Earning tips
How to spot a fake survey site in 30 seconds
Discover simple checks you can do right now to tell a real market research panel from a scam. Find out what to look for before you share your personal details.
How profile surveys work, and why they bring better invitations
Profile surveys are the short questionnaires about your home, work, habits and interests that panels ask you to complete. They are not paid studies in themselves, but they shape every invitation you receive. Here is how they work and how to get the most from them.
Key points
- Your profile answers are used to match you with studies, so you receive invitations you are more likely to qualify for.
- A complete profile means fewer screen-outs and more relevant studies.
- Sensitive questions are always optional, and you can change your answers at any time.
- Updating your profile after life changes is one of the simplest ways to receive better invitations.
What profile surveys are
When you join a panel, you answer a few basic questions, such as your age, gender, country and postal code. After that, panels usually offer a set of short profile surveys on different topics. Each one takes a few minutes. On Reward Hours, completing profile surveys earns points, because it helps us serve you better.
Typical profile topics include:
- household: who lives with you, children and their ages, pets
- work: job, industry, seniority and company size
- shopping: where you shop and what you buy regularly
- technology: phones, computers, smart devices and apps you use
- finance: banking, insurance and the types of products you hold, never account details
- travel and transport: cars, commuting and holidays
- media: TV, streaming, social media and news
- health and lifestyle: optional questions about wellbeing, diet and exercise
How your profile is used
When a new study arrives, the research team tells the panel who they need, such as "dog owners aged 25 to 44 who shop online for pet food". The panel compares those requirements with members' profiles and invites people who appear to match.
Without profile information, the panel would have to invite everyone and screen most people out after a few questions. That wastes your time. With a good profile, invitations are much better targeted. Even so, most surveys still include a short check at the start, because profiles go out of date and some studies need very specific details. We explain those checks in why you get screened out.
Which sections to complete first
If you are short of time, start with the sections that affect the most studies:
- Household and family. Many consumer studies depend on who lives with you.
- Work. Essential for business studies, which often pay more.
- Shopping habits. Used by food, drink, beauty and household brands.
- Technology. Used for apps, websites and device studies.
Then work through the rest when you have a few spare minutes.
Honest beats impressive. There is no benefit in claiming to own a new car or a luxury handbag. You will be invited to studies you cannot complete, and inconsistent answers are spotted quickly.
Sensitive questions
Some profile questions ask about health conditions, ethnicity, religion or income. These can help match you to important studies, for example research to improve services for people with diabetes or a particular community. But they are always optional:
- every sensitive question offers "prefer not to say"
- you can change or remove answers later
- this information is protected with extra care and used only for matching
You decide what to share.
When to update your profile
Your profile is only as useful as it is current. Update it when you:
- move home
- change job or retire
- have a baby, or children leave home
- buy or sell a car
- switch phone, bank or internet provider
- start or stop caring for someone
A good habit is to review your profile every few months, for example at the start of each season.
What profile data is not used for
Your profile is used to match you with research. It is not sold to advertisers, it is not used to send you marketing for products, and research clients do not see it linked to your name. When studies need demographic details, such as age range, they receive them as part of anonymous results.
Common questions
Do profile surveys pay?
Profile surveys earn points rather than cash, because they are about improving your matches. Paid studies follow from a good profile.
Can I skip a section completely?
Yes. Every section is optional. You may simply receive fewer invitations for studies in that area.
Why do surveys ask me questions that are already in my profile?
To confirm details are still correct, and because some studies need more specific information than your profile holds. This check protects the quality of the study.
