Lies, Damn lies, and Paying for Opinions
A brief look into the wild world of online survey taking and how you can make some extra cash just by running your mouth
Dearest reader,
Today’s post covers a new topic for this outlet - online survey taking and opinion polling. This may be news to you, but you can in fact get paid to influence public opinion and product development. Who knew?
In this ‘stack we will be covering a few online panels that most anyone can join and make some pocket change just by providing a few minutes of opinions on a wide array of topics.
Preface: This isn’t a sponsored post nor was it implored/paid for by any survey panel or opinion/marketing company. These are just my impressions of a select few platforms available to use. I make no guarantees. Your mileage will vary. I have no favorites but I will highlight the good and bad of each platform as best I can. I’ll also try to give information on reward redemptions so you can get a feel for how many surveys you’ll need to take in order to be given a little treat.
Personal aside: I’ve been using these platforms with success for some time and am only giving my impressions based on my own use and experiences with the platforms. None of the links below are affiliate/tied to my accounts, and will simply drop you at the main sign-up page for each platform (if you’re so interested).
Onward!
YouGov (yougov.com)
YouGov is probably the most widely known of the names we’ll be covering today. Started in 2000 as a UK-based opinion polling house, it has since morphed into a worldwide polling company, hosting its own opinion polls covering a variety of topics from politics to products and services and entertainment properties alike.
This panel is open to anyone over age 18 and sends semi-regular email invitations with survey offers to your email inbox, carrying reward values ranging from 500 points to 2,000+ per survey. Cash out options include a variety of gift cards, virtual Visa cards, and PayPal/Bank transfers.
Other features include a daily poll on hot button topics, a thumbs up/down rating system for brands/public figures/entertainers, and other daily activities (though only the rating system provides any reward metric).
The good: Website is very easy to use on any device including smartphones and tablets; surveys offers very few disqualifications/rejections, payouts are instant/very rapid. Fun to socialize and read comments on hot button topics (Daily Topic).
The bad: Surveys may come infrequently, high point count required for payouts (25,000 for a $15 Visa Gift card, 55,000 for a $50 PayPal transfer, 100,000 for a $100 bank ETF transfer).
Branded Surveys (surveys.gobranded.com)
Branded Surveys was founded in 2012 as a US-based online polling aggregator. This panel offers surveys on-demand from a variety of opinion/marketing companies with point values ranging from 1-100+ per survey.
This panel is open to anyone over age 18 and has a web interface which allows users to select their own polls based on length to complete or reward amount. Identity verification is required in order to receive rewards payouts.
Branded offers some added perks such as a daily poll, tiered weekly bonuses for highly active users, and promotions tied to other products/services such as online casinos and other pay-per apps (though I wouldn’t personally bother with these).
The good: Website is intuitive and clean, offers a sign-up and referral bonus, surveys are frequent and reliable, payouts are very quick (within 1 hour of request). Payouts start at $5 (1 point = 1 US Cent) and come in a variety of methods including PayPal, Bank ETF, gift cards and donations to charitable causes.
The bad: Identity verification can be a little awkward requiring a photo ID. Some surveys will appear to complete normally and pay a reward, only to be deducted from your account later in time for unclear reasons. Some surveys will not be available due to demographic selection or will fail to provide a reward. Customer service is not always helpful but very friendly nonetheless.
Note: PayPal payouts must be linked to the email account which matches the email address used to register your GoBranded account.
SurveyJunkie (app.surveyjunkie.com)
SurveyJunkie is a survey aggregator founded in 2011 by Disqo, a marketing company based in the US. This panel, much like Branded, offers on-demand surveys ranging in point values from 5-100+ per survey, ranging in time from 5 minutes or less to more than one hour.
This panel is open to anyone 18+ and has a simple to use web interface which works well on any device. Surveyjunkie provides surveys from a variety of polling/opinion/marketing firms on a wide array of topics.
Surveyjunkie offers some perks including semi-regular bonus events based on number of surveys taken in a given timeframe. Payouts are in the form of Virtual Visa cards, PayPal transfers, or bank transfers. Some gift cards are also available. Payouts begin at 500 points (1 point = 1 US Cent).
The good: Website is very easy to use, offers a sign-up and referral bonus, payouts are instant, customer service is very helpful and friendly, and reward bonuses are generous. Surveys are frequently refreshed and are available nearly 24/7. Most surveys that fail to start, complete, or disqualify you will still be awarded a small (2-3 US Cents) amount for your time.
The bad: Some surveys will not complete due to demographic selection or other reasons. Sometimes the app will not have surveys available. Identity verification can be a little awkward, requiring a photo ID and face photo in order to receive payouts.
Ipsos iSay (ipsosisay.com)
Ipsos is perhaps the oldest name on this list, having been founded in Paris in 1975 and publicly traded since 1999. This platform offers a small array of self-published on-demand surveys and polls to users 18+.
This platform is simple to use, and offers payouts ranging from $5 up via PayPal, Bank transfers, and Virtual Visa cards.
The good: Very easy to use, payouts are instant, customer service is very helpful and friendly.
The bad: Identity verification can be a little awkward, requiring photo ID and a face photo in order to process reward payouts. Not everyone will qualify to join iSay. Surveys are infrequent and do not always refresh quickly.
Note: PayPal payouts must be linked to the same email address you used to sign up for Ipsos iSay.
HeyPiggy (heypiggy.com)
HeyPiggy is a bit of a mystery. I’m not certain when the company was founded or where it is based.
This platform is open to anyone 18+ and offers on-demand aggregated surveys from a variety of marketing/opinion research firms from around the world with payouts starting at $5 (1 point = 1 US Cent). Survey values range from 10 cents to $5+ per. The site is easy to use, and offers payouts in the form of PayPal, Venmo, Bank ETF, and a variety of gift cards. The website works well across any device.
HeyPiggy offers a sign-up bonus (5% bonus on all surveys for the first 24 hours) and other perks such as a chance to win a mini-Jackpot with each survey taken and other percentage bonuses based on number of surveys taken in a 24 hour period.
The good: Website is intuitive, payouts are quick (within a few hours) and no identity verification is needed beyond verifying your email address and phone number. Surveys are frequently refreshed and some come with high ($5+) values.
The bad: Website can be a little janky sometimes and get caught in a loop of asking for the same demographic information several times over. Not all surveys will complete correctly, though you may sometimes get a small (2-5 US Cents) award for not qualifying/terminating early. Some website translations aren’t the highest quality but can still be understood easily enough.
Now for some final thoughts about online survey taking in general. Think of this like an FAQ.
Is this legit?
In a word: Yes. I can attest personally to having made more than $300 in the past 4 weeks between SurveyJunkie and Branded, with more from HeyPiggy and Ipsos on top. Yougov is more a semi-annual thing, to be fair, due to the infrequency of surveys offered.
Taking surveys consistently does require some effort and time commitment, and is ideal for people with excess free time and a lot to say. If this is something that appeals to you, feel free to check out any of the above named platforms (or suggest more in the comments below, I’m happy to check them out and give them a spin!)
Do I need to fit a certain demographic?
No. You can be anyone from any background and walk of life to participate. You don’t have to have any pre-set politics or purviews, though being a consumer of products and services helps a lot.
Certain demographics will be given preference on some surveys (for eg: homeowners may be given preference in a survey about home remodeling, people with car insurance may be given preference in a survey about car insurers, etc) and some surveys will disqualify you based on that information.
Do these polls do anything? Is my opinion actually being heard?
Perhaps. Polls based on product perception/opinion almost certainly influence companies when making new ones/changing current ones. Public opinion polls on public policy/politics rarely have any impact beyond confirming biases, so your mileage will vary.
Will I have to sit through a lot of ads?
Sometimes. Some surveys are based around your opinion of advertising including video, radio and text/image based ads. You’re free to tell them how you really feel about it, though!
Will I encounter any proprietary information/be required to sign an NDA?
For some surveys, yes. You may be exposed to proprietary information or be asked to sign an NDA. If this is not something you’re interested in or are unable to complete due to pre-standing obligations, just exit the survey and try a different one.
Does this count as taxed income?
No! This is a reward based system, which means it’s a gift; not taxable income. Any money made is not subject to income tax (in the US anyways - this may vary in your country) as such.
Do these surveys ask for PIID (personal information/identity)?
Some do. You may be asked to provide your date of birth, gender/sex, height/weight, sexuality, military service status, marriage/relationship information and things like your zip code, age of your home, age of your car, medical conditions, product usage and so on.
The information collected is used in a variety of ways and usually comes with a data retention disclaimer before/during collection, so you understand how it’s being used, why, and how long it will be retained for. If you aren’t comfortable providing this, just skip the survey and move on to the next one.
Are there any other perks not listed?
Sometimes! Some surveys offer you a chance to see not-yet-released movie trailers, clips, or TV show episodes. Some surveys offer you a chance to see upcoming product/service ideas and the like. Some give you the chance to become a play/product tester. Some are just plain old questionnaires about your favorite hospitals and health insurance companies. It really does vary depending on the platform and survey taken.
Will these advertisers contact me after the survey?
Only if you want them to, and only in specific instances. Some surveys for eg are screeners for additional things, such as video game play testing and application demos. You don’t have to commit to these unless you really wish to. Some of them offer additional cash payouts for your time, so it may be worthwhile to complete offers you find appealing and have the ability to commit to.
Can I lie/speed through surveys just for the cash?
On some platforms, yes. There is very little in the way of demographic/information verification. In one survey you can be a CEO, the next one you can be a nurse practitioner. On others, no. Surveys are quality control checked and you may be removed from the service for providing false answers/filling in surveys with junk information. We suggest you stick to the truth, or at least maintain a consistent consumer profile across surveys just for sake of ease.
Do I need to pay in order to join?
No! None of the platforms I listed require you to pay or spend any money in order to join. You may be offered other extras like bonus points for installing/using other applications/services, but you are by no means required to.
So, that’s roughly all you need to know to get started. Don’t be scared of saying “not interested” or “doesn’t apply”, building out your profile on a platform is an easy way to get surveys that more specifically appeal to you and your habits/preferences.
Never be afraid to skip a survey that’s asking for too much information or is taking too long for a meager payout. And if you run into any problems, reach out to your platform customer support team who may be able to compensate you for any time/rewards you feel you were entitled to.
Happy opining!
RS