How to Get Paid for Surveys & Turn Your Time into Money

People have been doing in-person side jobs for a long time to make or save extra money. Online jobs have also allowed many people to have remote side hustles to earn a living. If you're looking for an easy way to make money online, paid online surveys are a great choice.

What Are Paid Surveys and How Do They Work?

If you're unfamiliar with paid online surveys, the topic might be confusing or put you on guard in case it's a scam. There's no need to worry; paid surveys are a legitimate way of earning money online.

Paid surveys are pretty much like regular surveys, with the difference that they provide you with a reward after you complete them.

Because of this reward policy, paid survey sites have gained popularity over the past few years. If you go online and do a quick search, you'll find multiple survey sites.

Now, why are there sites offering rewards for people who complete a survey? The answer is quite simple. Market research companies are always looking to get insights about products or services. Since paid surveys are anonymous, they're the perfect way to get the unbiased information they need.

By joining survey sites, you're not only having an extra source of income but also doing your part in the development of a new product or service before it gets introduced to the market. When a market research company gets the insights you and many others provide, it can enhance its offerings and improve accordingly.

What Are The Steps to Getting Paid for Surveys?

As with many other online gigs, there are many things to consider before completing surveys, such as identifying scam survey sites or legitimate survey companies, earning points on survey sites, and redeeming your rewards, among others.

For your peace of mind, we have compiled a comprehensive step-by-step guide to making this process easier and stress-free.

Follow these steps to find excellent online survey opportunities:

#1 Identify legitimate paid survey sites

Setting the right tone is the first step to a great paid survey experience. To identify scam survey sites and legit survey companies, do your research. It is important to go through the website of each online survey site, read all the information, and make sure you understand every detail about it.

Some key aspects to consider are:

Privacy and data protection:

If you're genuinely looking to avoid survey scams, it is crucial to prioritize protecting your private information. When exploring survey websites, locate their privacy policy and thoroughly review it before signing up.

Be aware of what information is collected and how it will be used. The information includes demographics, email addresses, and phone numbers.

Additionally, it is crucial to know how they work with a market research firm. You should have at least a basic understanding of how your information is collected and how it is reported to your clients.

Rewards:

Another way to spot legitimate surveys is by seeing if they have well-defined terms and conditions that outline their operation, reward systems, and other limitations.

For example, are their rewards in the form of PayPal or gift cards on Amazon? What's the minimum amount you must have to redeem your earnings? How many points must you earn before you can redeem the amount earned?

By covering all these topics, you can determine whether something might be sketchy.

Contact info:

You will find a contact form or other information on every reliable survey site, including an email address or customer support number. Online survey sites that display this information show their willingness to assist users and address their concerns.

Social media presence:

Another indicator of a legitimate survey site is an active presence on social media platforms. They often engage with users, providing updates, answering queries, and sharing helpful tips. By staying vigilant and using these guidelines, you can identify trustworthy platforms offering genuine paid survey opportunities while avoiding scams.

#2 Sign up and create a profile

Once you've checked all the previous information, it's time to choose the site where you'll take surveys. Most paid survey sites work the same way. They require your full name, email address, and phone number to sign up. Then a confirmation email might be sent to you. After you confirm your email address, you should be ready to begin.

It's vital to avoid survey sites that require upfront registration fees. Legitimate sites won't charge fees to participate in surveys since their revenue comes from partnerships with market research companies.

#3 Check survey eligibility and invitations

Before you begin taking surveys it is essential to understand that a paid survey is typically designed to collect specific insights from a target audience regarding a particular topic. This means that not all surveys are suitable for you.

Why? Depending on what kind of information the market research is looking for, you might or might not meet their criteria, which can be based on factors such as age, gender, location, occupation, or interests.

#4 Successfully complete your first survey

As you can see, getting started on completing surveys for money does not take a lot of time or effort. Still, there are some ways that you can ease the process and get started as soon as possible.

Follow these tips before you start taking surveys online:

Be honest with your answers

Surveys provide feedback about a specific topic. When you answer surveys honestly, you improve the customer experience and satisfaction of a company. You also decrease your chances of being chosen for surveys on that site if you provide inaccurate information.

Choose more than one survey site

Signing up for many online survey sites is a good idea when trying to make money by taking surveys. You can expand your opportunities and generate more income over time by leveraging several different options. Make sure to balance out the time you spend taking surveys on each site.

Discover your perfect fit

Some surveys are shorter and take less time to complete, while others are longer and require more time. Shorter surveys usually pay less, while longer surveys pay more. Select the one that best suits you based on your goals and available time.

Stay consistent 

Setting a defined schedule for completing surveys for money can help you stay on track. Success on online survey panels depends on how much money you make per survey and your effort and commitment.

#5 How to cash out your earnings

Most survey sites offer more than one way to cash out your earnings. Depending on the cash-out process, you might have to meet specific requirements for each one.

Here are the most common ways to get paid for taking surveys:

Direct bank transfer

If you wish to transfer your earnings directly to your bank account, you must provide the account and routing numbers. Some survey sites may have a minimum threshold for cashing out via bank transfer, so read the site's specifics.

PayPal

PayPal is a convenient and secure way to get paid online, even for survey sites. To cash out via PayPal, you must set up a PayPal account beforehand and associate it with your account on the survey site.

Gift cards

Survey sites often partner with online platforms to offer gift card options. One of the most popular platforms to retrieve a gift card is Amazon. To redeem your earnings for this option, select it on the survey site and use it wisely.

Donations

There are a lot of survey websites that let you donate your earnings to charities. If you wish to donate, there's usually a list of supported charities to choose from.

The Most Common Challenges With Paid Surveys

Online surveys are an easy way to earn some extra cash. Still, you might face some occasional challenges. Don't worry. Even though a bit of complexity might be involved, it is easy to find a solution.

Here are some of the challenges you may face when conducting online surveys:

Meeting the estimated time

There is usually an estimate of how long it will take to complete a survey. If you ignore it, you might find yourself halfway through the survey without any time left.

To solve this problem, stay focused from the start and write your answers efficiently. Keep it short and sweet; don't overdo it.

Having a faulty internet connection

You never want to submit a completed survey online only to find out it did not work. Sometimes, this can be caused by problems with the internet connection.

To prevent situations like this, make sure your internet connection is stable. Consider using a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi. Alternatively, position your router in a central location for better coverage.

Not being suitable for the survey

Sometimes, you won't receive notifications about market research surveys because you aren't a target. You can avoid this problem by keeping your information up-to-date.

Changing your age after your birthday or any other relevant detail can help you get more surveys. Also, remember to keep your options open and create profiles on multiple sites. Two or three are manageable.

Getting bored easily

Taking online surveys can sometimes feel repetitive and bland. You can prevent this by spicing things up a bit. If you feel bored while taking online surveys, take breaks, listen to music while you write your answers, have some snacks and drinks, or do anything that helps you feel more comfortable.

The Top Legitimate Paid Survey Site

Many names appear online when searching for top survey sites, including Survey Junkie, Branded Surveys, Opinion Outpost, and Valued Opinions. While these sites are reliable and offer many perks, we recommend Forthright.

When you visit the Forthright website, you'll find all the information you need to understand its process, partnership, and reward policies. Also, you'll find an FAQ page with the most common topics users search for regarding online survey websites. Plus, you'll see contact information if you have any further questions.

Additionally, there are six payment options for you to choose from! Explore Forthright now to learn more about the many available options to earn additional cash and rewards!  

FAQ:

1. Do paid online survey sites really pay you?

Yes! Legitimate survey sites will pay you for your work. It is important to remember that each site has its own policy, so be sure to read over them to learn about how to withdraw your earnings. 

2. How much money can I make taking surveys on a paid survey site?

There's no set limit on how much money you can make. It all depends on the amount of time you dedicate to it, how many surveys you take, and the rewards policies of the site.

3. What kind of payment methods do survey sites typically use?

Usually, you'll see bank transfers, PayPal, or gift cards.

4. How much time does it take to complete a survey?

A lengthy survey can take around an hour, while shorter surveys take just a few minutes.

5. How can I increase my chances of qualifying for a survey?

Filling out all your personal information the moment you sign up can help, as can taking the surveys as soon as possible.

6. Can I take surveys on different devices?

Yes! You can complete surveys on your phone, tablet, or computer! 

7. Are there any age restrictions for taking paid surveys?

It all depends on the site you choose. On most online survey sites, you must be at least 18 to participate, but some may accept ages as young as 14 or 16.