If you’ve been taking paid online surveys for a while, you’ve probably encountered a plateau now and again. You know how it goes, you’re making a little extra cash each week from surveys, but you can’t seem to get above a certain level of earnings. So should you give up and find a new gig? Definitely not! This post will discuss how survey takers can maximize their income and make the most money they can from surveys. Let’s begin.
While this post is geared toward users who already earn money from surveys, you may have reached this page while searching for how to make money online with surveys. So, if you’re new to this clever side-gig, welcome! We’ll go over a few basics just for you.
Taking Surveys Online for Money
You’ve probably heard about paid online surveys for cash for years but maybe haven’t put a lot of thought into it before now. Surveys themselves are probably familiar to you; we encounter them every day. Companies and organizations want to know your thoughts, so they create questionnaires to help them understand their customers better.
Additionally, you may have noticed “call-in” surveys at the bottom of a cash-register receipt or on product packaging. Sometimes the company will entice customers to complete the survey for a chance to win a prize or gift card.
Paid online surveys work along these lines as well, and they offer consumers a financial incentive to participate. The difference is that all the surveys are hosted on one particular website. Market researchers work with brig brands to gather the data they need to make decisions about the next big product or service to release into the marketplace. Additionally, marketers want to know what is working and what is not.
However, it can be challenging to get consumers to respond to so many surveys. Nobody has the time or energy to fill out surveys for every company they come across, so the competition is fierce. However, market researchers happened upon the idea of providing an incentive to fill out online questionnaires, and paid survey sites were born.
Not surprisingly, the idea worked. When you offer customers a financial reward or prize for taking the time to fill out a survey, they are much more likely to stop what they are doing and respond. In addition, with paid survey sites, all the available online surveys for cash are grouped in one place. Thus, you can maximize your time and effort by taking multiple surveys and making even more money.
How Much Money Can You Earn From Surveys?
People’s biggest question about taking surveys for money is how much you can earn. This depends on many factors, but surveys generally pay between $0.50 to $3.00 for each questionnaire. This isn’t a get-rich-quick gig. Instead, online surveys for money are designed to compensate you a little bit for your time. Surveys are a great way to earn extra cash or a gift card to buy something special, such as a new pair of shoes or a video game. They are not intended to replace a full-time income.
Still, many survey takers make quite a bit of extra cash each week for their participation, while others users cant even reach the payout threshold. So how do they do it?
There are actually quite a few tips and tricks to maximize your survey income. Here are four factors that can make a big difference when it comes to earning from online surveys:
1. Do Your Research and Join a Legit Survey Site
If you’re taking surveys and not making any money, it could be that you’ve joined the wrong survey site. Therefore, you must register with a legit site; otherwise, you’ll just be spinning your wheels. Even worse, however, is that joining a scam survey site could actually cause issues more severe issues like identity theft.
Always be sure that the site you are considering has good reviews. For example, Branded Surveys has over 45,000 genuine consumer reviews on Trustpilot, plus a rating of Excellent. When choosing a survey site, this is the kind of publicity you need to look for. If the site does not have any reviews—or worse—has terrible reviews and consumer complaints, take your business elsewhere.
There are a few other ways to tell if a survey site is legit. One is to look at how they advertise. Do they promise users they can earn large amounts of money for taking surveys? Many scam sites will lure people in by advertising $25, $50, or $100 or more per survey. However, this is not realistic. No market research firm has the money to sustain these types of payouts. Remember, the incentives for surveys are intended to be small compensations for quick and easy questionnaires.
Another way to spot a scam site is if they are offering an exclusive paid membership. Perhaps the site claims that you can become a private member for a monthly membership fee of $5 and have access to high-paying surveys that regular users can not. This, too, is a scam. It is likely that the fake survey site is not only robbing you of your $5 a month but that they are also selling your personal information to the highest bidder.
Lastly, you can determine if a site is reputable if they have a way to contact support. Look for an address, phone number, or email. Can you reach out and talk to a real person if necessary? As an example, Branded Surveys has a ticketed support system, so you have a way to reach out to the management with any questions or concerns.
2. Spend a Lot of Time Taking Paid Surveys
If you want to be successful in taking surveys for money, you’ll need to put in the effort. The more time you spend taking surveys, the more money you will make.
Many top earners set aside a block of time each day to work on their favorite survey site. Whether that’s in the morning during coffee, while the kids are napping in the afternoons, or at night when everyone is in bed, they are consistent with their effort.
On top of setting a dedicated amount of time to take surveys, many participants try to maximize their efforts by “squeezing in” surveys whenever they can. For instance, many people don’t realize that you can take surveys with Branded Surveys on any device, anywhere you happen to be, as long as you have an internet connection. So taking surveys during your morning bus ride, in between classes at school, while waiting for an appointment to begin, or some other “downtime” is an ideal way to add even more time into your day for taking surveys.
3. Have Patience and Take Longer Surveys
Another way to make more money taking surveys is to opt for longer ones. Before starting a study, the site will typically show you the approximate amount of time the form will take you to fill out. Generally, the longer the survey is, the more you will get paid.
Taking longer surveys can be tedious, but if you have the patience, it can also mean the difference between a $0.75 cent survey and one that pays three times as much.
Speaking of patience, it’s also vital that you are patient as you work through the surveys themselves. Often, market research companies have software in place that can spot when a user is just rushing through a survey. But, unfortunately, rushing means you are likely not stopping to thoughtfully consider the answers to your questions.
When you hurry through a survey inputting answers as quickly as possible, it’s evident to the publisher that you are not being thorough and mindful of your responses. Remember, they are looking for authentic, genuine answers that help them shape the products and services of the future.
Additionally, when you are slow and careful, providing high-quality answers and thoughtful responses, you are more likely to qualify for future high-paying surveys.
4. Take Advantage of Bonuses
Not all survey sites are equal when it comes to bonuses, so you’ll also want to keep this in mind before joining. Look for a site that offers bonus levels so that the more surveys you take, the more opportunity you have to increase your income.
For example, Branded Surveys has a “Branded Elite” bonus program. The program’s purpose is to offer users an incentive to complete multiple surveys. There are three “badge” levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold, and they work like this:
Bronze Level:
To qualify, you must complete at least two surveys in a month. Then, complete 12+ surveys a week and earn a five percent bonus on top of your regular earnings.
Silver Level:
To qualify for silver, you must complete at least ten surveys in a month. Then, complete 12 to 30 surveys a week and earn a 10-14% bonus on top of your regular earnings.
Gold Level:
Gold level members must complete at least 25 surveys in a month. Then, complete 12 to 30 surveys a week and earn a 15-19% bonus on top of your regular earnings.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you are brand new at surveys or you’re a seasoned veteran of the paid survey industry, the tips above can help you maximize your income. Of course, everyone reaches a plateau sooner or later. However, by adding a few simple steps into your routine, you could be earning more cash or gift cards each month, all with only a little bit of extra effort. There’s no need to give up; all you need to do is adjust your strategy and watch your earnings increase in the days and weeks to come!
