So you’ve signed up for an online survey-taking platform. Maybe you even signed up for more than one. Great! Now it’s time to start completing those surveys and earning some money. 

Survey sites are generally simple and user-friendly, but there’s still a way to make sure you’re getting the most out of them. In this post, you’ll learn how to optimize your survey-taking. 

Complete Your Profile

With any survey site, you’re asked to complete a profile with some personal information (don’t worry, it’s nothing sensitive). The purpose of this information is to match you with appropriate survey opportunities. For example, a particular survey might be for males aged 25 to 29 who live in the South. If you fit that description, you’ll qualify to take it. 

So, the more details you add to your profile, the more the site will have to work with. Information like interests, work history, and more can open you up to a lot more paid opportunities. And of course, the more surveys you can take, the more money you can earn. 

Answer Honestly 

This is a big one. Most of these platforms are on guard against users who click at random to earn a quick buck. Trust me, if you take this approach, you won’t get far. 

This is because of a few practices that established sites tend to use. The first is trick questions. In any given survey, you might run into an unrelated question with an obvious answer (for example, “What color is grass?”). These questions are there to make sure you’re paying attention. If you answer wrong, you might get flagged and miss out on future surveys. 

Survey sites also track your replies regarding your personal information over time. If your answers aren’t consistent in subsequent surveys, again, you might get flagged. Market research relies on honest participants, so survey sites are quick to edge out those who aren’t truthful. 

Work Quickly

With surveys, you’re always up against a low rate of pay. These platforms aren’t designed for full-time work, and at best, you’ll earn a little extra cash every month. 

That said, you can maximize your return by working quickly. The faster you get a survey done, the higher your hourly rate will be. Even though you’re unlikely to get much higher than minimum wage pay, you can still make sure that you’re squeezing as much as possible.