Questions about On-line Surveys
Is this legitimate? Can I really get paid for taking surveys on-line?
Absolutely. Over 7 million companies each year pay marketing research firms to find out what everyday people desire in the products and services they require. They want to know what prompts people to buy their products. By providing companies with your opinions about their products and services, you are doing them a valuable service. They are willing to pay for this information because it gives them a competitive edge in the marketplace.
What kinds of questions will I be asked?
You will be asked a variety of questions, including things like where you prefer to shop to what kind of hand soap you prefer to use. You might also be asked how much you would expect to pay for particular items. The idea of the questions is to get valuable information on how the company should market their products, so the questions will generally concern market appeal.
How many surveys can I take?
There is no limit to the number of surveys you can take, or to the number of marketing research companies you can sign up with. The more research companies you sign up with, the more survey opportunities you will be given. The same is true of focus groups. You can participate in as many as you like.
How long are the surveys?
Surveys can be as short as 10 questions or as long as 50 or more.
Questions about Focus Groups
What is a Focus Group?
Focus groups are something that you definitely want to check out. While taking surveys at home can be very profitable, focus groups are even more so.
A focus group is made up of several individuals that have been selected by a marketing research company to discuss a given topic or evaluate a particular product. You may or may not know what the point of the focus group is before you arrive, or which company it’s being held for. You’re just there to share your opinions and discuss them with others in the group.
These sessions can be held online or in a research center. Focus groups can take a few hours, but they can pay over $100 per hour, so they are well worth your time.
A focus group is made up of several individuals that have been selected by a marketing research company to discuss a given topic or evaluate a particular product. You may or may not know what the point of the focus group is before you arrive, or which company it’s being held for. You’re just there to share your opinions and discuss them with others in the group.
These sessions can be held online or in a research center. Focus groups can take a few hours, but they can pay over $100 per hour, so they are well worth your time.
How long are the Focus Groups?
Focus Groups are usually about an hour or so, but some can continue on a regular schedule for several days. You will always be given this information before you sign up for one.
Questions about Getting Paid for Surveys
How much money can I make?
That is up to you actually. The key is signing up with as many survey companies as you can. The more survey companies you sign up with, the more surveys you will be offered and the more money you will make. Take the time to sign up with a lot of survey companies--it will result in a greater quantity of survey opportunities. Some people report signing up with over 40 companies and receiving more surveys than they can handle. Of course, they can then pick and choose the ones they are most interested in, or the most profitable ones.
Do I need to fit a particular profile?
This is the great part. The profile that you need to fit is just to be you. Whatever your age, income level, race, lifestyle, nationality or location, your opinion is valuable. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a smoker, a racing enthusiast, a movie buff or just someone who loves to shop, marketing research companies are looking for you. Depending on the product or service being evaluated, certain surveys target certain audiences, so whatever your profile, companies will want to know what someone in your life situation thinks.
Can anyone do this?
If you are 18 or over, you can fill out surveys. Children's opinions are also needed though, so you will be asked the ages of children in the household when you sign up with the survey companies. Companies are very interested in the opinions of teenagers in particular, so you could receive a lot of surveys targeted toward teens and pre-teens.
Will I get paid per survey or per hour?
Whether you get paid by the survey or by the hour will depend on the company that you are completing the survey for or participating in the focus group with. In addition to cash, focus groups can pay with discounts, drawing entries, products and/or prizes.
Do I have to pay taxes on my earnings?
If you are a U.S. citizen, you'll be considered an "independent contractor" for income tax purposes, and no income or other taxes are withheld from the payments you receive. Any company that pays you over $600 in a calender year is required to send you a Form 1099, and you are supposed to include this as "miscellaneous income" on your tax return. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need to ask an accountant or other tax professional for the answer to this question, and how it might apply to you in your location. Please note that we are not accountants and are not qualified to provide accounting, tax, or other legal advice. Our answer is based on our understanding of the tax rules, and how we handle this situation ourselves. Always check with your accountant or other tax professional.
Hint: Some people sign up with several different survey companies to spread out their earnings over several companies.
Who will pay me?
You will be paid directly by the marketing research firm conducting the survey or focus group.
How soon can I start earning money?
Depending on the survey companies you sign up with and what surveys they are currently running, you could start making money even today. Sign up with as many companies as you can to get as many surveys as you can. You might be surprised how fast you get requests to fill out surveys.
How to make at least $50/hour taking surveys: Most surveys take less than 10 minutes to complete. So if you make an average of $10 - $15 per survey, that's over $50 per hour. But since you only get one or two surveys a week per company, that's not much. So you want to sign up for as many survey companies as you can so you can get a lot of surveys.
How to make at least $50/hour taking surveys: Most surveys take less than 10 minutes to complete. So if you make an average of $10 - $15 per survey, that's over $50 per hour. But since you only get one or two surveys a week per company, that's not much. So you want to sign up for as many survey companies as you can so you can get a lot of surveys.