Those who complain there are no legitimate ways to make money online often simply do not know where to look for money-making opportunities. The internet is a virtual goldmine for those who know where to look. A popular, and indeed an enjoyable, way some people make money online is by taking surveys.



Getting paid for taking surveys is often easy work, but it takes some time to find reputable companies with whom to work. Following are the ten steps you must take to make money with paid surveys.

1. Research.

Don't just sign up for the first companies that promise payment in exchange for taking surveys. Do your research first to make sure the companies you sign up with are reputable. Always ensure that the companies you sign up with do not sell your information to marketers. You can learn a lot about a company just by doing an internet search and by reading what other people have to say about their experiences with that particular company.

2. Sign up.

You'll likely find there are dozens and dozens of reputable companies that pay people to take surveys. Once you find those companies through your research, sign up for them. You may want to start slow by only signing up for one or two in the beginning.

3. Keep a list of usernames and passwords.

For security purposes, you'll want to have separate usernames and passwords for each of the survey companies. Keep the list in a Word or notepad document. You should also email yourself an extra copy of your usernames and passwords, just in case something catastrophic happens, and you lose your hard drive.

4. Bookmark.

Bookmark each survey company's Web site to make it easy for you to find it again.

5. Fill out your profile completely.

Survey companies are going to require you to fill out a profile that will allow them to send you surveys that fit with their needs and your interests. Be sure to fill out the survey completely and honestly.

6. Create a new email account.

Don't use your regular or your business email account unless you want to be bombarded with emails. Rather, sign up for a free email account with Yahoo, Hotmail, Google, or another free email host. Keep in mind that free email accounts often have spam filters that could grab your survey invitations, so turn off the spam filter, if possible.

7. Accept invitations.

Accept as many survey invitations as you can when you're first starting out. As you build a reputation and get more and more work, you can start being more selective as to which invitations you accept.

8. Answer surveys as quickly as possible.

Don't allow survey invitations to languish in your email inbox. Answer the surveys as quickly as possible after receiving them.

9. Refer other survey takers.

Referrals can often earn you more money, so start referring your friends, family, and others to the survey companies.

10. Check your email frequently.

Survey invitations can and will arrive at all times of the day and night. To ensure you don't miss out on the timeline of a survey, make sure you check your email frequently throughout the day and on weekends.