Can You Really Make Money Online Doing Surveys?

Can you really make money online doing surveys? The Internet is home to a hundred different options to make money online. Most of these give you the promise of earning money with just the bare minimum of effort and time. An honorable mention of this easy money-making online opportunity is online surveys.

I mean, when you randomly surf through the web and see the words “get paid for taking online surveys”, doesn’t that give you even the slightest feeling of curiosity? Right off the bat, it might be hard to believe. It sounds to good be true. Why would people pay you for answering some questions, right?

Well, I have done the deed of checking out if you can really make money online by doing surveys. Of course, in this post, we’ll also take into consideration how much time and effort you should dedicate to taking online surveys and if the amount you can earn is worth all the pain and sweat.

What and Who are Online Surveys For?

The thought that you are getting paid for answering surveys begs the question, “Why would anyone pay me for my opinions?” Well, the thought and logic behind that are pretty simple. Companies and businesses need data and information regarding the preferences of the public when it comes to products within different business industries. What they call, big data.

These companies do this by conducting surveys. In return for your time and opinion, they have this rule of compensating their members with rewards which could range from cash, gift cards, points, and chances to win in the sweepstakes. The sole purpose of gathering information about the consumer panel through surveys is to make more informed and smart decisions based on the voice and eyes of the public to further their business ventures. 

Some companies have their own research departments conducting surveys of all sorts. But for some lacking in this department, that’s where survey companies come into action. You can say that not all heroes wear capes. Businesses and companies are the first groups of people who benefit from surveys.

The other group of people is you. Whatever your reason may be, it all comes down to the prime thought of earning a little bit of money by voicing out your thoughts and sparing a few minutes of your time answering their questions. In this time where we are constantly being greeted by a treadmill of financial needs, some of us can’t afford to waste time and spend our spare time on opportunities to make money even if it’s just worth a few dollars.

On the other hand, if you belong to a group of people thinking that you could make a full-time income just by answering surveys alone, then you may be searching in the wrong places. I’ll talk more about this thought later on.

If you have only heard about online surveys and never really dared in the first place to try, you might be wondering, “How does it really work from the inside?” Say no more.

Can You Really Make Money Online Doing Surveys?

Getting started with online surveys and the process of answering surveys is pretty much simple and straightforward, actually. Although the experience may vary depending on the website you are signing up for, it usually just revolves around the following. 

Choosing Your Options

There is an ocean of online paid survey websites out there. However, you have to learn how to fish. Some of these websites providing online surveys may be hungry for your information and may be crappy scams. You may never know. That’s why it’s always the best option to research the best online paid survey websites that will suit your needs.

You can do all the work yourself, or you can take a look at the list of online paid surveys below which I think would appeal to you.

Signing Up

Of course, before anything else, you would have to sign up and create your own account. It would usually request bits of your personal information, especially your demographic information. Why is this the case? It’s because companies and businesses have their own standards and requirements. That being said, depending on your demographic, you could either have a higher or lower potential of earning. 

It can’t be helped, most companies only care about a certain portion of the demographic since their target market may lean more toward a particular group of people. It’s also important to fill out your profile completely since this is one factor enabling the companies to send you survey invites that you may qualify for through email.

Receiving Surveys

There are usually two ways in which you can receive surveys. The first way would have to be the dashboard. Some websites display a list of available surveys for you to answer on your dashboard. Depending on the website, the notifications could also display some information on the rewards you may gain after you have completed the survey and how many minutes would it take to finish it. 

Another way to receive surveys, which I have mentioned before, is through survey invites via email. The amount of survey invites you can receive may be on a daily basis or for some it could be at least 3 to 4 survey invites on a monthly basis. Again, the biggest factor affecting the number of your survey invites would be your demographic information, whether companies care about your preferences or not.

Answer Surveys

Before you get to complete a survey, you would first have to go through a series of pre-qualifying questions. Most companies will only reward you if finish a survey. Otherwise, you should try your luck on the succeeding survey. Just the pre-qualifying questions alone could take you up to 30 minutes or less depending on whether you have been disqualified earlier on. Most of the surveys would take up to 1 hour. The questions you may receive could be in different forms, be it multiple choice or if it needs your opinions in the form of paragraphs. 

Get Paid

The best part of all this is getting paid. Depending on the company, you could either be paid with real, hard, and solid cash. Others only compensate you with points you could convert to gift cards, prizes, and rewards like everyday house items. Some of my friends get the privilege of receiving dishwasher soap, diapers, and skin care items which they would have to test and send their feedback to the company. One survey website I know of rewards you with points that you can use up for their sweepstakes, and bid auctions.

Why do Companies Pay for Surveys?

You might think that getting paid to take a survey is absurd. Why would anyone pay you to share your thoughts?

In reality, most businesses rely on customer feedback. Companies that do not have a department dedicated to conducting consumer surveys and panels hire survey firms to do so.

Consumer feedback allows businesses to make more money by fine-tuning products and advertisements before they are released to the public. That is why companies will compensate you for your time when you complete a survey. The information you provide them will be critical to their success.

How Much Can You Make With Online Surveys

Okay, let’s get onto the real tea here. I’ve mentioned before that in no way could answering surveys be a sustainable source of income nor can you be rich with it. This particular make-money online opportunity is only for people who already have a regular source of income and just want to earn some money or rewards on the side for fun.

The usual compensation amount for finishing a survey ranges from cents to a few dollars. Some of the surveys are ambitious and could reward you for up to $50, but opportunities like that rarely come. Most of the time, it’s all just cents. You’re already lucky if you get paid for even just a dollar.

How much you can make also depends on whether you qualify for a survey or not. Some companies pay you consolations if you’re disqualified for a survey, while some don’t have the heart to do so. Naturally, you get paid higher if you get qualified. Other factors include the company you signed up with, and of course, how many surveys you will receive depending on your demographic.

Tips for Taking Online Surveys

• Be honest. I don’t even know why I’m mentioning when this should be an unspoken rule. Although I understand you would want to qualify for a survey, so sometimes we fake our information. Well, I can’t blame you though. I did that, too. However, remember, you are being paid for your personal and honest preferences about products within different industries. Lying for the sake of being qualified takes out the whole point of surveys. 
• Check a company’s privacy policy. Some companies take advantage of you and sell your information to third parties. You wouldn’t want that because it means you will deal with a messy inbox and call log filled with spam emails and sales calls. In light of that, make sure you take a look at their privacy policy. If in any case, they do mention the selling of your information, you may want to provide them with an alternative email or number.
• Steer clear of those who request sign-up fees. First of all, they don’t need to request payment from you. These survey companies are getting paid by the businesses that need the information and reports. Your opinions matter and companies are willing to pay you for that. It’s their duty to take a portion out of their pay and give it back to you. Paying up also doesn’t guarantee anything, so it could either be for some use or just a complete waste.
• Fill out your profile. Even if this takes a lot of time, you should put this on your priority list. Without any trace of information about your demographic, you will receive little to nothing survey invites. Remember, this is the biggest factor in determining your survey earning potential.
• The more, the merrier. The survey invites volume varies on the company. Some companies invite you to answer surveys on a daily basis, while it’s a drought on other websites. Of course, you need all the invites you could get to increase your chances of getting qualified for a survey. Take note, most of the time, you will get rejected. That’s just the harsh reality. Make sure you have an abundant resource of invites.
• Always follow up. Turn on your email notifications, and constantly follow up on your dashboard to see if you have surveys to tend to.
• It’s all about spare time. Completing surveys will take up quite a significant amount of your spare time. You just have to make time if you’re serious about earning side money and rewards.
  

Check Out These Online Survey Websites

I handpicked some of the best online paid survey websites out there that I think would appeal to you.

VIP Voice

Coming from The NPD Group which has been providing market information and advisory services to Fortune 500 companies ever since 1967, VIP Voice pays you in the form of VIP points by answering surveys coming from their research partners. These points are apparently only eligible to use as raffle entries and bids for auctions. 

Prizes range from $5,000 cash to television sets, and trips. One thing I like about VIP Voice Win is their heart to still compensate you with points even if you’re disqualified for a survey. Sadly, these points can’t be converted to cash or redeemable rewards. It’s free to use as long as you’re a US or Canadian resident.

Harris Poll Online

Harris Poll Online is a website that offers online surveys covering different fields such as fashion, music, movies, and groceries in which you will be rewarded with points. Signing up will not require you a luxury since it is free! Yes, completely free! You don’t have to worry about any signup fees, and there are definitely no recurring fees, as well.

When you finish a survey, you will be rewarded with Hitpoints for your time and effort. These Hipoints enable you to redeem rewards such as electronic gift cards, merchandise, and more from their partner companies which include Amazon, iTunes, ESPN, Walmart, and Starbucks. Sorry to disappoint, but they don’t reward you with legit and actual cash. But it’s nice that they give consolation to those that do not qualify for surveys considering that it is really hard to qualify for surveys.

PointsPrizes

PointsPrizes is a get-paid-to (GPT) website offering you lots of options that will reward you with points. This platform is relatively new in the market since it has only been operating back in 2017. It’s available to users regardless of where they live. Here are the many ways you could earn points with PointsPrizes.

• Paid surveys
• Enter coupon codes on the website
• Watching videos
• Play games
• Giveaways
• Daily poll
• Referral program
• Paid offers

You can convert these points into prizes you can claim in Google Play, iTunes, Amazon, online games, and more. Good news, you can exchange these points for cash too! You can receive this cash through PayPal as long as you reach the minimum cash-out threshold of $20.

PointsPrizes is also available as an app, and you can download it on either Google Play or App Store. 

FusionCash

FusionCash is a get paid to (GPT) website offering you different ways to earn money online by completing simple tasks. Signing up is free. In fact, they even pay you $5 for signing up! Here is the list of tasks you complete with FusionCash to earn money.

Receiving trial offers can pay you up to $100. The referral program also earns you a lot of cash. However, other tasks and activities do not pay that much. Surveys, watching videos, downloading apps, surfing the web, and paid-to-call opportunities only give you cents when you complete them.

• Surveys
• Offers
• Shopping
• Watching videos
• Referral program
• Paid-to-Call opportunities
• Searching on the web
• Radio
• Downloading apps

Survey Savvy

Your money reaches your account in a span of 10 minutes after you have completed the offer. What matters most of all is whether it pays you for real. Well, they do!

Survey Savvy is a market research company headquartered in San Diego, California, and has been growing with the internet ever since the year 1999. One of the many ways you can earn money at Survey Savvy is, of course, through surveys! After you complete a survey, the money will find its way to you. Your reward comes in cash, rewards, or goodies. Completing a survey will give you a cash reward ranging from $1 to $3 max. Other ways for you to earn money are through their referral program and monthly draws.

If all these online paid survey websites still do not appeal to you, if the question Can You Really Make Money Online Doing Surveys still persist, see how I make a full-time income working from home. A real and legit way to make money online, check out my Wealthy Affiliate review!

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