It’s ok to share your Personal Information
Taking paid online surveys can feel like a leap of faith for many people. Having to enter personal information and opinions over the Internet and hitting the “submit” button can make both newbies and seasoned survey takers apprehensive about the whole process. How do you know if something “good” or “bad” is going to happen once you click? One way to feel safe online is to only sign up with only top-tier, proven survey sites
Another way to help alleviate concerns about a survey provider and what they plan to do with your information is to read their privacy policy. For example, do they identify you individually in market research projects or as part of the collective? Do they keep all your information confidential, only to be shared with the stated client, or do they sell email lists and data to third parties? If you have any questions about how a survey site protects your privacy, contact them by phone or email. If you don’t receive a speedy response that satisfies your query, drop them like a hot potato.
Understanding how the information you submit is used helps explain why you need to furnish it in the first place. Your contact information, such as name and email address, is needed to send you invitations to take surveys via email. Often, a home address is required so that any money earned, product samples, and other rewards can be mailed to directly you. Demographic information about your age, gender and other markers are required to target specific surveys that fit your profile. Depending on the client and their products and services, online surveys can be targeted to certain age groups, parts of the country, educational levels, gender and more. Another often requested piece of personal information is your household makeup –number of children, annual income, own or rent home, level of involvement in purchase decision-making, etc.
Hobbies and interests are also sought-after information by corporations; this helps executives target what products to develop, what media to market in, and how to further align the company in a way that appeals to your lifestyle. The more information you reveal about yourself in the profile section of survey sites the more direct correlation of survey invitations you receive in your inbox.