Introduction
So most likely, you’ve come across an online survey site or a “Get Paid To (GPT)” site where they pay you to complete surveys.
This is a little controversial topic because Online Survey or GPT sites used to pay promptly and they do not have problems with the frequency of new surveys.
But, in the recent years, many people have been complaining that they do not have enough surveys to complete, and as a result, they couldn’t cash out due to a payout threshold.
So, in this article, we are going to talk about the reasons why such things are happening, and whether or not online surveys are a good income stream for you.
But, before we get into that, if you are someone who is looking to earn a true passive income online that could possibly replace your full-time job, then I’ve prepared a short and concise training for you where I’ll show you what it takes to achieve that goal.
So, without further ado, let’s get right into the reasons why online surveys, even the legitimate ones, are struggling to pay their users.
Why Online Surveys Exist?
When it comes to Online Surveys, it has been around for a very long time, even before the internet was born.
The very reason these surveys were created was because companies wanted to know whether their products or services are delivering their promises to their consumers…
Or, they want to figure out how they can improve their products or services.
Some companies will conduct surveys as market research to see if they can develop new products to serve the market.
Surveys or online surveys were one of the most effective marketing strategies for companies because, in the past, there were very little tools for companies to get this important information.
Companies wouldn’t mind spending $5, $6, or even $7 or more for one completed survey.
But, nowadays, due to the ever-evolving use of the internet, there are so many other methods for companies to reach out to their customers, get more accurate data, and at a much lower price.
Why Companies are Not Engaging Online Survey Sites or Consumer Research Firms Anymore?
Nowadays, companies realize that if they engage a consumer research firm, the data that they are going to receive are probably not accurate.
Because, people who join these consumer research firms, or online survey firms, are more likely not real customers.
The only intention for most survey takers are to earn a couple of bucks.
And if that’s you, you can relate to this, there is no offense whatsoever, and it is not wrong to join these online survey firms.
I am just sharing with you what the current situation is.
Now, the companies need to pay like a dollar or two dollars or more for one qualified survey, that may or may not provide accurate data.
And, in this day and age, it just doesn’t seem to make business sense for companies.
Ask yourself, if you are a business owner who has means to:
- Contact your customers directly; and
- Have ways to reach out to prospective customers using less than a dollar per 1000 views on your advertisement?
Will you engage a consumer research firm?
The only logical answer is no!
And, such is the case for most businesses nowadays.
Nowadays, there are so many online marketing tools, platforms, channels, or whatever that business owners are spoiled for choice, and engaging online survey or research firms are probably one of the last strategies business owners will use.
Why Many People Think Online Surveys Are a Scam?
The lack of demand for data from Online Surveys is the main reason why there are so few surveys going around.
As a result, qualifying for surveys are going to be much more stringent, because it is scarce.
Companies only want accurate data, and they put pressure on these survey sites to produce the results, or they are going somewhere else.
So, the most common complains I see from online surveyors, even in the most legitimate consumer research firms, is that people are not getting a lot of survey invites.
And, even if they got a survey invite, and spending some time completing it, they were not credited with any amount of money, because they were told they didn’t qualify for the survey halfway through.
On top of that, these consumer research firms impose a Cash Out threshold, which means that users can only cash out their earnings after they hit a certain amount of earnings.
So, due to the low frequency of surveys or tasks, hitting that amount is almost impossible.
That’s why so many people are complaining that Making Money Doing Surveys Online is a scam.
Should You Spend Time Completing Surveys?
So, what I’ve mentioned above is the current situation of the “get paid to” sites or the online survey industry.
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t spend so much time completing surveys that I may or may not qualify for.
And, even if I am eligible for a survey, I risk being thrown out of the survey half-way, that would have wasted a lot of my time.
Plus, I may never get enough surveys or tasks to complete, and as a result I do not have enough points to cash out due to the high threshold.
This is the cold hard truth of this industry. You may have a different opinion, and I respect that, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments sections below.
What are the Good Alternatives to Online Surveys or GPT?
So, if online surveys or get paid to sites are not good ways to earn an extra buck, what is, right?
Now, just take a moment to think about what are the jobs or tasks that are in high demand nowadays, and you’ll probably find the answer yourself.
It really depends on your location, qualification, or expertise in a certain field; some jobs or tasks may be suitable for you, and not others.
So, if you want my recommendation, here they are:
Online Transcription Jobs
Transcribeme: It is a service-based company that offers transcription services to its customers. You’ll basically join as a Transcriptionist and they’ll pay you $0.33 per audio minute.
Scribie: Similar to Transcribeme, it offers customers transcription services and they’ll pay you about $5 to $25 per audio hour.
Task Based Jobs
Earnably: It is a typical Get Paid To site that has the option to pay you money to watch some videos. It pays you $1 for every 100 points you earn.
Language Teacher Jobs
NiceTalk: You need to be a native English speaker, and you are basically teaching people in China to speak English. It pays an hourly rate of $10 once you are approved as a teacher.
Preply: If you are fluent in languages such as English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, and you wish to teach it to other people, then this platform is just for you. Instead of an hourly rate, you set your own rate, its like setting up a language business, but you are letting Preply take care of finding students for you. You do pay some fees to Preply when they found students for you. Typically, popular Preply tutors earn $550 weekly.
iPalFish: Like NiceTalk, this platform is designed to teach English to people in China. However, the requirements are much tougher as you need an English Teaching Certificate (e.g. TEFL). It pays an average of about $10 – $18 per hour.
Cambly: This is popular English Teaching platform that has been featured on sites like TechCrunch and Forbes. The site targets people from Spain, France, Japan, Vietnam, China, Portugal, and many other countries. It pays tutors $10.20 per hour.
Content Creation Jobs
TextBroker: This job portal is only for U.S. Residents. Once you submit your sample content, you’ll be evaluated and will be given a rating from 1 to 5 stars. 5 Star being the best. The higher you are rated, the more money you’ll make.
| Rank | $ Per 300 Word Article |
|---|---|
| 2 Stars | $2.10 |
| 3 Stars | $3.00 |
| 4 Stars | $4.20 |
| 5 Stars | $15.00 |
iWriter: It accepts writers from North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Once you’ve submitted your sample content and demonstrated your ability on research, you will be categorized into one of these ranks:
| Rank | Potential $ Per 500 Word Article |
|---|---|
| Standard | $2.43 |
| Premium | $4.05 |
| Elite | $8.10 |
UpWork: It is a versatile platform that serves the Online Marketing community. Whether you have graphic designing skills, writing skills, technical skills or proofreading skills, you can apply to be a freelancer. There is no fix per hour rate, you set the price for your work. UpWork is much like Preply as mentioned above. It is a platform that connects you to people or businesses that requires your services.
If Passive Income is What You are Looking For…
All the jobs mentioned above requires you to trade your time for money.
But, if passive income is what you are looking for, where you can earn money without you being present, and you can make money while you are asleep…
Then, I’ll like to invite you to a short and concise training for you to start building passive income streams.
Conclusion
I hope that this article has brought some light to you if you are still considering spending your time on “get paid to” sites or online survey sites.
If you found value in this article, do help to share it.
And, if you’d like to share your thoughts or extra income opportunities, please, feel free to share them in the comments section below.
Thank you for reading this article!
Your friend,
Jack
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