Who Takes Online Surveys, Anyway?

We talk a lot about the companies offering paid surveys online, but we don’t much talk about the people who are taking these surveys. Do we really even think about them? Not everyone wants to fill out online surveys, even for products and prizes. What motivates users to click on surveys? There are a few reasons people go to sites like Survey Spot over and over. Let’s talk about a few of them.

It’s fun. Well really, it is! Haven’t you ever enjoyed clicking through the pages, seeing what kinds of questions were asked, or what kinds of products were being put forward? It can be really interesting to see what marketing companies have up their sleeves.

It makes people feel good about themselves. It doesn’t take much for some of us, I know, but knowing we’re helping someone else feels really great. Answering surveys provides valuable feedback, it makes us feel generous. Because surveys seek out our opinions, they also make us feel important, intelligent, and listened to.

Some people are really devoted to certain companies. Here I’m talking about company-specific surveys, like customer satisfaction surveys or focus groups that work for only one company. Some people just want ‘their’ brand to keep getting better.

Some people are doing it for the good of society. When you fill out market surveys, you are helping companies create better products. You are directly having an impact on the products and advertising that will appear in the future. You’re creating the change you hope to see in the world!

Certain people just really like having an opinion on everything. Surveys are a fantastic way for them to air their opinions about just about everything, from music to politicians to tube socks. Hey, at least this way they have an outlet and the rest of us don’t have to listen to it, right?

Some people always have to be first. This is a huge motivator for certain people. They just have to always be the first to know which brand of potato chips will be on shelves next summer or be the first among their friends to have seen every movie trailer. Survey sites help them do that, by giving them access to information about upcoming products the general public has no idea exist yet.

Some people feel obligated. These people generally have an overdeveloped guilt complex, but once they sign up for a survey site, they can’t ignore a single one of those emails or they just feel tortured. They can never quit.

And of course, most people are doing it for the money. Or prizes. Or sweepstakes. Incentives are a huge reason people fill out surveys, and the people who make surveys know this. That’s why they’re always competing with each other to offer better prizes to attract our input! Far fewer people would complete online surveys if there were no compensation. That’s why so many users come here with questions about sites; questions like “Is Survey Spot a scam?” They want to make sure they will get their money. And there you have it. Next time you head over to your favorite site and start checking boxes, think for a minute about your motivation. It might be more complex than just a few points or a little extra money. Enjoy!