This post may contain links from our sponsors. See our disclosure for more information.
It’s amazing what technology has made possible. It has put us in touch with so many opportunities. Speaking of that, in this Mindswarms review, I’m going to tell you how your handy smartphone camera can help you bring in some extra dollars. Because let’s face it, these days you can’t walk down the block without seeing people on their phones either snapping selfies or recording something.
Well, now you’ll be able to put your phone to good use if you’re not afraid to get behind the camera and shoot some engaging videos. By now you probably already know about Mindswarms if you’re on this site. But is it legit? Let’s dive in and find out… 🙂
What is Mindswarms
Mindswarms is a market research company that was started back in 2008. The company collects consumer data from video surveys. If you’ve been dabbling in online paid surveys for any period of time, you already know It take a while for the earnings to add up. Not only does Mindswarm pay a little bit better, but it’s different.
The company’s goal is to provide insight and research through video surveys for the brands that they work with. They review the video answers shared on their site to make sure everything is of the highest quality. Mindswarms viewpoint on video is that it is a better medium for getting people’s unguarded insights and this makes people more authentic.
YouTube is about to past Facebook as the second biggest website (if it hasn’t already) right behind Google and for good reason. Video is where it’s at. This company seems to be on to something. And now they’ll pay you to just to share a candid video.
How Does Mindswarms Work
What makes Mindswarms unique in the paid survey world is that you’re required to answer studies/surveys through video. Usually these video surveys take about 10-20 minutes to complete. After you’ve completed them you will receive $50 for each study you complete.
The method of payment is via PayPal and payments are usually received within 24 hours after you complete your video survey. No rewards or points. They pay in cash which is nice.
Here are the steps to completing a survey:
Step 1
Apply for the survey.
Step 2
Answer the questions via video on your smartphone, tablet or webcam.
Step 3
Get paid $50 directly to you PayPal, just for sharing your opinion on every survey you complete.
Before getting started it’s a good idea to know their guidelines for making high quality videos. Also, here’s one important thing worth noting. You have to have good grammar and speak English because the site is only in English at the time of this review.
Like other survey sites, Mindswarms will email you with survey opportunities when they become available. Or you can log into your dashboard to see which surveys are available. They do fill up quickly as you can imagine. So you need to hustle when you get a notification or see something that you want to take part in.
You can shoot videos from your webcam or with your camera phone as I mentioned.
Here are some tips from the site for making high quality videos:
- Try to eliminate background noise
- Make yourself visible with good lighting.
- Avoid bright lights or sunlight that wash out your videos.
- They give you 60 seconds to answer each question and short is viewed as bad. They want you to use all of that time with insightful responses.
- If you have trouble with you video, click on red botton that says ‘Get Help With Fixing Your Connection.’
- Then click ‘Start the Study’ and get ready to record your video.
How to Join Mindswarms
Signing up with Mindswarms is easy. To join visit Mindswarms website to sign up.
There’s the option to get started on either your computer or mobile device by downloading the app, which is availalbe on IOS and Android.
Users can sign up for the site from anywhere in the world like I mentioned, but the site is only available in English and not available in other languages.
The way it works there are two options to join: 1) Create Surveys and 2) Get paid to take surveys.
If you are looking to make money you’re going to join through the ‘Get paid to take surveys’ link.
When you first sign up you are required to fill out basic information such as email and information pertaining to the questions that they ask. This information is important because it creates your profile and demographics, which connects you with surveys that might be a good fit for you.
How to Make Money With Mindswarms
This site is pretty simple. Here are 2 ways you get paid:
- 7 question surveys pay $50
- 1 question surveys pay $10
There is also an option where you can refer studies/surveys for friends – if you would like to share this with them.
Pros and Cons of Mindswarms
Pros
- The surveys are fairly easy to complete. Only up to 7 questions.
- High pay for a survey – $50 for up to 20 minutes of work.
- Cash is paid directly into your PayPal account and with a quick turnaround time of 24 hours.
Cons
- Hard to qualify for surveys. Other users have said it has taken them weeks to get accepted into a survey.
- Shooting a video might be challenging if you are camera shy.
- Surveys fill up quickly, which can be annoying.
- There seems to be a lot of complaints and issues with customer service and/or lack thereof.
Conclusion
Who would have thought that you can make $50 just for sharing your video opinions in only 20 minutes of work. With Mindswarms, you have the opportunity to make some quick cash if you’re not shy about getting on video. It might not always be easy to get accepted in all of the surveys, but it’s worth trying. You never know.
The company pays out quickly (within 24 hours) for completed surveys and if you’re looking to make some extra income, it doesn’t get much easier than this. Although, I wouldn’t expect to make a full-time income from it. The bottom line is $50 is a solid payout compared to the measly payouts on other survey sites. So Mindswarms might be worth your time. Check it out.