How to Stay Safe Taking Online Surveys
People are looking at taking surveys now more than ever and the internet makes it easy to become involved with a wide variety of survey providers. This increased accessibility comes at a price; it’s now relatively easy for unscrupulous individuals to pose as legitimate survey providers.
Why Surveys are Important
Surveys are an important part of marketing for manufacturers; they need to know what their target demographic thinks about their products and services as well as those of their competitors. Many questions on the typical survey may seem random but they aren’t; each was picked for a reason. Marketers look at a wide variety of factors during market analysis and those who take surveys perform a vital task. Companies and businesses will refer to survey results when considering the future of their current products or services and knowing their customers leads to better quality overall.
Earning Rewards Taking Surveys
Many companies will work with survey panels to gather that valuable data and the survey panels pass the rewards on to their members. Panels make it as attractive for prospective survey takers as possible but if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
Exactly How to Stay Safe
Some people look at the Better Business Bureau as the gold standard when it comes to reputation and check with them before becoming involved with a survey provider. Even though they are an American organization, founded in 1912, the BBB has quite the reputation as the champion of the consumer. While this good image is deserved there is a darker side of things that most consumers are often unaware of; a business actually has to pay to participate in the BBB’s rating system. Legitimate businesses may not opt to become members of the BBB for this reason. For unlisted businesses a quick web search should yield telling results about their business practices, especially if they are dishonest; people are quick to complain about being cheated. Many survey panels are listed with associations such as the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the Council of American Survey Research Organizations; checking with them is a good alternative to the BBB.
More Tips
Before signing up for a survey panel consider creating a separate email address just for surveys; this makes finding the surveys easier and if the email is sold to spammers the damage can be minimized. Look for a privacy policy before signing up with a survey panel; if they don’t have one steer clear of them. Never give out personal information such as your social security number, bank account information, credit card numbers or full names of your family members. Real survey panels will not ask for this kind of information.
How to Get Started
There are many worthwhile survey opportunities available online and it’s easy to stay safe by following the tips listed above.
If you feel you’re ready to give the world of online surveys a shot, start by signing up with the survey panels listed on our Surveys List. All companies listed are free to join for Australians.
