One of the simplest ways to make money online is by taking part in paid surveys. Although they will not make you rich, you will earn an extra income online.

Best part, it requires no expertise nor any special skills. Just for sharing your thoughts on different things like products, services or even specific research topics, survey panels are willing to pay you anywhere from 50 cents up to a few dollars.

In this article, I’ll explain how these survey panels work and why they’re so eager to pay for your opinions. Plus, I’ll tell you some legit websites to join and start earning money right away. Finally, I will share some handy tips on how to increase your earnings from these surveys.

So, let’s dive in..

Why Companies Pay Money For People’s Opinion?

It’s very simple actually.. Companies are willing to pay money for people’s opinions because it helps them make better business decisions.

For example, before launching a new product or service, companies want to know what consumers think about it. Will people actually want to buy it? How much are they willing to pay? What features are most important for them

Companies might use online surveys not only for launching products, but also to gather market data from a specific area. For example, they might want to know what media you consume (radios, websites, magazines) to better understand where to advertise.

Or, they might want to understand what consumers with specific traits believe about their products, brands or even the same company.

Here’s an example:

A major food company wants to launch a new healthy snack bar line. Before investing heavily, they need market research. They could pay a survey company to get opinions from 5,000 health-conscious adults aged 25-45 from a specific area – their target customers.

The survey may ask:

How important are healthy snacks to you?
Where do you live?
Do you go to the gym?
Are you married?
What nutrition benefits would you want in a snack bar?
What flavors appeal most?
How much would you pay for a healthy snack bar?

…and so on..

Paying people a few dollars each for this feedback provides invaluable insights directly from potential customers. It helps guide the product lineup, pricing, branding and marketing for higher success.

Now, although there are many ways to make a research, companies prefer conducting online surveys rather than other types of surveys for several key reasons:

Cheaper – Online surveys cost less money than in-person focus groups, mall studies or phone surveys. There are no costs for renting a place, travel or paying interviewers.
Reach More People – With online surveys, companies can easily get opinions from a wide range of people in different areas. This allows them to reach their specific target customers.
Convenient – People can take online surveys anytime from their home or mobile device. This gets more people to participate compared to having to go somewhere.
Honest Answers – People tend to give more honest, open feedback for online surveys versus in-person where they may feel pressure.
Fast Results – Online surveys allow companies to quickly collect a large amount of data from consumers compared to traditional methods.
Better Analysis – Online survey tools can quickly analyze responses, sort data into groups, and spot patterns and important insights.

The ease, speed, low costs and advanced capabilities associated with online surveys make them an ideal market research tool for companies looking to quickly and cost-effectively tap into the opinions of their target consumers.

How Online Survey Websites Work?

An online survey website is essentially playing the middle man between you and the company that needs the data.

Usually there are three players in this:

The company ( the client)
The survey company (the research expert)
The online survey website (the platform)

The client (company) will contact the research experts (survey company) and tells them what they want to learn.

The survey company will create a survey with questions on behalf of the client.

Then the survey company will list the survey to the platform. The platform will match the survey with its user database. The ones who are eligible, they’ll get a notification or message to complete the survey.

For example, if a client paid $250 to a survey company to interview 100 people, the survey company will pay the the surveys platform $150 to list the survey, and the platform will pay 100 of its members $1 each ($100 total).

The survey experts earned $100 for their work.
The survey platform earned $50 for its service.
The company (client) got data from 100 people.
You, (who undertook the survey) earned $1.

So, it’s a win, win, win, win opportunity..

What Are Some Legit Websites To Join That Offer Paid Surveys?

If you’re looking for legit websites to join that offer paid surveys, there are several options available. Here are some legit and highly-recommended paid survey sites:

Survey Sites

Survey Site	Countries Served	Payment Methods
Opinion Outpost	USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Pinecone Research	USA, Canada, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Japan	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
e-Rewards	USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia	Gift cards, cash via PayPal, merchandise
Toluna	USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific	Points redeemable for gift cards, donations, entries into sweepstakes
iPsos	Global	Varies depending on project
IPSOS iSay	USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Asia	Points redeemable for gift cards, donations, entries into sweepstakes
Swagbucks	USA, Canada, UK, India, Australia	Gift cards, cash via PayPal, merchandise
MySurvey	USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Asia	Points redeemable for gift cards, donations, entries into sweepstakes
TRP Surveys	USA, Canada, UK, Australia	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Branded Surveys	USA, Canada, UK, Australia	Points redeemable for gift cards, donations, entries into sweepstakes
Crowdology	USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Asia	Points redeemable for gift cards, donations, entries into sweepstakes
Maru Voice	Global	Varies depending on project
Mindmover	USA, Canada, UK, Australia	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Connect OpinionBar	USA, Canada, UK, Europe	Points redeemable for gift cards, donations, entries into sweepstakes
Opinion Panel	USA, Canada	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Opinion Pioneer	USA, Canada	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
PureProfile	USA, Canada, UK, Australia	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Google Opinion Rewards	Many countries	Google Play credit
Opinium	UK, Europe	Varies depending on project
TM Panel	USA, Canada	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Y-Live	USA, Canada, Europe, Asia	Varies depending on project
YouGov	Global	Varies depending on project
LEO / Leger Opinion	Canada	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Survey Lion	USA, Canada	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
Prime Opinion	USA, Canada, UK, Australia	Gift cards, cash via PayPal
AttaPoll	Global	Cash via PayPal

☝️ It’s important to note that while these sites are legitimate, they may have different requirements and rewards structures, so it’s a good idea to research each site thoroughly before signing up. Also, some sites may have specific requirements, such as demographic information or specific interests, so it’s a good idea to tailor your search to your own interests and demographics.

What Are The Pros And Cons of Online Paid Surveys?

Taking online surveys for money is not the most exciting thing to do, but it has its benefits and things to consider as well..

😊 PROS OF ONLINE SURVEYS

Flexible Schedule: You can take paid online surveys anytime, anywhere. You just need an internet connection.
Lots of Options: As you saw, there are many different survey websites for all kinds of people and interests.
Good Earnings Potential: While pay is typically low per survey, if you are frequently participating in online surveys you can earn decent money over time.
Easy to Join: Most sites just need basic info to sign up and pay small rewards just for creating a profile.
Convenient: You can do surveys during free time like breaks or while watching TV.

🤔 CONS OF ONLINE SURVEYS

Time-Consuming: Surveys can take a lot of time, especially if you don’t qualify for many or they are very long.
Low Pay: Most surveys pay little, so it takes a lot of them to make good money.
Not Qualifying: You may not qualify for many surveys due to the demographic or interest requirements.
Getting Bored: Doing multiple repetitive surveys can become boring over time.
Scams: Watch out for fake survey sites that promise high pay but don’t really pay.
Technical Issues: Survey software glitches or internet problems can disrupt the experience.

How to maximize your earnings with Survey sites

Flat illustration of a person completing online surveys

There are some ways to maximize your earnings with survey sites. For example:

Some websites allow you to refer people and earn a percentage of what they earn as a bonus. Find communities, groups or forums of people who are interested in making money online and explain them the opportunity of surveys. Showcase payment proofs etc. to convince them to join you.

Register to as many survey sites as possible. Use a different email, not your main one if you don’t want your main email account to get filled with survey requests. The more survey sites you join, the more survey options you get and subsequently the more money you’ll make.

Be selective about which surveys you take. Don’t just do every survey that comes your way. Review the estimated time, topics, and payout beforehand. Focus on the higher paying surveys that are a good use of your time. However, it’s still usually worth doing some of the shorter, lower paying ones during downtime as the money can add up.

Set a goal for how much you want to earn each week or month through surveys. Having a target will motivate you to be more diligent about checking for new surveys and completing them consistently. Break down your goal into a certain number of surveys or earnings you need to hit each day. Tracking your progress can drive you to stick with it.

Look for bonuses and maximizers. Many survey panels offer periodic bonus opportunities like getting paid more for surveys taken during certain hours, accumulating bonuses for consistent activity over time, or earning account upgrades that give you early access to surveys before they fill up. Take advantage of any chances to boost your earnings.

Final words

Usually, a survey will take 5 to 20 minutes to complete with a reward of $0.50 to $5 based on the technical specification and difficulty level. The best part is you can participate in surveys through smartphones. Surveys created nowadays are smartphone compatible.

So this is the best chance to earn money using a mobile phone. And the truth is the number of survey opportunities is always limited. So you have to join more than 5 survey sites to receive enough survey opportunities to participate.

Check more money make opportunities here:

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