You might think that in this day and age, earning money on the side is relatively easy. And you would be partially right. With more and more people looking for a side job, it’s better to think of it as finding an unofficial part-time job. Paid surveys can earn you easy money on the side flexibly, with no skills or a degree required. But how do you turn the simplest money-making method into significant earnings? Not many people realize this, but paid surveys require a strategic approach.
How do you maximize your earnings, how do you qualify for higher-paying surveys, and how do you avoid the biggest pitfalls of this largely unregulated industry? This guide will give you all the tried-and-true insider tips and tricks to maximize your paid survey income. We will show you step-by-step, how to pick the best platforms, qualify for higher-paying surveys, and avoid the mistakes that keep you from making more money.
Understanding the Paid Survey Ecosystem
Before exploring tactics that will let you pull in the most pay, it’s important to learn how the paid survey ecosystem operates. Paid surveys are actually an offshoot of a larger market research that studies consumers and consumer behavior. The aim is to learn as much as possible from what products people perceive as valuable, to how those products should be packaged and promoted.
A lot of money goes into this research. Companies agree to pay you in cash, gift cards, or points for your time and opinions. Studies predict that the global Online Survey Software market alone is expected to reach $ 9.2 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of more than 9.8 percent.
How Paid Surveys Work
Once you’re signed up with a survey site, you’ll likely be asked to fill out an initial profile with demographic information such as your age, gender, location, and interests. With that information, the survey company will determine what types of surveys you’ll be suited for. If you’re a good match for a specific survey, the company will send you the survey link. You’ll answer questions until you finish it, and then you’ll ‘cash in’ your promised paycheck. Some surveys will take only a couple of minutes to complete, while others are longer and will pay a larger sum for your time but will take longer to complete.
It's highly unlikely that you will make a full-time living from paid surveys. However, given some smart planning, paid surveys can give you a nice bit of side cash. Surveys usually pay between $0.50 and $3. The average depends on how extensive and detailed a survey is.
Tips for Choosing the Right Paid Survey Platforms
The platforms you leverage matter a lot in determining how well you fare. Keep these considerations in mind, and work with the best of the best.
1. Choose Multiple Platforms
Sign up to as many survey sites as you possibly can. Different panels cater to different audiences, and not every site is going to consistently offer good surveys for your demographic. The more varied your supply pool, the greater likelihood you have of being offered surveys – and the more you can earn.
Sign up for legitimate paid survey sites like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, Pinecone Research, and Toluna Influencers. These sites are reliable, provide plenty of survey options, and pay quickly.
2. Look for Platforms with Low Payout Thresholds
Some survey sites require you to earn hundreds of points or dollars before you can cash out. Sites that have lower cash-out thresholds, like $5 at LifePoints and Survey Junkie, will allow you to cash out more often, making you less frustrated if you're running low on points during a survey project you really want to finish.
Pick sites that allow you to cash out as little as $5 or $10, so you don’t wait months to see any returns.
3. Check Reviews and Community Feedback
Not all survey sites can be trusted and some will be too stingy with their payments or simply talk a big game and not deliver on their promises. Choosing the right sites requires time and some research. Look up user reviews and feedback from trusted review communities, like Trustpilot or Reddit. These platforms can save you time and help you pick the right sites while avoiding the bad ones.
Hang out where survey takers gather online and find real-time comments as to whether the site is worth your time. Truthful survey site reviews can be hard to come by.
Maximizing Your Survey Opportunities
Once you are on all the right sites, the next step is to have your name on every survey you qualify for and increase your bank account. Use these strategies to take every opportunity presented to you and monetize your answers.
1. Complete Your Profile Thoroughly
When using survey sites, most of your profile information is needed for them to match you to relevant surveys. The more detailed and accurate your profile is, the more likely you'll be qualified for a wide variety of surveys. Take the time to fill in every section, especially the demographic information such as age, gender, career, education, shopping habits, and household information.
Sign in once in a while and update your profile if your occupation or income type changes. Do the same too if you pick up a new hobby or interest, or if you moved to a new location.
2. Check for Surveys Frequently
High-paying surveys tend to fill up quickly, and many platforms operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The more you check your survey accounts, the more chances you’ll have at grabbing the opportunity first. For some sites, being active means taking advantage of limited-time surveys or quick opportunities.
Set up email or app notifications from your survey platforms so that you are alerted when a new survey is available. This will maximize your chances of completing new surveys before they are filled. Set reminders to check in once in a morning and an evening.
3. Aim for Higher-Paying Surveys
Although most surveys will pay you a couple of bucks, some pay up to ten times as much. Product-testing surveys, detailed market-research surveys, focus groups and medical surveys tend to pay more, sometimes up to $5 to $50 per survey.
Websites such as Pinecone Research and InboxDollars will pay you a bit more, while some websites will occasionally send higher-paying surveys directly to your inbox.
4. Participate in Referral Programs
Another strategy is to refer others to join the site. Many survey platforms offer signup bonuses and referral bonuses for inviting friends, family, or others to join. These platforms provide one of the easiest ways to earn cash without even taking the surveys.
Sites like Swagbucks, InboxDollars and Survey Junkie also run lucrative referral reward programs. If there are people you think will be active long-term customers, you could forward them your referral link to sign up.
5. Stay Consistent
Perhaps the most critical thing you can do to maximize your survey earnings is to complete surveys as consistently as possible. If you complete surveys at least every day, if not more often, you will minimize your risk of missing out on time-sensitive or high-paying survey opportunities.
Carve out a dedicated period every day to check for surveys – whether it’s at lunchtime or while watching TV in the evening. Establishing a routine can help to make surveys fit more seamlessly into your daily life.
Qualifying for More Surveys
Maximizing your earnings from paid surveys also involves qualifying for the highest number of surveys available. Here are a few strategies that will help qualify you for more surveys:
1. Be Honest in Your Responses
There’s a temptation to try to guess what answers the company doing the survey wants to hear in order to qualify, but don’t do it. Honesty is crucial. Some of the popular survey programmes do built-in integrity checks to look for inconsistent or untruthful survey answers, and they will immediately disqualify you from the survey.
That’s bad enough, but, worse, they might even exclude you from the membership. You can get banned from a website for giving dishonest answers on a survey or your profile. That’s something you need to avoid if you want to stay in business. Always give honest answers when you are completing profile information and while you are doing surveys.
2. Keep Your Profile Updated
Nothing will increase the number of survey options quite like life changes. New jobs, new income levels, new family members, or new major or morally significant purchases (a car? A house?) can all alter what surveys you qualify for. Online survey platforms will use your profile to decide whether or not you're a good match for different surveys. Making sure that your profile is up-to-date will also ensure that you qualify for the most relevant surveys.
Log in to your survey account at least every few months to check on your profile information. Update your info if something has happened to you – you may qualify for more in-depth (and therefore more lucrative) surveys.
3. Pay Attention to Screener Questions
Many surveys begin with short screener questions to make sure you are a good fit for the survey. Answer inconsistently or in too much of a hurry, and you might find yourself disqualified before you even get to the meat of the inquiry.
Take a few seconds to mull over the screener questions. Don’t answer them too fast, and make sure you get them right. Read each question twice before you answer it.
Avoiding Survey Pitfalls
While paid surveys can be a consistent source of side income, there are several common mistakes you can make as a survey taker that wind up taking up a lot of your time – and even putting your personal information at risk. Here's how to nip these problems in the bud and stay on the right track in your earning quest.
1. Avoid Survey Scams
The sad fact is that some of the paid survey scams still active on the web are too good to be true – so avoid websites offering high rewards for little work, those that ask you to pay upfront, or any that require sensitive information, such as your Social Security number. If a site asks for any kind of payment, it’s probably best to walk away.
Pay attention to well-regarded and well-reviewed sites like Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, and InboxDollars, and be sure to look for reviews elsewhere online (on third-party review platforms such as Trustpilot or the Better Business Bureau) before you sign up.
2. Avoid Time-Wasting Surveys
Some surveys may take you 20 or 30 minutes and pay you less than a buck. These surveys aren’t worth your while if you’re trying to make a lot of money.
Look for surveys that pay a minimum of $1 for up to 10-15 minutes of work. Some sites like Branded Surveys or Pinecone Research primarily focus on higher-paying surveys – make these your priority.
3. Avoid Burnout
Imagine committing to surveys for a prolonged period, say five hours straight. You'll eventually burn out and not be able to focus, and this could lead to disqualification. Burnout also makes these surveys feel less like a side-hustle for money.
Set a daily or weekly cap on the number of surveys you take. Balance survey work with other activities that will help you rest and stay focused so you can complete surveys accurately and be ready for more surveys in the future.
Conclusion
It takes the right strategy, some perseverance, and wise decision-making to maximize the amount of money you make from completing paid surveys. Remember to keep your profile up-to-date, check for surveys regularly, and shift your attention to the higher-paying surveys. Use referral programs to earn more money, and be cautious of scams and time-wasting surveys.
Paid surveys are not going to replace your full-time income, but if done right, they can be a simple, flexible way to bring in more money every month. The longer you stick with it, and the more time you allocate each day to survey-taking, the greater your returns.