If you’re wondering why someone would ever pay you to take a simple survey, you should understand that for massive corporations like Pepsico, Woolworths, etc. it’s all about knowledge and demographical data. Large companies want to know how their products are seen in the eyes of the average person, so that they can make changes, market to the right crowd, etc. And while it may seem like a lot of money to spend on research, the knowledge gained by these companies is in most cases much more valuable than the actual cost.

Large corporations will also put out surveys about products or services that don’t yet exist, or that are not offered yet by said company. This allows them to gather information and feedback from people all around the world, of all different mindsets, ages, etc. about their product, before they even start full-scale production. This knowledge is priceless to these companies, because it lets them make last-minute changes to their products before the official launch.

There are a number of ways you can benefit from paid online surveys. The first and most obvious way is the monetary reward you will receive. The amount of money you are given for completing a survey will vary widely, but it’s usually in the range of $1-$5 for a short survey (they rarely take more than 30 minutes). There will be the occasional $5-$10+ survey, and every once in a while you will be invited to take a more difficult survey, or even an at-home product evaluation (they mail you a product and you review it). These more difficult surveys often pay much more, and many product tests allow you to keep the product you received, free of charge.

Besides the money, surveys will also educate you on the products of tomorrow. You will receive information about new products – including movies, electronics, cars, and virtually everything else – before they are even announced to the public. Plus, you are given the opportunity to significantly change the way a product will be made. Your opinion DOES matter – so much that many companies are willing to pay good money for it.

First of all, you should watch out for any site that offers rediculous rewards. Generally speaking, online surveys will not make you rich, and any company that claims otherwise is most likely a scam. Legitimate online survey sites generally offer $1-$20 per survey, though there will occasionally be a $50+ one. However, if a company consistantly offers very large rewards for easy surveys, you should take note and perhaps stop taking surveys until you have confirmed that they do indeed pay.

A good way to find legitimate online survey sites is to ask around, or to look on websites such as this one. All the survey sites listed on this website are completely legitimate and have been paying for many years, so this is a good place to start. If you’re hungry for more, ask your friends, or head to a popular make money online forum and ask. You can also use sites such as Yahoo! Answers to gain more knowledge.

Keep in mind that there are several different types of scams on survey sites. There are the sites that make you do surveys and then never pay you, and there are sites that actually require you to pay just for the opportunity to take the surveys! I strongly advice that you never, ever pay for a survey opportunity. You should be MAKING money, not spending it!

Other than that, simply use your better judgment. Keep an eye out for flaws/unprofessionalism on the websites themselves, and don’t assume you will be paid by a company that’s not well known. There are plenty of completely legitimate online survey sites out there, it’s just a matter of finding them!

Edit: It’s been a busy weekend and all reviews are now online, enjoy a watch out for more content to be added to the site over the next few days.