Two: Check Craigslist (Yep, Still Worth It)
Craigslist still has legit leads—but you have to know how to dig.
- Go to the Gigs section for your city.
- Skip the sub-categories—just click “Gigs” and use the search bar to type in “focus group”.
Pro tip: You’ll often get routed to a third-party platform where you need to create a profile. Yes, it takes a little time, but once you’re in their system, you’ll start getting email invites to future studies—and some FG facilities will pre-fill your info for you.
Step Three: Is This Company Legit?
Don’t just trust a slick-looking site.
Here’s a quick checklist for vetting a focus group company:
- Look them up on TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Read recent reviews (filter out the obvious fake ones)
- Check if they have clear contact info, a privacy policy, and post their payment terms
- Avoid any company asking you to pay to join. This is a big red flag! That said, there are some sites that require a membership fee to access lists of focus groups. This is different than a focus group facility asking you to pay to join a study or to purchase something to join a focus group.
- A company’s email address should match the company’s domain name.
- While it can save you a ton of time and frustration to be a member of a paid-for service that vets focus groups and serves them to you as clickable links you should never pay to join a single focus group or a company that facilitates focus groups.
- Never give your Social Security number, full street address, credit card number, or bank info to any focus group company.
- Companies that force you to jump through hoops such as going through unrelated surveys, or promotional offers are not legit. A legit FG company will take you directly to their qualifying questions.
- Legit companies will post their privacy policy on their website with a link directly from their home page.
- Legit companies don’t ask you to return any portion of your fee for any reason.
- Check to see if a company is affiliated with CASRO.
If a company clears those hurdles, you’re probably in good hands.
Step Four: Let GigMonstrr Do The Heavy Lifting 💪
Or —skip all that research and let us hand-pick the best FG facilities for you.
🟢 Free to Gigmonstrr Members – 10 legit focus group leads every day.
We do the vetting. You do the earning.
How To Get Chosen for The Best Paying Focus Groups
Getting passed over can be discouraging, but don’t let a few “no’s” knock you down. Once you complete a few gigs and get into the rhythm, your hit rate will go up. I’ve spoken with the powers that be at some focus group companies and they do give preference to past focus group participants who gave thoughtful and valuable feedback.
Let’s stack the odds in your favor:
🎯 Pro Tips From Your Coach:
- Be Selective
Only apply if your experience truly fits. For example, if you’ve worked in pharma but not with bipolar meds, and the study is about bipolar meds—skip it. Trying to force yourself into a focus group won’t work in your favor. Even if you get picked, your feedback won’t be as helpful as someone who has the right background for that study and you could end up getting blacklisted from future studies with that company. - Tell Them Why You Rock
Don’t make them guess. Spell it out. “I’ve managed customer experience for 8 years in the airline industry” beats “yes, I’ve flown before.” - Give Thoughtful, Complete Answers
No one-word replies. If the screener asks if you’ve used a tool, explain how. “I use (tool) several times a week to (activity)” goes a long way. - Apply FAST
These slots fill up quickly. Respond early, answer well, and you’ll stand a better chance at being picked for a study..
Your Next Step
Start with Google and Craigslist if you’re a DIY kind of person. Or let GigMonstrr fast-track your hustle by dropping high-quality gigs into your inbox every day.
You’ve got what it takes to crush this—now let’s get you in that room, earning good money, and enjoying that catered dinner.