by Sybille Baylis

Created on: August 11, 2010   Last Updated: January 04, 2011

Completing online paid surveys is a good way of earning some cash, gift cards or vouchers on the net. If this interests you, it pays to be aware of common questions that regularly crop up - to determine whether you qualify for each particular survey. Furthermore, an understanding as to why they are being asked, as this will assist you in negotiating them successfully. In survey site jargon, “screeners” is the name used to describe these questions, which determine if you are the person the survey is targeting.

The great majority of surveys are conducted for Market Research, which many businesses and service providers conduct in order to improve existing products/services or to launch new ones. They research the market place by testing their ideas, their products, their service, or a current or proposed advertising campaign, on a small sample of the population.

To this end, they commission an Online Survey Panel who in turn obtains this sample by inviting their Panel Members to participate by completing an online survey on a particular project. This could be existing or new consumer products or services, motor vehicles, healthcare, current affairs, new movies, DVD releases, etc.

On joining an Online Panel, before you begin receiving survey invitation emails, there are a number of common Profile Survey questions you are asked to answer as part of the joining process. They form the basis of your demographic that enables the Panel to invite you to complete surveys that match your profile. They usually include:

Household - to determine your domestic situation, as having children particularly enhances survey opportunities;

Travel - predominantly to see if you own a car, and if you travel by air regularly, as these are two common survey topics;

Employment - the industry you work in (if you are employed) is important to them, as is whether you have purchasing powers at work - more survey opportunities can come from that;

Financial - the level of household income is a strong demographic feature, both from the "afford to buy" aspect, as well the fact there are many surveys commissioned by Banks; 

Technology - there are always surveys on televisions, cell phones, computers, games etc., so knowing what you own is critical to them;

Medical - any medical condition in your household (if you agree to tell them), can lead to a survey from a pharmaceutical company on a certain drug; and

Vehicle - how many and what type. There are always surveys

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