How to Avoid Survey Screen Outs

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Surveys are great. Sometimes. They're great when they pay as they should. Many, many sites pay people pennies in return for their opinions. Many simply don't pay enough. Which is why I recommend you stay away from the majority of sites out there and just concentrate on high paying ones like Prolific Academic.

Screen outs are one of the main reasons why surveys just aren't worth the time, you can spend a good 10-20 minutes answering questions before your responses conclude that you don't qualify to complete the survey (and get rewarded for your input).

1. Fill out profiling information properly

Before you get on to the proper questions, most survey hubs want you to fill out a load of profiling questions. These take basic demographic questions to match you up with relevant surveys. Sometimes.

Fill all of that out thoroughly and accurately, ensuring that you update things when there are developments. They usually want to know who you live with, where, how much you earn, and how many kids you've got. Let them know. Update if there are changes.

This is the foundation of your career as a survey answerer. Do this right.

2. Read the questions

All veteran survey answerers know how time-consuming it is to answer questions. Do you know how much more time you add on by actually reading the questions?

Multiple choice demographic questions can be completed without thinking. However, once they want specifics about (for example) what advertising you've been exposed to, you're probably going to need to use your noggin.

The way they phrase questions often implies which way they want you to lean. If you've seen an advert recently, they're going to ask you how you feel about it. If you haven't seen it, it's often game over.

3. Take your time

Screen out avoidance is a hazard perception test. This is why you need to be alert with each of the questions. Also be aware that many of these survey companies and agencies have been around for a while, so they've put checks in place to kick out the people that don't read the questions. Some monitor the speed at which you answer questions and the way you dodge questions with non-mandatory comment fields.

This is precisely why I advise against committing too much time to surveys. If you want to earn money from them, you need to pay attention. I'm sure your full attention could be put to something more productive.

4. Lie

Let's be real: the easiest way to prevent yourself from being screened out is by saying exactly what they want to hear.

As a 16-year-old, I wasn't the main breadwinner of the household, but I wanted money. There was no other way to avoid screen outs than to answer as if I was my dad for many questions in my early days.

Now, as both the primary income source for the home and a parent, I've got so many more questions I could answer honestly to get me more survey opportunities. If only I did surveys more often these days.

I've been at the other side of the game, and have commissions surveys in the past. I know how frustrating it is to get false date from people that don't read the questions or just lie their way through. Having spent many years filling them in beforehand, I just have to accept it's part of the game.