What is UserTesting? Is it a Scam? - A Girl and Her Coins

What is UserTesting?

UserTesting is a cool website where you can earn money for sharing feedback on the user experience (UX) you have while navigating a company’s website and/or reviewing their products and services.

This platform connects testers like you and me to companies interested in receiving feedback in exchange for payment.

I’ve made money this way since signing up in November of 2022.

I learned about this opportunity from a UX professional at my current company while inquiring about career opportunities within UX Research and Design. She mentioned UserTesting.com as a way to learn more about the profession and as a way to earn money while doing so.

Submitting feedback on UserTesting is a great option if you’re interested in earning extra cash by sharing your opinions from the comfort of your home.

This post discusses how to sign up, get paid, and what best practices you should use.

So far, I’ve submitted feedback 26 times and have received $250 in my PayPal account. I’ll receive another $10 for the most recent survey I completed at the 7 day mark (which is standard).

Checkout the image below to see my current and pending payments. UserTesting is a very legitimate way to earn extra money. However, this is no way to get rich quickly (or at all).

Steps to Getting Started on UserTesting

Sign up as a tester.

The first thing you’ll do is visit UserTesting and complete the tester registration form. You’ll provide basic information about yourself and complete a sample test. There’s a training video that I recommend you watch so that you pass the sample test the 1st time.

You must pass the sample test before continuing to share your thoughts and getting paid.

While completing sessions, you’ll do all or a combination of the following:

Work in a quiet space with no distractions
Speak your thoughts out loud
Allow recording of your screen, face, or both

Following instructions and providing thorough and well-thought-out feedback is the key to being invited to complete more reviews.

UserTesting truly wants you to provide honest feedback and experience so that companies can offer an exceptional user experience to a company’s current and future customers.

Once you’ve passed your sample test, UserTesting will email you within a couple of days and you can screen for more opportunities.

The great thing about the sample test is that you will be paid for it!

Create your account and complete your profile.

You’ll create your account and username once you’ve passed the practice test. You’ll also add your PayPal account information during this step because this is how you’ll receive payment. You can sign up here if you don’t have a PayPal account.

During this step, you’ll answer questions related to your demographics. Questions will range from age, employment, gender, hobbies, skills, and more. After signing up, it’s important to complete your profile right away.

The sooner you finish your profile, the sooner you can start making money.

What will you need to participate?

You can submit feedback on a cell phone, tablet, or desktop/laptop computer. You’ll also want to download various browsers before you get started.
Some sessions require you to use Google Chrome, and others require Microsoft Edge or Safari. The more browsers you have, the more opportunities you’ll qualify for.

Also, some sessions require you to submit feedback on Mac OS while others require Windows.

Feedback will also be segmented in various ways, including live with a company representative, via screen recording, or screen and face recording. Whatever the case is, you’ll know what to expect before starting and can either decline or move forward based on your comfort.

As stated earlier, you’ll share feedback verbally in all reviews, so you must be in a quiet location with no distractions.

Do this:

Download Chrome, Safari, Firefox and any other browsers you can think of!
Download the UserTesting app on your cell phone.

Start submitting feedback.

Now that you’ve signed up, completed the practice test, and completed your profile, it’s time to begin answering screener questions. This will determine whether or not you’re a company’s target audience.

Check out the image below for an example of screener questions.

example of usertesting screener questions — Example of Screener Questions

The duration of reviews ranges from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity of the questions and the length of your feedback. Be mindful not to ramble on and on after you’ve shared your thoughts.

It’s totally ok if a session takes less time than you expect. On average, my sessions average 25 minutes.

Quality over quantity!

Prepare to get paid.

Payments range from $4 to $60. The reviews I’ve qualified for have paid $10 per review.

Payments are made to your PayPal account exactly seven days to the hour and minute after you’ve submitted your feedback.

If you submit feedback on January 1st at 1:00 pm, you can expect to receive payment on January 7th at 1:00 pm. You’ll receive an email once your payment has been sent to PayPal.

How can you achieve success on UserTesting?

Building and maintaining a reputation as a thorough reviewer is important to increase your chances of receiving more opportunities. You can do this by providing thoughtful and critical feedback within the expected timeframe, reviewing in quiet areas, following all instructions, and having fun!

Overall, I enjoy participating in these types of studies. It’s interesting and fairly simple.

In conclusion, earning money on UserTesting is certainly not a scam. It’s an interesting way to earn extra cash in your spare time.

Following the steps above, you can maximize your earning potential on the platform.

Here’s to testing!

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