Six Reasons To Take Paid Surveys Today
The brits are long-renowned for being prolific survey participants, everyone has their opinion and we don’t mind giving it. However, lots of people are still unaware that for completing opinion surveys like these, they can be paid and that by returning back regularly to sites such as GetPaid4Surveys, you can keep abreast of any new surveys the moment they are launched.
The advent of the internet has enabled millions of people to earn a secondary income stream by taking part paid surveys like never before. Here’s six reasons why you should take part:
1. Vent spleen and give your opinion.
Ever fancied taking part in Question Time and giving your opinion on things. We all have things on our chest that we’d love to express from time to time. Online surveys are the perfect opportunity. Not only are surveys the perfect opportunity to allow you to tell industry leaders what you think of their products and services but you’ll directly inputting into the development process for several companies and helping to shape what happens to those products and services in the future. Only by asking users what they think of issues that affect them, can companies be sure that their products and services are working as they should be. And remember, many of the surveys being commissioned are done by political parties, think tanks and academic institutions, the results of which feed directly into the political process. Some examples of organisations who regularly commission paid surveys:
- Product manufacturers
- Retailers
- Government bodies (in particular heath care providers)
- Travel companies and airlines
- Hotels,
- Telecoms companies
- Automotive industry
Your opinion is highly sought and just think, you could be reviewing and shaping the development of the next big invention to alter our lives.
2. Become your own boss.
Getting involved with online marketing activities doesn’t mean you have to commit serious amounts of time unless you really want to. It’s something you can pick up as and when you have time. How many jobs allow anything like this amount of flexibility.
When you first complete your registration with the various market research companies, you will be emailed the various surveys or focus group opportunities as and when they arise and where your profile is required. If you are looking to do this as a part-time activity to allow you to earn extra cash working from home, the trick is to keep an eye on upcoming assignments and try to fit them in with other activities or work you have planned. It’s useful to keep a diary and where possible inform your favoured research companies of the times which suit you best for scheduled activities such as mystery shopping or focus groups.
You are under no obligation to complete a certain number of surveys and therefore you should feel no pressure to so do. It’s entirely up to you.
What’s more, depending on how many research companies you’ve registered with, you should be receiving a steady flow of survey opportunities and whenever money is tight, you will be able to increase the number of surveys you can get involved in. its a good idea to complete at least one survey per month with each research company to make sure, that they recognise you as an active participant and they will continue to keep you updated with the latest surveys.
Remember, completing online surveys is voluntary. Your work will not be scrutinised for performance issues and you choose when you want to do the work. What’s more you will be rewarded for the exact amount of effort you put in.
Child carers and stay at home mums looking for extra cash opportunities can benefit hugely from the flexibility that paid surveys can provide. We all know how the demands of a busy family environment can make scheduled working practices difficult but these kinds of activities can help you to schedule your family life so that you can earn an income whilst also spending more quality time with your family..
Online market research activities are also a perfect opportunity for students to earn extra cash in between attending course lectures or completing studies.
Senior citizens can also benefit. Filling out paid surveys and participating in focus groups are a great way to supplement income and help companies to benefit from your vast amount of life experience.
Even if you are a full-time employee, there’s no reason why you can’t take part in paid surveys so long as you are willing to give up a couple of hours of your time per week. In fact, most companies appreciate the opinions of all segments of our communities so long as they represent the profile of people who are likely to use or purchase their product. In these austere times, completing online surveys is a perfect way to supplement your income when times are tough, especially around key events such as Christmas or birthdays. However remember to plan ahead and ensure that you register and complete those surveys in good time for payment before you need to receive the money.
Once you identify those reputable companies that provide a good service, why not get the whole family involved and working towards a common goal such as earning money for a holiday.
3. It’s great fun.
If you think filling out surveys is boring and pointless, think again. Long gone are the days when consumer surveys consisted of you filling out a 50 page paper survey of small text box fields and boring questions. Nowadays participants are asked for their opinion on all sorts of things, sometimes completely unrelated to a particularly product, and come in a wonderful variety of formats so that companies can properly test peoples opinion in the most invited way. Some focus groups ask for peoples comments on new TV ads or ask peoples opinions on new cutting edge product designs whilst others ask for peoples thoughts on new website designs. The diversity means that surveys are seldom boring. In fact, the most boring surveys are likely to be initial registration surveys (sometimes called ‘pre-screeners’) which ask for your initial information about yourselves so that companies can identify what type of customer segment you are likely to fall into. This is a critical part of helping companies to understand why you think the way you do, so try to be as honest as possible during this stage, otherwise your information may be invalidated as an anomaly. You will be exposed to lots of different types of questions and topics that you would be exposed to as a consumer. You’ll notice that after completing a few surveys, you’ll begin to see the retail world in a different light and begin to appreciate how new products are designed for consumer markets.
Focus groups provide a fun opportunity to meet with similar consumers who may or may not have had the same experience as you with a product or service. Focus groups provide a very interesting environment to hear other people’s views. During the session there is interplay of thoughts and ideas and these discussions can sometimes become very animated and very interesting. Good fun indeed.
Mystery shopping assignments are a bit more involded in that you are paid to undertake a specific set of actions to mimic the actions of an actual consumer and then report back your observations from a detailed questionnaire. In many cases you will be asked to buy a product, go to a restaurant or cafe, watch a film and report back your comments. Great news if you are a shopaholic but also if good customer service is a real concern of yours. The next time you are standing in a queue or getting poor customer service, just think – I could get paid for this and help to stop poor service for others like me. It’s a fun job that pays real cash.
So dispel the myth that online research is boring, get involved and give your opinion.
4. You don’t need any skills or experience
The great thing about getting involved in paid surveys is that you don’t need a degree, you don’t need any skills or experience. All research companies need a diverse range of different consumers from different backgrounds and experiences. Everyone has valid opinions and therefore everyone can get involved.
You don’t need any specialist equipment other than access to a computer which can access the internet. You can access surveys anywhere in the world (you could even complete surveys if you’re on holiday).
The only thing you need is a willingness to get involved and some spare time. Signing-up to sites such as GetPaid4Surveys will give you all the information you need to get started. We have an extensive list of trusted market research companies where you will be invited to take part in all the best surveys around.
Be careful though. There are plenty of scam sites out there, especially those that ask your payment first. Check with sites like GetPaid4Surveys first or do your own research to find out about the company before you get started. GetPaid4Surveys provides a directory of trusted research companies which provide legitimate paid surveys.
5. Get loads of free samples
If you’re the kind of person who loves to be the first to test new products or get free samples, then getting involved in the market research scene is just for you. As an active participant, you’ll be invited to test new products before they hit the shelves and you’ll receive new product samples to use at home. OK, so you won’t get the chance to take home the next version of the playstation but you will be the first to know about new retail products which are likely to launch in the near future (such as beauty products).
Product releases are not as common as other forms of research but only by being an active participant will you be invited to take part so make sure you continue to fill out the online surveys to be in with a chance of being considered for these types of exercises.
6. Money
The main reason you are looking at surveys is to be paid for completing them. Sites such as GetPaid4Surveys will also feature the most lucrative surveys out there. Make sure you register for our weekly alerts newsletter and you’ll be kept up to date with all the latest surveys out there.
Companies understand that good, honest, quality research is worth it’s weight in gold and they are willing to pay for it. They know that the better they understand the consumer, the more likely their products and services will sell and the more successful their company will be. Here’s the kind of rates you can expect:
| Activity | Approximate Rate |
|---|---|
| Online Surveys | £1 up to £50 (per hour). Average £3-£5 depending on the length of the survey. Vouchers are often provided instead of payment |
| Online Focus Groups | £10-£50 per hour |
| Public Focus Groups | £20-£50 per hour |
| Telephone Survey | £20-£50 per hour |
| Mystery Shopping Survey | £10-£100 per exercise (varies greatly depending on the complexity of the exercise. Some companies also offer vouchers instead of payment. |
Remember the more active you are in your participation with online surveys, you more likely you will be invited to participate in the more lucrative exercises such as mystery shopping and focus groups. Online surveys are more regular but only by completing them, will research companies be able to identify the best panelists for their focus groups.
As an estimate, and this really is a rough estimate. Provided you are able to register with the top 50 research companies, complete around 30 surveys per month (one per day) and participate in two exercises per week (mystery shopping, telephone survey or focus group). You could expect to earn around £400-800 per month.
The most successful surveyers build up opportunities slowly over time when they have worked out how they want to fit the exercises around their own lifestyle.
