Published by Allen Brown
With everything that is going on in the world, people are constantly looking for new ways to make more money. While it helps to have an additional set of skills that you can leverage for a side job, this is a luxury that not many people have. Fortunately, there are ways for you to make money online without having any particular talents, like participating in online research studies. It might sound too good to be true, but there are companies willing to pay you for your opinion. Here’s what you need to know.
How Does It work?
It is quite simple. You partake in an online research study, and you get paid for it. Many of these online studies are in the medical sector, where a study is conducted to identify certain symptoms and health issues. These medical studies usually target a certain ethnicity, age group, gender, or even a group of people who are likely to encounter certain health complications due to the nature of their jobs. In other words, you are going to find a category that involves you, one way or the other.
Medical research aside, there is also market research done by companies who are looking to develop new products or services. The point of studies like these is to identify the customer needs and expectations from companies, making your input quite valuable, which is a nice bonus.
Do Your Research
Before you sign up with the first research study you come across, take some time to consider if this is the right one for you. Some, as mentioned earlier, require certain groups of people, so you can’t just sign up with those. You should also take some time to figure out how much you can get paid for entering a study because you don’t want to waste your time on a study that would take hours and would only earn you a handful of dollars. Some online surveys pay $1-2 for a few minutes’ survey, while others could pay up to $30 or $40 for more specialized interviews and online focus groups, So, find a kind of study or research that you are eligible for, and then find out how much you can make for your efforts.
You Don’t Always Have to Be the Target Audience
The great thing about the kind of online studies and research surveys available now is that you don’t always have to be a part of the target audience. Sometimes, the company wants an outsider’s opinion. They might be in the process of marketing a new product to a specific target audience, of which you are not included. However, they might want to get your take on whether or not this product works. As someone who won’t use the product, you would provide the company with impartial advice and valuable input. This happens more often than you’d think, which is why it’s always a good idea to explore every avenue you can.
No Location Restrictions
While there are in-person research studies that require your presence, online surveys and questionnaires do not. This means that you do not have to consume hours of your time in order to go to local research studies, which are not very easy to find or plenty. Online studies, on the other hand, do not put restrictions on the location. So, you can partake from anywhere around the world as long as you fulfill the eligibility requirements.
Be Prepared
If you want to make some money doing this, you need to be prepared. This means getting a proper internet connection since some of the interviews are done live. You might also want to get a decent webcam and microphone so your answers can be clear to the interviewers. It might seem like an investment, but some of these live studies and interviews pay quite well. Pro tip: don’t schedule focus groups or live interviews before an important meeting or errand. You will have to complete the study before you get paid, and the last thing you want is to leave half an hour early because you scheduled something else.
Partaking in online research studies is not something that you can do for a living, but it is a great way to make some extra money. Be careful not to fall for scammers, and make sure you are dealing with trusted companies and entities. Last but not least, do your homework on the company you’re dealing with and its rates so you could gauge how much you stand to make by partaking in the study.