Successfully Making Money Taking Online Surveys

by etgeek (Eric)

Successfully Making Money Taking Online Surveys

Yes, you can make money taking online surveys! That’s the good news.  The bad news is that money you will make is sort of a crawl, rather than a sprint, and finding the legitimate sites can be a challenge.   Read on to find out how to find the right survey sites, and maximize your profits over time.

Finding the Right Sites

When selecting survey sites, be certain to register on all survey sites that pay cash or gift cards – avoiding “sweepstakes only” sites. Surveys do take time to answer and you should be rewarded for your time, not just a chance at compensation. Several sites that were previously sweepstakes only have migrated to cash systems due to lack of participation. Additionally, be aware that a lot of sites offer ‘points’, instead of an actual dollar amount. However, these points always translate into money (or products if you choose), so simple division allows you to calculate what that dollar value of any given survey is.  There are a few sites out there that act as a clearinghouse for good and bad survey sites, such as Survey Police.  Be sure to check these out as you move forward.

After Registration

All sites ask you to fill out general “profile” information about yourself, such as car ownership, family info, magazines you read etc… The stated intent is to filter out surveys that don’t match your demographic, but in reality, many surveys will arrive in your inbox that are contrary to your profile information, so expect this to happen.  The profile process will take you longer than you think, so space it out, maybe finishing the questions over a series of sites over a week.   Despite the time involved, make sure you do fill out the profiles – some site won’t send you any surveys until you do.

If you don’t already have a Paypal account, this is a good time to get one setup. I always recommend you do not link your main bank account to the Paypal account, so this would also be a good time to open an account that you use specifically for online transactions. Not all sites pay via Paypal, but the number is increasing all the time.

Taking your First Surveys

By now, the survey invitations should be rolling into your inbox (you won’t have to wait long). Read each one carefully for the terms (points awarded, estimated completion time, who the survey is for (some will come in for your kids))and follow the link to the survey.

Once you’re in, here a few tips to help you maintain your sanity:

1. Disqualifications (DQ’s). Yes, unfortunately, you will not qualify for every survey – in fact you might qualify for only a 25% of the surveys you receive via e-mail. Not to worry, the ones you get will keep you plenty busy.  One annoying thing that occasionally happens is filling out what seems to be a long survey, and then getting DQ’ed. When this happens (and it will), try another survey or two from the company to make sure it’s not a consistent problem. Most surveys should DQ you after only a few basic questions, and in a lot of cases, you will still be offered something, such as a sweepstakes entry for your time.

2. Be honest in your responses – don’t try to cheat the system.  There are a lot of built in safeguards in each individual survey to prevent cheating (and there are a number of ways to cheat) – as well as within the individual company. But none of those safeguards will prevent you from varying your responses from company to company. But know this, inconsistency breed’s forgetfulness, which leads to providing answers that don’t match on other sites, which leads to bad things. Also, your unlikely to increase the number of qualifying surveys anyway – so don’t do it!  Based on the number of studies I have personally qualified for vs. the number of available surveys, there should be plenty of opportunities for every demographic.

3. Most survey sites e-mail survey opportunities, but not all, so be sure to check the parent website from time to time for ones you may have missed. 

4. Often surveys will provide a time that they estimate it will take to complete a survey. I have consistently found (where video and audio are not involved), that this time is substantially over-estimated. Your mileage may vary.  However, do be aware that some survey companies track the time from answer to answer, and will kick you out of the survey if they feel you are ‘rushing’.  As you take more and more surveys, your time to answer will shorten, due to experience – and this can play right into the hands of these automated systems.  On the good side, there are only a couple of survey companies that I would consider a problem in this regard.  Regardless, thoughtful answers (especially typed in responses) are always advised, and don’t take as much time as you think!

Getting Paid

Ok, I took a survey – now where are my points/cash? Some sites will credit your account immediately, while others may take up to 6 weeks to show your completed amounts. This is because many sites wait for verification from their partners before allowing you to collect. Be patient and know the sites policies – some of the best sites delay crediting. Reputable sites ALWAYS pay – it just may take some time.   As stated earlier, many sites pay directly to Paypal (with no Paypal fees!),  many pay via check, and still others by gift card or online code (to Amazon for example). I always opt for cash where available.

In addition, each site has a threshold for payment.  In general, the lower payout thresholds are the best, and most are 5 dollars and lower, but some are 10, and a couple are 50 (one of my favorites has a 50 dollar payout threshold). Still some pay directly to Paypal for each survey completed. A personal tip is to always cash out at the lowest amount you can when it becomes available.

So what can you make?

Speaking from personal experience, 500 dollars/6 months in not out of the question, and that’s just being registered on about 10 sites, and not taking all of the surveys available to me.  You might make more, you might make less, but profits would seem to top out around 1500 dollars annually and can increase with the number of survey sites you are registered for and your qualification rate.  Furthermore, if you qualify for an occasional focus group, you can make 50 dollars or more in one sitting.

Of all the “make money online” idea’s out there, none are easier for the individual to take part in than online surveys. Find the sites, sign up, take the surveys and get paid. You won’t get rich, but follow the above advice and take home some extra cash today!

Ready to get started?  Click here to sign up and take your first online surveys for cash.

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