The internet is full of so many ways to make money online. It’s hard to decide what method will work the best for you, and that’s where this blog post comes in! We are going to discuss one of the more popular options: paid surveys. This is a very accessible way for anyone with an opinion and some time on their hands to earn extra cash and survey rewards while helping companies understand their customers better.
The drawback? There are people out there who take advantage of opportunities like these in order to scam others out of money. You should always do your research before signing up with any company!
Paid Surveys Reputation (the Good, The Bad, and the Ugly)
Before we talk about the best survey sites, let’s take a more in-depth look at how you can separate reputable companies from those trying to scam vulnerable people out of their hard-earned money.
The first thing we recommend looking into is reputation. Most of the best online survey sites will be ones that you can easily read about on the internet and find plenty of genuine testimonials from customers who have already earned PayPal, gift cards, or cash using these services before.
The idea of earning money from survey sites and market research is really appealing. What’s not to love about getting asked a few questions, answering them honestly with some quick information, or maybe even giving your personal opinion on something in your free time? But like anything else great in this world, thieves and scammers are lurking around the corner, ready to take advantage of unsuspecting people.
Are surveys for money legit? A decade or so ago, a majority of survey companies were obvious scams. Nowadays, it’s hard to tell the difference between a legitimate opportunity and a scam because scammers have models designed to look like legit business opportunities online!
Finding Legit Survey Sites Is Critical
You should always do your research before signing up with any company! Here are some ways to stay away from scam survey sites:
Never Pay to Join an Online Survey Site
This is a huge red flag; you should never be paying to join a legitimate company. Reputable companies spend a lot of time and money building their rosters because the more people they have, the more likely they will be successful. They would never ask you to pay for a membership—it’s always the other way around.
The Best Online Surveys Are Realistic
Remember that most things that seem too good to be true usually are. While you can earn money online with paid survey sites, don’t expect the paycheck of your dreams, and don’t quit your day job. And don’t believe everything you read on social media or in your email either; many spam emails will offer people thousands of dollars just for looking at an ad and claiming a prize (which never arrives). If something sounds like “too-good-to-be-true,” question whether it is even legitimate at all before proceeding.
Look For Accurate Contact Information
Be wary of any site that doesn’t share their contact information or “about us” page. What credible business wouldn’t want to be found? If you can’t find out much about the provider of surveys, move on and look for another website that willingly offers this critical piece of info upfront.
Legit Sites Will Not Ask For Personally-Identifying Information
Never give your social security number, credit card information, or full address. There’s really no need for any of that information. The most a company should ask for is general demographic data (age, sex, zip code), and they don’t need anything more than the basics from you to know what kind of surveys will be suitable matches.
Ensure the Site Has a Privacy Policy
Privacy policies are a must when using any service, and no company is legitimate without one. You should always be able to find the privacy policy on the site of whichever company you’re interested in signing up with – it’s usually at the bottom or top of their homepage. If for some reason, they don’t have that, there might be something shady about them!
Beware Of Promotional “Offers”
If the site forces you to go through promotional offers before showing you anything, that could be a sign it’s not worth your time. Some companies have added these other pieces (like watching movies, playing games, or some other task you must complete) that lock you out of the core site until you go through a series of steps. You don’t need to wade through offer after offer just to find only one legitimate survey at the end.
How to Start Getting Paid to Do Surveys
As long as you have an internet connection, you could be making money by doing online surveys from anywhere. There are many opportunities to get started with no more than a computer or mobile phone and an email address, which is usually all that’s required!
Branded Surveys is a popular and legitimate site for earning extra money online. For every survey you complete, you get points that are redeemable in return for some great rewards. New members even get bonuses when they sign up as well! With constant surveys available and different ways of getting paid, Branded Surveys has the edge on other sites where there may be less opportunity or lower payout rates. Signing up with them today will give your bank account an instant boost – without any risk involved at all!
How You Can Earn: Sign up and confirm your email. Complete paid surveys via your Branded dashboard to earn points. Most surveys take about 10 minutes each and can give up to 300 points (roughly $3.00, depending on how long it takes to complete them.
How You Get Paid: Branded Surveys offers several different payout options, including taking surveys for PayPal money, prepaid visas, dozens of gift cards, and even cash payments to your bank account via Branded Pay.
How to Make the Most Money Taking Paid Surveys
There are a couple of tricks for maximizing your earnings when taking online surveys for cash:
Frequency Is Key – Take Paid Online Surveys Daily!
This is a big one. Taking surveys will not net you enough to quit your full-time job or retire early. However, consistency is essential. If you commit to logging in to the site daily to complete at least one survey, your earnings will accumulate. Before long, you could have a nice chunk of change to withdraw. Alternatively, taking surveys for gift cards is not a bad deal either!
It’s also important to note that many surveys have a quota, and when that quota is reached, the survey is closed. If other users get in before you, you will lose the opportunity to take that particular survey. Logging in often to check for new surveys will ensure you get in early on limited projects so you can maximize your earnings.
Take Advantage of High Payout Surveys
In most cases, lengthy surveys are worth more points. The questionnaires are usually longer and will be more involved. However, you will earn more money in the end. If you have twenty minutes or more to devote to these longer surveys, your earnings can really add up.
Be sure to check not only your survey dashboard but your emails as well. This is because sometimes a survey site might send you an exclusive email invitation to a higher paying survey that is not available to other users. You’ll want to jump on those opportunities right away before they expire!
Other Tips for Maximizing Your Earnings With Paid Surveys
Aside from taking advantage of high paying surveys and making sure you log in frequently, here are a few other tips that can help you make the most of survey sites:
- Fill out your profile surveys fully. These are the initial questionnaires presented to you when you first sign up. They are designed to get your demographic information so the site can match you with the most appropriate surveys. It’s all part of market research, and it’s the sole reason survey sites exist.
- Pay careful attention when completing each survey. Some questions are built right into the surveys themselves to make sure you are actually comprehending the information and not just checking off boxes randomly. If you’re just going through the motions and not answering thoughtfully, you could be penalized and lose your earnings.
- Some users say that taking surveys during the week works better since fewer people are on the site than during the weekends, which are typically busier.
- Take every survey that is available to you. While some might not be as interesting as others, try to take advantage of each opportunity to earn.
- Refer others to the site. Many sites offer robust bonuses for those who refer other users to their platforms. This can add up a lot, especially if you are the type that likes to share a good thing!
- Choose a site that offers free points just for signing up. Branded Surveys, for example, gives new users 100 points ($1.00) just for signing up and completing their profiles.
- Follow your survey site on social media. Many sites have social media accounts where they post special promo codes and offers just for loyal followers.
