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Last Updated on April 29, 2017 by Work In My Pajamas
I was privileged to meet Jennifer Parker, the Affiliate Marketing Manager from Decision Analyst, Inc. at Affiliate Summit West. She was gracious enough to share just how people do make money by taking surveys. Take it away, Jennifer!
You know you’ve wondered about them, the ads that claim you can make money just for answering a few poll questions. But maybe you haven’t tried it because Mom always told you that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Well, I’m here to let you in on a little secret. Mom isn’t always right. When it comes to taking surveys online—as long as you know what to look for—you can most certainly make a few extra dollars on the side. Read on, beautiful dreamer!
Something most people don’t know is that survey companies are not paying you directly out of their pocket. For example, American Consumer Opinion®—a top research company—works with many big-name clients, including an array of Fortune 500 Companies. These companies pay American Consumer Opinion® to send surveys out to panelists—everyday people, like you—to get their opinions about new products, packaging, buying habits, etc. They want to know if their new concept will sell well with consumers. These companies and American Consumer Opinion® know that your time and opinions are valuable, so they compensate you for your effort.
Sometimes a survey company will want you to think outside of the computer, and will have opportunities for you to try out new products. They send a product to your home like a snack cake, lotion, household cleaner, etc. and ask you to try it out. Then you’ll be required to perform an action such as write in a diary about your experience or answer a survey that is sent after you’ve tried the product. Every once in awhile there are opportunities to join focus groups, either online or in person. A discussion will be led by a moderator, and you will be asked questions to answer in this group setting. Product testing and focus groups tend to earn you more money because of the extra effort made in using a product and evaluating it comprehensively or traveling to a focus-group location.
Keep in mind as you begin your survey taking journey that a reputable survey company will never ask you for money. Ever. Be wary of sites that promise you access to X number of survey sites just for signing up and paying a “small one time fee”. Most likely, if the sites they refer you to are legit, you could have done a little research yourself, saved $50 and signed up for free.
Let’s talk about the money. While American Consumer Opinion® has some of the highest payouts in the industry, no one is going to make a full-time job of being a panel member. Think of it this way, if you replace a web session with answering a survey, you’ve already made 100% more than you would have done liking posts on Facebook or watching videos on YouTube. Another positive is that you’re taking an active part in shaping the way the future will look, feel and sound. Companies will take your opinions and use them to design their new products and services. That’s pretty powerful! You can become an American Consumer Opinion® panelist by signing up here: https://www.acop.com/sign_up/.
