Can You Really Get Paid To Do Online Surveys?
This topic has been on my list of articles I wanted to write and I am finally getting around to it. I have heard about the idea of getting paid to do online surveys but I have also heard that many of these offers are scams. This would probably fall into the same category of a recent article I wrote on the topic of how to make money as a mystery shopper. Most people dismiss the idea as illegitimate since there are so many scams that use the concept as a front.
Not only have I been generally aware of the survey opportunity, but a cousin of mine that has a seasonal job shared with me last year that she makes quite a bit of money during her 'off season' completing online surveys. This was the first time that someone I knew actually vouched for the legitimacy of getting paid to do surveys.
Separating The Scams From The Real Thing
The tip off of a paid survey scam is when you are asked to pay money upfront to become involved. Legitimate survey opportunities do not ask you to pay them - they pay you. Another very common thing you will see if you do any Google searches for survey opportunities are thousands of people selling lists of online survey companies. You really don't need to spend $30 or more for a list as I am providing one for you below.
Reputable Online Survey Opportunities
How Do You Get Paid?
The above sites pay out most via Pay Pal. Most offer a variety of rewards programs such as airline miles, credit at Amazon.com, and other online stores. The compensation you will receive is disclosed upfront, so you can decide if the offer is worth your time to participate.
How Much Will I Earn?
Shorter surveys (5 minutes or less) pay about $1 while longer surveys (45 minutes) can pay $30 or more.
How To Get Started
Get started by registering with any of the above sites. The registration process involves sharing some information about yourself that will help the survey company to determine what surveys would be appropriate for you to complete. Most of the sites will allow you to start completing surveys immediately after registration. You will also be contacted by e mail when any surveys you qualify to complete are available. For example, they may be currently looking for mothers of young children and if you don't fit into that category you may not find anything currently available for you. This appears to be the most limiting aspect of the survey opportunity. You can not just sit down and complete an unlimited number of surveys. You can only complete surveys you are invited to participate on. One way to combat this is to sign up for multiple survey sites to increase the odds on your survey invitations.
Conclusion
Don't quit your day job. Depending on your consumer profile you may only get the opportunity to do a handful of surveys each week. The only way to find out how in demand you may be as a survey taker is to sign up for a few sites and complete their profile questionnaire.
Please use the comments section below to share your own experience (good or bad) with the world of paid online surveys.
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James L. Paris
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