Paid Online Surveys – Are They the Best Survey Opportunity Out There?

Paid online surveys are very popular today because marketers can collect consumer opinions quickly and in a cost effective manner. Giving incentives to web participants is much cheaper and more efficient than surveying customers on-site, over the telephone or through the mail. It explains why many surveys are conducted online… But are they the best survey opportunity out there?

To answer this question it’s important to stress that paid surveys aren’t limited to online surveys!

Off-line market research is still very important and according to the purpose of the survey, in many cases participants’ opinions still need to be gathered in a real place (and not on the Internet). Moreover off-line surveys are an excellent opportunity for survey takers. Actually, off-line surveys can pay much more than online surveys because they require more involvement. People taking surveys seriously can make good money with these surveys.

The main kinds of surveys that should be considered to make money are:

* Online surveys: You give your opinion on the Internet. You can get paid up to $75 for a very specialized online survey but it’s rare to earn such money. The average payout for surveys conducted online is $5. You can also win cash prizes.

* Focus groups: You participate in an interview conducted among a small number of individuals. These discussions are animated and interesting. They pay the best. You can get paid $20 – $250 per survey. The average payout is $70 for a 90 minute session.

* Shopping surveys: You are paid to shop at the mall or to eat at restaurants! All you need to do is fill out a questionnaire about your customer experience. It’s a great opportunity for people living in large or medium cities in the U.S. You can get paid $10 – $50 for most shops. Video mystery shopping (you hold an invisible video device that records what you do) can pay up to $100 per shop! Over 700,000 Americans currently work as mystery shoppers.

* Testing Surveys: You test a new product or service and give your opinion about it. It may take more than one session to complete the survey. The payout ranges from $25 to $500 according to the time needed to complete it.

To earn the best possible money, it is advised to combine all kinds of surveys: Online surveys, focus groups, mystery shopping and testing surveys. Taking online surveys is fine but taking online surveys only is missing out on some of the best opportunities to earn money! According to our experience top performers devote at least 50% of their time to mystery shopping and focus groups because they make the most money with it. Follow their example to maximize your profit!