Better focus on surveys or tasks?

[PenguinManiac]

As far as beermoney websites are concerned, it's easy to split the activities they offer to gain some side money into two categories: tasks (actively perform some actions, including watching ads/videos) and surveys (self-explanatory). Although the latter could be included into the former category, I believe them to be different, since there is not feeling of "progression", pays are really different, and, most of all, it takes up a set amount of time. There is no "The more you work, the more you gain", you just complete a survey and move on to the next one. Plus, they usually take less effort to complete than tasks (if we don't count the passive ones).

In your experience, which have you found to have the most convenient time-money ratio? If you had to choose, which one would you go with? Please take other factors, such as availability, into account if needed.

 

[Rob Whisonant]

Neither. Both are a waste of time. You can make more with 1 affiliate sale than 80 hours of doing tasks and surveys. Why would you even consider doing this?

 

[fishmonk]

fishmonk

I agree that the amount is way too little to consider. Perhaps you might want to consider other online jobs.
Affiliate sale is definitely worth doing since the potential income is much higher than doing such surveys or tasks.
You will need to put in the effort to identify and promote good links though.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

Yeah, they're not very profitable, but I believe their strong points are availability and easy access. You can start completing them at any time of the day, out of the blue, and make money right away, as little as it may be. Plus, with just a little more dedication you can get access to higher-paying tasks like the ones at Amazon MTurk.
It's not worth it in the long run compared to affiliate sales and similar activities, sure, but can really anyone do them? Furthermore, your business is not guaranteed to take off.

 

[Rob Whisonant]

Rob Whisonant

If you spent the same time you spend on surveys learning something like affiliate marketing you would be making 100's of times more money. If you like working for slave labor wages then go for it. Or go get a job at a restaurant as a server, you will make a lot more money.

Why would anyone work for pennies? It just does not make sense. It's like they feel they are not worth much and that is sad.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

Yeah, you have a point. I guess the most common mindset revolves around the idea of making just side money, so most people just want something quick, that doesn't take much time and that doesn't require an excessive commitment, so that they can drop it any time. It's about commodity, I guess, but... who doesn't like making more money, honestly?
Speaking of which, how much time does it take to get started an affiliate marketing website/page? And how much time a day do you need to sustain the whole thing? Maybe this could be another factor at play.

 

[Rob Whisonant]

Rob Whisonant

What are you worth? $1 a day? $1 an hour? $300 an hour? Guess it boils down to what you feel your self worth is. I don't know about you but I feel I am worth a lot more than a $1 an hour.

So I will not waist my time doing anything less than what my time is worth.

How long does it take to setup an affiliate marketing empire??? How long is a piece of string???? Depends on how fast you learn and how bad you want it.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

Self-worth in businesses is measured in terms of skills, experience and dedication. If you're just starting out with no background whatsoever, you can't expect to get decent wages right away (even though surveys and tasks are below minimum wages, so...).

Yeah, dumb question there, sorry. There are no shortcuts with this kind of things, it could take weeks, months or even years, just as with any other business. I guess this boils down to the "being an employee" VS "being your own employer" mindset.

 

[LinkHeros]

LinkHeros

BUilding an affiliate marketing business from sctratch will take some time, but the rewards will be worth it a few years down the line. If you are looking for quick money, you could advertise your services as a virtual assistant. A lot of online business owners have tasks that don't require any skills, but are very time consuming for them. You will make a lot more money from this than you would filling out surveys.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

Oh, that sounds like a good alternative too, thanks! What kind of tasks do they take on, usually? Stuff like placing things in spreadsheets, copy-pasting things...?
It makes me wonder what makes them refrain from relying on task websites, though. They'd probably pay less because of the low rates, since you're splitting your budget across multiple workers, and most websites guarantee a certain level of standards through level systems. I'm not saying they should do it, but...I'm just perplexed.

 

[JoeMilford]

Rob,
Wow--good point and straight to the point. However, as a noob, I am also tempted by PPC type sites, etc. Can you make suggestions to me as to how to make these affiliate sales and how to break into that market?

 

[Rob Whisonant]

Rob Whisonant

Start reading books, blogs, forums etc about affiliate marketing. Once you have got a solid base of knowledge, then start asking specific questions.

There is no easy button or silver platter... It's a business just like any other business... Study and learn what is needed to run an affiliate business.

If you get overwhelmed, take it one step at a time.

 

[shilpa]

In my opinion the availability of surveys and tasks are more evident these days as more and more brands are promoting their products and services, and they want user based experiences and focuses on their products. By the way of surveys, for example, they can know the likes and dislikes of their potenital customers. But suverys can, by no means, be an effective way of earning, even though these companies pay a billions of dollars for surveys and advertising. That money goes to the survey and advertising companies and customers like us are given very low incentives. But, considering the fact that the availability of such surveys is more evident these days, it could be a good option to use our free time. And also they don't take much time and effort. What's the loss if you're paid a few dollars now and then. And all money is good money, as they say; and a penny saved is a penny earned. So it can be a effective way to earn a little even with the same little effort and time. I guess I tried to answer your question, my friend. I hope I didn't get it wrong.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

Yeah, that's exactly what I meant, thank you! That's what I believe as well. They're not supposed to be huge money makers, even by being not exactly worth all their time if you intend on pouring hundreds of hours on it in the long run, but they're just supposed to make you stash some side money and not much else. Plus, they may be just a couple of bucks a day (if you're lucky), but they do stack, so that's pretty nice to get with little time investment.

 

[shilpa]

Yeah, that's the point my friend, and it's a known fact. There's no need to thank me for that. Even when we see the steady growth of affiliate marketing and other high paying online jobs, there are people who do surveys, myself included, just for a few bucks. Also the information we get doing surveys can be helpful at times. Sometimes, if you're lucky enough, you're even given the opportunity to test a product which you can keep afterwards. So I don't think that's bad at all.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

Wow, really? I did know about websites that paid you to test products, but I thought they all were online-only. That sounds amazing!
Plus, I find it interesting to see what market researches are looking for at the moment. You always see them mentioned everywhere once they get their results done, but I often found myself wondering how they were done. I was surprised to discover that they use a much simpler system than I thought (like huge meetings to which they invite people for opinions or something).

 

[Lem]

I know there's a lot of discussion above as to whether it's worth it, but limiting to the question I've found that tasks pay better than surveys. I've been messing about with it for about a year now, and surveys are just too variable in whether you get kicked off them later on or not.

 

[cesarmatute]

I think surveys give more money than task/mini-jobs, but what they say here is true, it's a waste of time.

If you don't want to read a book, or learn anything new, and you actually like PTC's and survey sites I suggest you to focus more on surveys. I once did and gained some money with surveys.

Right now I'm on a paid to post site wich I found more interesting, cause I learn while I post.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

Yeah, surveys generally have higher pays than tasks, it's quality (relatively speaking) over quantity. Now that I think about it, most task websites have a level system that only gives you access to tasks with decent pays after you've spent quite a lot of time on the minor ones with ridiculous pay. Probably generally not worth it.
Surveys and posts have a double utility, I agree. I have found a lot of very interesting surveys with great insight, especially the ones launched by universities.

 

[shilpa]

Yes, they involve people to gather their data. Mostly online, but sometimes offline also. People are paid to participate. There are group discussions, talks, behavioral tests that are conducted.

For the product testing part they only choose a reputed member of their survey panel. Sometimes test members are also chosen at random, for example, by Raffles and other lotteries that can be bought by survey points.

I think it's a very genuine and legit way to connect people to a brand and vice versa.

 

[Tania997]

Like everyone else said, both of them will offer very little profit and you will get only a few dollars after an hour of doing tasks or surveys. Not to mention how many times surveys will reject you, even when you're halfway through and only make you waste time. Tasks can sometimes be hard to complete and they're not worth it for what they pay, an affiliate marketing business like everyone else said is much better. Be careful though, starting out will be incredibly hard.

 

[PenguinManiac]

Yes, they involve people to gather their data. Mostly online, but sometimes offline also. People are paid to participate. There are group discussions, talks, behavioral tests that are conducted.

For the product testing part they only choose a reputed member of their survey panel. Sometimes test members are also chosen at random, for example, by Raffles and other lotteries that can be bought by survey points.

I think it's a very genuine and legit way to connect people to a brand and vice versa.

Yeah, it makes sense they would only pick trusted members for such important stuff. They have to make sure the answers they get are trustworthy, of course. I didn't know about raffle picking, though.

Like everyone else said, both of them will offer very little profit and you will get only a few dollars after an hour of doing tasks or surveys. Not to mention how many times surveys will reject you, even when you're halfway through and only make you waste time. Tasks can sometimes be hard to complete and they're not worth it for what they pay, an affiliate marketing business like everyone else said is much better. Be careful though, starting out will be incredibly hard.

Surveys really know how to be frustrating, I agree. You do waste a lot of time compiling prescreening questions every time, admittedly, and you're never guaranteed to make it to the end.
It's not a steady nor particularly convenient way to make money, but it's still a choice you have.

 

[shilpa]

Yes, the Raffles and lotteries are applied to pick some of the members. Here they may be called lucky if they are selected. This way even the newest of the members can get a chance to have a fine product for testing, which they can later keep. That's so cool.

 

[PenguinManiac]

PenguinManiac

It's sure nice to give everyone a chance, but maybe stuff like product testing should be handed out as a reward to the most loyal testers. You are giving them a chance, it's true, but you're also giving it to the old members on a base that scraps efficiency altogether. It's nice, but... a little unfair, in my opinion.