INSIGHT INTO TAKING SURVEYS

INSIGHT
INTO

TAKING SURVEYS

BY W.COWARD

Table of Contents………………………………....Page
Introduction……………………………………...…..1
What Is A Survey…..…………………………...…...1
Why Do Companies Conduct Surveys……….….......1
Why Should You be a Survey Respondent….….…...2
Things To Consider When Taking A Survey..............2
Survey DOs……………..……………………...…....2
Survey DON’Ts………………………………….….6
Suggestions...………………………………………..6
Important Tips…………………...…………………12
Ergonomics…...………...……………………….…18
References…….…………………………………....21

Introduction

I decided to write this book after reading many blogs and sites about survey
taking. I found they mainly discuss features of survey sites and how to use them to
make money. However, they fail to show instances in which it might be a catch. In
this book you will therefore learn about pitfalls to avoid when taking surveys. You
will also get insight into how to be a better survey responder.

What is a Survey

The Mirriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines survey as: “to query
(someone) in order to collect data for the analysis of some aspect of a group or
area” (Merriam - Webster, 2020). Scheuren, 2004 shows nowadays, the word
“survey” many times describes a way of collecting data from a sample of
individuals. Generally, this “sample” is only a fraction of the population that is
studied.

Why Do Companies Conduct Surveys

A wide range of consumer researchers are interested in finding out more
about what motivates customers and their desires as well as how they decide to get
involved in the world around them, especially in virtual aspects. This kind of
knowledge helps brand researchers to have a better know - how of consumers. It
thereby helps build, assess, administer, and safeguard brand equity (Keller, 2020).

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Why Should You Be a Survey Respondent

You should take part in surveys because:

Surveys provide an important source of basic scientific knowledge.
Economists, psychologists, health professionals, political scientists, and
sociologists conduct surveys to study such matters as income and
expenditure patterns among households, the roots of ethnic and racial
prejudice, the implications of health problems on people’s lives, comparative
voting behaviour and the effects of family life on women working outside
the home. (Scheuren, 2004)

Things To Consider When Taking Surveys

If you are to succeed at taking surveys, there are certain DOs and DON'Ts
you must abide by. I have made up a list of these which might seem simple or are
often overlooked. However, read this section carefully and try to follow the
suggestions.

Survey DOs

1. Some survey sites offer daily paid to read emails but you have to request
they send them to your email inbox. Take these opportunities and opt in for
them when you sign up.

2. Some sites allow you to request that paid emails be sent to your email inbox
at a certain time of the day. You can make that request. Other sites send out
paid emails at a specific time of the day. Be aware of the time.

3. If you signed up to a survey site that sends daily emails to your email inbox,
be sure to check your email inbox daily. If you signed up for daily paid
emails then be sure to open them and read them daily. This is very important

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because you might not receive credit for reading emails after the date if
passed. Also, you must note the cut off time for some sites to stop giving
credits for the day. Some sites stop giving credits at 12:00 AM (Midnight)
while others go beyond.
4. Likewise, know when the sites you sign up to stop giving credits for the day.
Some stop at 12:00 AM (Midnight), while others go beyond. This is
important for you to know because some sites have a daily attendance
check. If you miss a day it affects your rank which in turn will affect your
earnings.
5. If you request sites to send you daily emails about surveys, be on the
lookout for special invitations. Sometimes your profile qualifies you for a
special survey available or you might qualify to join a Forum. Special
surveys may take a few hours more or some days more than the daily
surveys available on a site. Forums may be for days, weeks, or even months.
They may have special requirements such as logging in regularly, replying to
prompts, keeping a diary, or responding to discussions. Forums also usually
ask that you participate actively in discussions. If not you will not receive
your reward when they close. However, If you are a regular participant and
make meaningful contributions to discussions, you might be asked to join
other upcoming Forums.
6. As you check your emails daily, make sure to complete surveys that have a
cut off time. Some surveys will not be available after a certain time of the
day or after a certain date. Some survey sites such as Paidviewpoint might
still pay you if the survey is still available but you reply after the cut off time
although you will not receive the original amount. So you should check
either your emails or those sites regularly.
7. Some survey sites send out surveys to your email inbox at different times or
at certain times of the month. Be sure to take note of when they do and
check your email to complete them.
8. Take surveys from various sites daily and check the payment they offer. Try
to complete surveys that have higher payments.
9. In addition to keeping in mind the rewards for completing a survey, keep in
mind the time it takes to complete the survey. Then decide which ones to do
first. For example, If a survey will take 15 minutes to complete and pays 35

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points but another will take 15 minutes and pays 40 points, then attempt the
latter one first.
10. If you find you are being rejected repeatedly don’t be discouraged. Go to
another section on the survey site and try to complete another task. Or even
go to another site. If you return later you may find surveys you can
complete.
11.When you sign up to a survey site, check all the possible ways of earning.
Then try the ones that you find will pay you the most and faster. Some
survey sites have Pay Per Clicks (PPCs), videos, games, Daily Polls, etc.
12. If you search the internet, why not get paid for doing so by using sites such
as Inboxdollars, and Instagc? Indoxdollars pays you for completing every
four searches. You also get paid at the end of the week if you used the search
for four days of the week.
13. If you are comfortable with installing an app on your computer, or
cellphone, you can opt to do so from survey sites that ask you to do so. You
usually get paid after running the app for some time on your device.
Although this is another way to increase your earnings from some survey
sites or through some surveys that ask to do so, if you are concerned with
your privacy, then you should not. I personally don’t.
14. If you are serious about taking surveys, try to set a dollar amount that you
want to have each day then try to reach it.
15. Cash out your rewards as soon as you reach the cash out amount.
16. Even though you cash out your rewards and it shows that you did. It will
take some time (hours, days, or even weeks) in some cases, to show up in
your account. Take note of when your rewards will be deposited into your
payment account and check to verify that it was deposited into your account.
17. Be careful with the payment method you choose. Paypal seems to be the
safest. Try not to choose very new online payment sites. One such site was
ordered closed by the U.S Government. I never got my payment that was
sent to it from the survey site I took surveys on. So do your research. Check
reviews about the payment sites before you decide. Also, be careful if the
sites ask for too much personal information.
18. Some survey sites have a referral program. This is a very easy way of
increasing your earnings. Therefore, sign up for the program or use your
referral link and send it to your friends.

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19. You can also sign up to link shortening sites such as Payskip.me to
shorten your referral links then promote them on these same sites. These link
shortening sites pay you to promote your links and you will also get
payments from your survey sites for anyone who joins through your referral
links. Verify with the survey sites you join if they will allow you to promote
your referral links on link shortening sites and which sites are acceptable to
them for doing so.

20.You can also promote your referral links on a blog if you have one, your
social media, or on free ads. sites.

21. Make a list of the sites you join and their payment cash out amounts then
see how much you can earn in a month.

22. Do surveys from more than one site that have a lower cash out amount.
Instead of focusing on one survey site that has a higher cash out amount. In
this way you will cash out faster. Also, if at any time the site closes then you
will stand a lesser chance of losing more money if you do not reach the
amount before they cease to exist.

23. Log in to your account /s regularly or at least weekly so as to keep them
active. Some survey sites carry out an audit of their members and close
inactive accounts. Therefore, know when an account is considered inactive.

24. Some survey sites do not keep rewards in a member’s balance for long.
After an extended period, they will expire. Therefore, check the sites you
join and try to avoid this happening.

25. Some survey sites do not allow the balance in a member’s account to go
over to the new year. While points expire after one (1) year from the date
you got them. Make sure you read carefully the policy regarding points and
awards redemption of sites you join. Then try to reach the cash out amount
before the end of the year for those that require members to do so. Or you
will lose whatever amount you have in your account.

26. Keep your profile up to date. This will make sure you are matched with
relevant surveys. It can avoid any inaccuracies when responding to surveys.
For example, you should update your personal file yearly as your age
changes yearly. Also, if you move from the address you had when you first
signed up with the survey site. Your zip code might change. So it is good to
revise these.

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Survey DON’Ts

1. Don’t complete a survey in a hurry.
2. Don’t take longer than the time suggested to complete a survey.
3. Don’t take surveys on more than one computer. Read more about this in the
section on Notes.
4. Don’t try to do more than one survey at a time. You will not be able to be
focused on answering the questions.
5. Don’t do a survey more than once. Sometimes a survey you have already
completed on one site earlier may return. If you recognize it then stop immediately.
If you continue you might be rejected after you finish or if you do not give the
same answers as when you first did it then you will be discovered as being
dishonest.
6. Don’t ask anyone nor allow anyone to complete a survey for you. Remember,
you are giving your own opinion.
7. Don’t give your name, email, telephone number, nor address when taking
surveys. Remember taking surveys should be anonymous. (See notes).
8. Don’t be tempted to join every survey site you find. Not all are genuine and
you might not be able to keep track of them.

Suggestions

If you speak more than one language, you stand a better chance of finding
surveys. Therefore, try taking surveys in the languages you speak. This is not to
say you must take the same survey in one language then in another. No, I mean
some surveys might be filled by takers of one language and they might need survey
takers in another language. So, you stand a better chance of completing them. Or
you may be a speaker of a language which survey sites you sign up to find
difficulty in getting speakers. Sometimes you may have to write in the language as
well. So make sure you can read, speak, and write in the language.

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At times, you will find survey sites which screen you through several
surveys to find you a survey. This can take up a lot of time. Sometimes even when
they find you a survey and after answering some questions, they reply that you
are not a match. This could be frustrating. When this happens, take note of those
sites then skip surveys that they send you or when you are directed to them.
Something else that helps to save time is to skip the first few qualifying questions
and go directly to the survey. Sometimes you will find this option so click on it.

Instead of wasting your time with those sites that keep searching for surveys
for you, I have listed below some survey sites which I have used and have
experienced no major problems so far. If you click on any of these you will be
taken to the site. They contain my affiliate links. If you open an account when you
are taken to the site (s) through these links, I will get a commission. Some might
also give me commissions when you complete surveys. However, please be aware
that I am in no way endorsing any product (s) which might appear on any of these
sites. Please be aware also that my experiences may be different to yours. You still
have to be cautious when you are completing any activity. What I find works for
me is to simply answer the surveys that I qualify for and to log into my account
regularly.

There are many things to do on this site in
addition to taking surveys. They include games,
videos, and clicks. There is no minimum
amount needed to cash out to PayPal. Gift
Cards are available starting at $5.00.

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Members on this site can earn cash
from panels, studies, and promo
codes. There is even a job board.
The amount needed to cash out is
$50.00 to PayPal.

Members can earn Swags through a
number of ways. They include surveys,
games, videos, answering daily
questions, Promos and cash back.
Members can even earn through
shopping. The amount to cash out is
$25.00 to PayPal. Gift Cards are
available starting from $1.00.

Among other ways, earn on this site through surveys,
sweepstakes, and tasks. Cash out at $10.00 through various
systems. There is a rank ladder for members to climb.

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There are many things to do on this site including
taking surveys, games, videos, and clicks. There is
also a weekly bonus. The minimum amount
needed to cash out to PayPal or Direct Deposit is
$5.00. Other options are also available. Inactive
accounts are deleted after six (6) months.

There are many things to do on this
site in addition to taking surveys.
They include games, videos, and
clicks. Members get tokens as
payments for tasks completed. They
can then convert the tokens into cash.
Members can also cash out several
times per day but payment occurs
three (3) times per day. The minimum
amount needed to cash out to PayPal
is very low.

This site has bronze, silver, and gold levels that members reach for the numbers of
surveys they complete. They get increased rewards at the next level. The minimum
amount needed to cash out to PayPal is $5.00.

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The surveys from this site have the time that they take to complete. It could be just
a few minutes. The minimum amount needed to cash out to PayPal is $15.00.

Members can earn money from taking
surveys. Also, the top 20 earners can
win cash prizes during contest periods.
The minimum amount needed to cash
out to PayPal or Skrill is $1.00.

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There are many things to do on this site in addition to taking surveys. They include
videos, clicks, paid daily emails, tasks, and bonus promotions. The amount needed
to cash out to PayPal is $25.00. Be careful here though because points expire after
some time if you don’t reach the cash out amount.

In addition to surveys,
members on this site can get
paid to upload recipes. Check
the list of stores to see if you
shop at any of them. Then
save your receipts.this site in
addition to taking surveys.
The minimum amount needed
to cash out $5.00 to PayPal.

You are sure to get suitable surveys from these sites. Even if you don’t
qualify they give you some points for your efforts. Also, take note of those survey
sites with low rewards for completing surveys (either points or cash) and leave
them in favour of sites with higher rewards. Similarly, try to complete surveys

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from sites with low cashout minimums. In this way you will not have to wait until
you reach a high cashout amount if you need urgent cash.

Some survey sites have times when they do promotions. During these times
they might pay a higher rate for completing surveys. Therefore, visit the site you
register with regularly and try to complete as many surveys during these times.
Some survey sites also have Offer Walls. You might get coupons to print. You may
be able to upload your receipts. Some survey sites let you climb a rank ladder. The
higher up the ladder you go, you are rewarded with higher paying surveys or more
surveys. Other sites have rewards for daily logging into your account. Take these
log- ins as your attendance. So even if you do not qualify for surveys, you still get
points. Other survey sites also allow you to get points for attempting a survey or
after a number of attempted surveys.

Important tips

Although, you should check your emails and survey sites regularly, to be a
good survey taker you must be focused. Therefore, choose a time of the day when
you are more focused to take the surveys. Also, choose a quiet place to take the
survey.

At times, you may get surveys which ask to show your face for facial
recognition. I usually avoid those since this is a form of personal identification.
However, if you decide to take those surveys, try to be in a place with little or no
other details in the background nor any background noise if possible. Be careful
with granting access to your computer camera and microphone.

Surveys have offers. Sometimes you have to fill up an application. Be very
careful with those offers. They ask for you to try a product or service then they
encourage you to buy it.Try to avoid taking these offers. If you decide to sign up
for a trial period, take note of the date the trial expires and cancel your registration.
It will be best not to wait until the expiration date of the trial. They may try to
encourage you to continue with the product. However, if you really do not need the

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product nor the service, you will need to be firm and not continue with its use. If
you forget to cancel at the end of the trial period, your credit card will be billed. If
you decide to continue with the product you will obviously be buying it. In the end,
you will be giving out more money than you got for signing up to try the product
or service.

When survey sites are closing down, sometimes they warn you. Therefore,
try to be vigilant and complete surveys to reach the minimum cashout amount
before the site finally closes. If not, you will lose whatever amount of cash you
have.

Notes:

Not every time you may be able to complete a survey. Some survey sites still
try to reward your effort so they give you a reduced amount of points. Therefore,
make a note of those sites then attempt their surveys instead of sites which don’t
give rewards for trying.

Taking surveys is a form of work. Some survey sites ask you to pay your
own taxes if you earn more than a certain amount of dollars for the year. You must
take note of those sites so as to prepare your income tax at the end of the year. If
you do not want to be taxed for taking surveys, then you will have to note at what
dollar amount you will have to pay tax then stop taking surveys when you reach
that amount. For example, if you will have to pay tax after reaching $600.00 a year.
For safety, stop when you reach $560.00 because sometimes, you may be asked to
join a panel, or you may get a special survey and the compensation might go over
the $600.00. Also, the number of persons who sign up with your affiliate link can
carry you over the $600.00.

You should actively monitor the sights you use to get an idea of the earnings
from your affiliates. Also, towards the end of the year, do an audit of your survey
history and check for any pending rewards to make sure that they do not go over

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If your audit shows that you are close to the taxable amount, stop immediately
taking any more surveys and go to another site.

Computer 1

Commons.wikimedia.org
Computer 2

Informationq.com

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Some survey sites do not allow members to take surveys on different
computers. Therefore, follow their restrictions or your account can be closed and
you can be banned from taking further surveys with them. Similarly, some survey
sites restrict the number of survey takers from a household to two. So, be careful
not to exceed their numbers. In addition, some survey sites require you to take
surveys only on one computer. Therefore, do not try to take surveys at your home
with one computer, then at a friend’s home or at work with another computer.

pxhere.com
In connection with taking surveys at work, be careful. You should only do so
during your lunch break. However, some surveys ask where are you taking this
survey from? If you answer from your workplace, they disqualify you. Also,
sometimes your workspace might not allow you to be private and this might
compromise your responses. You might be asked to evaluate a product that only
you should be viewing. So taking such surveys at work might not be convenient.

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If your computer gets old or you have to change to another computer, make
sure to contact your survey site to let them know. This is especially important for
sites that do not allow using more than one computer. In this way you will avoid
your account being banned.

Taking surveys should be anonymous. Try to avoid any survey that asks for
very personal information such as your full name, telephone number, cell phone
number, address or other information that can identify you easily. Try to avoid
those surveys. Asking for your personal information when taking a survey should
be a red flag because the survey sites already have your information when you
signed up.

There are times though when you may have a follow up survey. Or you may
get an offer to sign up for a new survey. Before deciding to give out your personal
information do some research. If it is an offer to join a new survey site, use a site
verification platform such as Statshow.com or Scamalert.com. Look at the ratings
for the site. If the site is relatively new, you might want to be cautious and wait
until it becomes more established. Also, remember that you do not have to join
every site nor to take up all the offers.

For the most part, taking surveys can be pleasant. However, sometimes you
may come upon a scam or dishonest site. If you have such an encounter, you can
feel free to alert others by writing a review of such site/s on a scam alert site. If
you use social media, also use it to alert others.

bassmediagroup.co.uk

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You will be taking surveys mostly online. Therefore, be aware that slow
internet connection can hamper the process. If a survey is taking too long to load,
close it and move to another one. Sometimes certain surveys might not load on
your computer. If this happens regularly, take note of the site and skip it the next
time. Or you may have to use a different browser. Another reason for slow loading
of surveys, might be you have too many tabs opened on your computer. So, close
those tabs that you are not using. Your computer should also have the latest
browser update.

It could even be that you need to clear your browsing history. Therefore, try
clearing it everyday. Also, install a good virus scan software on your computer and
scan your computer regularly. When you do some tasks (eg, PPCs or Views) on
some sites, they may require you to disable the popup blocker on your computer. If
you choose to do so, you should regularly scan your computer. Remember, not all
cookies are good.

morguefile.com

You will not be qualified for every survey. Instead of letting the survey
engine keep searching for a suitable survey for you, go to another site. You can
return to the previous site at a different hour or another day. You will find that
some days you are qualified for many surveys then another day, you are not
qualified.

Start paying more attention to TV ads, Billboard ads, radio ads, etc. Also,
pay closer attention to the products you buy and their labels. Be more aware of

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your surroundings. These actions will be very helpful in qualifying for and
answering more surveys.

ERGONOMICS

You might be asking what does ergonomics have to do with taking surveys?
Well, you may be taking many surveys, so you should take care of your eyes. Try
not to put a strain on your eyes. When taking surveys, don’t be too close to the
computer's screen. Similarly, if using an ipad or cell phone. Keep it not too close to
your eyes.

clipart.info Hand held devices have small
pinterest.com fonts. Also, some surveys have
small or not so clear writings.
Sometimes surveys on
computers also have small
fonts. Instead of leaning
forward or squinting your eyes,
you should maximize them
before taking them. UCDavis
(2021) suggests having the forts
at a size that you will be able to
read easily if you sit normally
in a chair.

If you are taking surveys for
many hours, stop to take 10
minutes breaks. This will avoid
straining your eyes. Try not to
read during those breaks.

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purepng.com
You will experience some discomfort if you keep using the mouse for hours

or if you are typing for hours. Try to alternate your hands when using the mouse or
if using your finger on a laptop computer. This will avoid putting pressure on one
hand.

Use wrist rests to raise the palm and have
the wrists in a neutral position. Try not to
position them under the wrists. If you use
them that way, the underside of the risk
could be strained (UCDavis, 2021).

Amazon.com

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If you use a keyboard and a mouse,
try to keep your upper arms relaxed
and at your side. Your upper elbows
should be at 90 degrees and try to
maintain your wrists in a straight
position (UCDavis, 2021).

Amazon.com

Finally, if you follow the advice in this book, you will certainly receive
payments for some of the things you already do. This should not be your main
source of generating income though, because you will not get rich by taking
surveys. However, you will be proud to know that you have contributed to shaping
the products that your and others use.

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REFERENCES

Keller, K. L. (2020). Consumer Insight on Brands and Branding: A JCR Curation.
Journal of Consumer Research, 46 (5), 995–1001.

https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucz058.
Merriam - Webster. (2020). Survey.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survey
Scheuren, F. (2004). What is a survey.

https://www.unh.edu/institutional-research/sites/default/files/pamphlet.pdf
UCDavis.edu. (2021). Technology Tips and Tricks.
https://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/units/occupational-health/ergonomics/office-com

puter/keyboard-mouse
UCDavis.edu. (2021). Technology Tips and Tricks.
https://safetyservices.ucdavis.edu/units/occupational-health/ergonomics/office-com

puter/tech-tips

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