You may never be able to give up your day job, but you can maximize your survey invitations.  Moreover, to be specific, maximize your income earning opportunities for paid online surveys from legitimate Survey Panels that are really going to reward you.  How?.... By following six simple steps.

(1) Only join legitimate Online Survey Panels operated by reputable Market Research companies. Some may suggest joining as many Panels as you come across and sort the good from the bad as you go along. This can be an incredible waste of time. Time spent doing a bit of research will benefit you in the end.  Why spend 20-30 minutes completing a survey from a site with a reputation for non-payment?  There are many helpful articles here at Helium that can assist you in this regard.

(2) Read the Panel's "Terms and Conditions". Unless you are only looking to have your opinion heard, make sure you qualify for the incentives. For example, Australian residents are welcome to join Harris Online Panel but are not eligible for any rewards.  You could be spending time on an ineligible incentive survey while the quota fills on a lucrative one left waiting in your Inbox.

(3) Once you have confirmed your eligibility for the rewards, decide if you consider them fair remuneration for your time and effort. There is a lot of variation between what is on offer. Top of the list is cash, followed by Gift Cards, Online Vouchers, Sweepstakes/Prize Draws entries, donations to Charities, and/or a combination of two or more of these. Then there is the "rate". This can also vary greatly between Panels - from about 30cents to $10 for a 30-minute survey.  Maximizing the quantity of survey invitations is one thing, maximising the quality of your remuneration is obviously more beneficial.

(4) If the Panel passes your scrutiny of (1) to (3) and you become a member, nearly all will ask you to complete "Profile Surveys". They form the basis of your demographic and the Panel uses this data to help determine which surveys are appropriate for you. It is therefore imperative that you complete all of them thoroughly to maximize your invitations.  Bear in mind the Panels do not choose randomly, they target members that fit the demographic they want for the particular survey topic.   Updating where necessary from time to time also seems to help.

(5) Always respond to the invitations you receive promptly. For two important reasons. Firstly, particularly on the top Panels, quotas fill quickly and you may miss out on a good reward. Secondly, most Panels record replies, so you could end up on their "preferred" list, which not only results in more invitations, but often boosts your chances of qualifying.  Conversely, often failing to respond at all may see you on their "inactive" list, resulting in fewer invitations.

(6) When completing the surveys you are invited to participate in, do so honestly and diligently. Do not contradict yourself - either within the survey you are doing, or against your profile surveys. The Panels check for this, sometimes asking the same question, framed differently, elsewhere in a survey. Obtain a reputation as a reliable and honest member and you will get more invitations.

Despite all this, some Panels will send more invitations than others, not only due to your profile, but also depending on their clientele. Certain Panels simply have more clients, and subsequently commission more surveys, than their competitors.  From your perspective though, just remember "quality not quantity" will reap the best rewards.

Learn more about this author, David Baylis.
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