Hello my name is Tim and I am a professional Paid Survey Taker. Over the last 2 years I have participated in hundreds of market research studies and have made a few bucks doing it. I always get weird looks when I tell people I take surveys as my part time job.
Taking paid surveys was not easy to get into, the first year I was searching for legitimate paid survey sites and learning the ropes. I signed up with over 600 sites that said they were legitimate surveys only to find that they were scams, spam or trying to sell me a list of online survey sites. I only ended up joining 10 legitimate sites.
Eventually I did more and more research and found over 300 legitimate market research sites that were worth joining. I then created a site devoted to just legitimate paid survey sites theguruseye and started helping others out, so they didn’t have to go through the same thing.
There are a few things that you should know about paid surveys before you decide to start taking surveys online. Here I will give you some of the tips and tricks about paid surveys that I have picked up. This first part of this article will outline some outlining information you will need to know.
Part I – Intro to paid surveys
1. First I would like to say that there are Legitimate Paid Surveys are out there. I personally take surveys for 47 paid survey sites.
2. Never pay a survey directory for information that is completely free on the internet. There are a lot of scams like this so watch out.
3. Just because a site is heavily advertised doesn’t mean it’s a good site too join.
4. Never pay to join a survey site, legitimate paid survey sites are free to join.
5. Some paid survey sites allow members as young as 13 years old.
6. Legitimate paid survey sites don’t advertise other survey sites.
7. Legitimate survey companies will not ask for your social security number.
8. Legitimate survey companies will not try to sell you products.
9. Legitimate survey companies will not ask you for your bank account number or credit card number.
10. Legitimate paid survey sites don’t send spam, just surveys and newsletters.
11. To spot a legitimate site you should look for the following logos. AMA, BBB, Castro.
12. Real survey sites have things like faqs, privacy policies on one the first pages or easily accessible.
13. Paid Survey Sites are actually Market Research Companies. These companies or conglomerates are very efficient at what they do.
14. Stay up to date with the news around you. Market research firms get assigned to new trends and topics, so if you can, watch or read the news everyday.
15. Taking paid surveys will not get you rich, however they will bring in some extra cash into your pocket at a rate better than most Americans make right now in a part time job (hour for hour).
16. Surveys can be taken at anytime day or night, from the convenience of anywhere nowadays with mobile technology, if you have time to kill and you have access to the internet. Do as the survey takers do.
17. Participating in Market Research for Paid Survey Sites will require you to divulge personal information. You will be protected if you join legitimate paid survey sites.
18. You will have to devote time to participate in surveys; I suggest you set aside 1 hour a day.
19. less known survey sites make you more money per survey, however; less know paid survey sites also don’t sent out that many surveys 1 per month maybe.
20. Legitimate paid survey sites never exaggerate claims. Most legitimate sites won’t even tell you how much you will make.
21. Remember if it sounds too good to be true than beware!
22. Still interested? Then continue to our next segment of 68 Paid Survey Tips and Tricks.
Part II – Setting up your accounts.
Setting up your accounts is very important; this will ensure everything goes smoothly. From getting paid quickly, completing your surveys and qualifying for them.
1. Get organized, it’s a pretty simple process. I have created this tutorial to set you up correctly.
2. First you need to decide a specific user name and password; it’s easier when all your log ins are one user name and one password, so you cant forget.
3. Get a new e-mail address though Gmail or Ymail they are free.
4. Go to Firefox website and download Mozilla, its free.
5. Get Roboform auto form filler, its free unless you want to upgrade (recommended after you get into the swing of things)
6. Setup your Roboform auto form filler ( use your information)
7. Create a folder on your tool bar (left click on the toolbar and select new folder) Name it as you see fit.
8. Now you need to figure out how many sites you are going to join. I recommend when first starting out joining 10 survey sites. Joining 10 survey sites will get you about 30 survey invitations per week.
9. Remember the more sites you join and take surveys for, the more money you will make.
10. Join your specific industry or other paid survey site like business people, opinion world business, or join the African American voice or Greenfield for Hispanic’s these panels pay a whole lot more.
11. Which sites do you join? Here is a reviewed list of paid survey sites.
12. Remember its quality sites you want to join, not garbage.
13. Join Survey Sites.
14. Some survey sites pay via PayPal . PayPal usually pays faster, if you want that set up the account.
15. Which ever sites you choose to join, when you are on their site click once on the tab and drag it to your folder and drop it in. Now you have access to your survey sites at a click of the button.
16. When you receive surveys set the sender as a contact, so the e-mails don’t end up in spam folders.
17. When you join a survey site most of the time they send out a conformation e-mail, definitely click on the link or else you account will not be active.
18. After you join the sites you will want to go back to them and fill out there profile questions, this will ensure that you don’t receive surveys that don’t pertain to you.
19. When you have completed the profile questions double check to make sure your address and contact information is correct. This will make sure that your checks come to you.
20. When you complete a survey you can attach a note on the invitation in your e-mail account that you have completed it and when.
21. After you start receiving e-mails from survey sites create a folder for your e-mail invitations. This way when you need to find out info on a survey you have it at your finger tips.
22. Most market research companies don’t want professional survey takers, so never let the survey site know that you take surveys from multiple companies. Sometimes you will be asked to take the exact survey at multiple survey sites. I always find it funny especially when everyone pays differently. It might be boring taking the same survey but it goes a lot faster the 2nd and 3rd time.
Part III – Taking surveys, what to expect, how much money to expect, what and what you should do.
1. Paid surveys wont make you rich, however if you stick to them you can easily make $300 – $600 per month.
2. Most paid survey sites will send you an via e-mail invitation to surveys they have available that your fits your demographic information that you have provided.
3. Try to complete every survey they send you.
4. Most survey invitations will let you know how much you will make for the survey and about how long it is suppose to take to complete.
5. Some surveys will reward you with sweepstakes entries for completing the survey.
6. Sweepstakes surveys are usually shorter and easier to complete.
7. Some sites if you complete the sweepstakes survey they lead you to the higher paid surveys.
8. Using your bookmarked paid survey sites folder on your toolbar log onto the paid survey sites you joined everyday; they will notice that there is activity on your account.
9. There are 4 types of questions that surveys ask.
10. Qualifying questions usually ask things like occupation and if you use a certain product, always choose none of the above for occupation and always choose at least 3 products.
11. Classification questions ask things like where you live and how much you make. Tell the truth.
12. Opinion questions; answer how you see fit, there are no wrong answers.
13. When completing the opinion questions make an effort.
14. Watch out during the opinion questions some survey sites will put things like choose # 3 on a certain question for quality purposes.
15. Market research sites are in the business of information with that said they expect when you participate in a survey that you give them pertinent information i.e. I like the cover of that magazine because of the photography style.
16. Some surveys will ask you if you have participated in a survey about (example) before, always check that you have not participated in research about (example).
17. Most survey sites have a member’s area where you can check your stats, survey invitations and profile make sure you familiarize yourself with the layout.
Part IV – Paid Survey Payments and Taxes
1. After $600 from any 1 survey site you will receive a 1099 tax form for your income.
2. Paid survey sites usually pay via check some are converting to PayPal .
3. When going on vacation or if you can’t participate for 2-3 weeks, let the survey site know, this way your account stays active.
4. Paid survey sites sometimes ask you to participate in focus groups, these typically pay $50-$200 its not too often, but it happens.
5. Product testing is also something paid survey sites ask you to participate in; I personally have product tested different things such as socks, toothbrushes, candy and even air fresheners. These typically pay $10-75.
6. If you are lucky enough to be a product test participant make sure you follow everything to a T. this way the survey site will send you more.
7. Paid survey sites are always looking for more panelists and usually they pay you to refer your friends, just make sure you don’t spam your friends, that’s just not cool.
Timothy Costa is an expert when it comes to paid surve