Online surveys have been around for a very long time. Most of them claim to pay you handsome amount of rewards or cash in return for your services but we can’t make a living out of it!
If you aim at getting rich taking online surveys then you have sadly set the bar way too high. However, you can always increases your chances of getting paid better than average if you remember to keep some tips in mind.
High Paying Surveys and Legitimate Surveys are NOT The Same Thing!
A legitimate survey does not always mean it would pay you better. The vice versa is also true!
Nobody wants to waste time of websites that have a foggy reputation. Chances are you will just take a bunch of surveys without getting anything in return.
So before you aim to find any “high-paying” surveys, the first thing to do is to find a legitimate one. If you want a more detail guide, click here to find out how to differentiate between scam and legit survey sites.

Okay, so you are done listing down the sites that might not be a scam and maybe worth your time in the long run. Now, how do we find the “high paying surveys”?
Here are 7 things I learned on my journey of finding the surveys that will pay you better than the rest.
1. Tell Them Your Superpower!
Make sure you let the surveyors know your specialty, field of interest and anything that makes you different from others.
You need to update this information on the online account section titled “About You” or “Personal Information“. This detail filters out any survey that does not match your description. Ultimately, you will only have to participate in studies that you are a good fit for.
Taking profile surveys is also a good approach for getting to highly paid surveys. They deliver information about you to the company so you only receive surveys that better match you.
Profile surveys can be a bit hefty especially with websites that have dozens of them. Remember! You don’t have to fill out all of these but always mention anything that makes you a bit unusual or unique.
For instance, if you are a new mom who just had twins maybe you should fill out the household profiler. Also if you are an US resident who just visited the far off places like India, remember to add the details in travel profile.
2. Focus on The Focus Groups
Surveys with focus groups pay generously because they are more difficult to apply for and take a longer time to complete. They are group willing to pay as high as $500 just for an hour of questioning.
Although to qualify for that much you will have to be specialized in some field, for example a fitness trainer or a motivational speaker etc. If you are more of a general consumer, you can still expect up to $150. That’s not at all, either!
You will have to be very competitive (or very lucky) to qualify as a participant in focus groups. It’s okay if the luck doesn’t work for the first time. Try giving it a try a couple of times and I am sure you will be selected.
3. Consider in-Person or Online Focus Group Opportunities
In-person ficus groups tend to pay even higher than the generalized focus groups because you need to travel to the spot for interview. It might require a meeting at specific time and location.
Such interviews may go on for hours (60-120 minutes mostly) and include questions as well as short activities related to a specific topic. The client may or may not be on the site but will always find a way to observe the participants.
Besides in-person focus groups, you can also find such opportunities online. They are easier to qualify for and you will not have to travel to far off places to take them.
With online focus groups, you can expect to get paid anywhere from $25-$130. Longer studies might be better paid. They can be a short online chat with survey-style questions or maybe a detailed discussion through webcam.
4. Don’t Forget Video Surveys
You are not doing justice to your good internet connection if you are not spending some time on the video surveys. With better broadband speeds, such surveys have become an integral part of market research.
The video surveys are carried out via webcam or cellphone. The respondents are supplied with a number of questions. They have to record the answers and then upload them via software. The pay for such surveys is much higher than the traditional online surveys.
5. Try Your Luck With Product Testing
Ever came across Instagram models writing long reviews on a product they just used? Don’t be surprised when I tell you they are probably getting paid for that!
And you can too!
Websites that are willing to pay for product testing will send the product to your home and ask you to use it for a certain period of time. After this, you will have to provide a feedback of the experience.
Product testing is rewarded in a couple of ways. Sometimes the product itself can be the reward or you might be required to send the product back to the company along with a review in exchange of a cash incentive.
The compensation offered by the website depends on the type of the product you will be reviewing. For example, you can’t expect to get a “high pay” for testing out a food serving but you might earn better cash writing feedback for a vacuum cleaner or a hair-dryer.
6. Try Aiming for Longer Studies or Even Better- Survey Diaries

Surveyors usually try their best to compensate for the amount of time you are investing in filling out a survey. Therefore, a longer survey will pay better than a shorter one.
If you want to further improve your chances of getting a better pay, try focusing on Survey diaries. They are a type of short surveys that can only be attempted at a specific time or after you have performed a certain task.
You can fill them once a day or multiple times in a day or a week- it all depends on the basic idea behind the survey diary. Mostly, the surveys that can only be filled at a specific time interval are related to experiences such as driving or feelings, that need feedback without delay.
7. Last But not The Least- Try Mystery Shopping!
Mystery shopping is another survey opportunity that offers attractive rewards. Without revealing the fact that you are here for a survey, you might be asked to hold a conversation with a brand employee at the store or while paying at the checkout.
In the end, you have to type a report to evaluate the brand based on overall experience, environment and friendliness of workers there. You might also be asked to compile a report on the condition of the store, hygiene, etc.

Before You go
You are not the only one participating in online surveys. As there are million of participants, the websites can be a little stingy on times. You will always have to strategically look for options that are highly paid.
Besides the 7 tips given above, you can also try participating in many different types of researches to improve your chances of succeeding and earning enough from taking online surveys.