Introduction
Since a good fraction of the world population has access to the internet, its use for research purposes has experienced a significant increase. Subsequently, online surveys have become a valuable tool for data collection, market research, or academic studies. Companies can leverage surveys to collect information from a large audience that informs their operational decisions. In addition, online surveys have proven to be a faster and more efficient method than traditional methods.Â
However, ensuring the reliability and authenticity of the responses from online surveys can pose a significant challenge due to the need for anonymity, geographic restrictions, or IP bans. Therefore, residential proxies provide an ideal solution for bypassing geo-restrictions and obtaining accurate responses.
Subsequently, this guide will explore why you need residential proxies for online surveys and how to choose the right proxy provider. Â
What is a Residential Proxy?
A residential proxy is an IP address that is provided by the ISP-Internet Service Providers. Subsequently, it is linked to an actual physical location, which makes it less likely to be detected and blocked by websites. These proxies ensure the website you are visiting cannot see your actual IP address, which makes it harder to identify your location and track you.Â
When you use a residential proxy to visit a page, the request is routed through the proxy server. For example, if you get a US residential IP address while living in Germany. You can access websites that are usually restricted to people in Germany.Â
One of the best features of residential proxies is that they are highly reliable. Therefore, the chances of them being detected and blocked are very low. As a result, you can access geo-restricted surveys while maintaining anonymity, privacy, and data security.
Challenges associated with conducting online surveys
Here are some challenges you may encounter when dealing with surveys:
Geographic restrictions
Big companies gather data from customers all over the world. Since data has become the new corporate gold, surveys present a unique opportunity to gather data from consumers. The data is then cleaned, analyzed, and presented in an easy-to-understand format like a table or pie chart. Subsequently, the decision regarding a product or service is greatly influenced by what the public has to say.Â
Sometimes, these surveys can target an audience within a particular geographic location. For example, survey sites like PrizeRebel use geo-targeted surveys to collect data from preferred populations. Subsequently, IP addresses originating from outside the location cannot access the survey. This poses a significant challenge for those who rely on surveys as a means of earning money from their home. In addition, geo-restrictions limit the extent of data a company can collect which will affect the result of the market research.
Survey limit
Many survey pages allow an individual to take a survey only once. Therefore, if you have completed the survey, the page has a history of your IP address. If you want to maximize your earnings, you may need to complete multiple surveys daily. Therefore, you may need to have multiple accounts to take the survey several times. However, many survey sites have features that block you from taking a survey multiple times from the same IP address. As a result, taking the survey multiple times can only be possible if you choose the best rotating proxies.Â
Privacy concernsÂ
With advancements in technology, many internet users are increasingly aware of the threat to their privacy. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that when you are on a survey site, the only information they can get is what you provide. Without leveraging a residential proxy, the survey site has access to your IP address, location, browser information, and device information.Â
Subsequently, this information can be used to track your online activities. If you want to protect your digital identity and stay anonymous while performing various tasks like completing multiple surveys, then residential proxies are the best solution.Â
Limited web data collection
Another significant challenge to surveys is there is a limit to web data collection. International businesses often need to collect data that captures the global market. These businesses need the data to get a comprehensive view of customer’s behavior and preferences. However, this may be challenging as some survey sites block IPs from certain locations.Â
Why use Proxies for Surveys?
Here are some of the reasons why you need residential proxies for surveys:
Bypass geo-restrictions
 Residential proxies are the best solution for bypassing geographic restrictions on survey sites. Therefore, you can access surveys that are only available to users in a certain location. You need to choose a proxy provider with a large IP pool that covers several countries, so your access to surveys will be unlimited. For example, if there is a survey targeted at people in Ireland but you are in London. You can use a residential proxy to generate an IP address in Ireland, take the survey, and get paid.Â
In addition, companies that conduct online surveys can also benefit from the use of residential proxies. After creating the survey, there may be a need to test it so as to get the perspective of the customers. Therefore, using a residential proxy allows you to change your location and access the survey as a customer from a specific region.
Anonymity
Another reason to use residential proxies is to maintain anonymity and privacy and prevent data theft. Usually, you expect that the information you submit in a survey is only what the website collects. However, some survey websites have tracking cookies that gather other personal information.Â
Therefore, using residential proxies gives you anonymity while you take online surveys. Since your actual IP address and location are masked, it makes it more challenging for the website to generate a browser fingerprint to track your online activities. As a result, you don’t have to worry about online privacy when taking surveys from different platforms.Â
Earn more money from surveys
Another benefit of using a proxy is that it presents a unique opportunity for earning more from online surveys. If you have access to rotating residential proxies, you can change your IP address and take the same survey multiple times. Subsequently, you earn the survey incentives multiple times, which allows you to earn more money.Â
Since residential proxies are linked to an actual physical location, they have a high-reliability score. Therefore, they have the lowest risk of being detected and blocked.Â
Choosing A Premium Proxy Provider for Surveys- NetNut
While there are many proxy providers in the market, only a few can provide reliable IP addresses to maintain anonymity and bypass geographic restrictions. NetNut is an industry-leading proxy provider with over 85 million rotating residential proxies in 195 countries and 1M+ mobile IPs in over 100 countries
NetNut rotating residential proxies offer a large IP proxy pool, which allows you to access surveys in various locations. A crucial feature of NetNut is they offer automatic IP rotation to ensure you always have multiple access to each survey.Â
Competitive pricing is another feature that makes NetNut stand out in the industry. You can get premium proxy solutions at competitive prices. In addition, NetNut proxies come with an advanced AI-CAPTCHA solver for unlimited and optimized browsing experience.Â
Conclusion
Surveys are one of the many ways you can earn extra income from the comfort of your home. Likewise, businesses can use surveys to collect data from customers from all over the globe. However, some challenges associated with proxies are geographical restrictions, which can limit the diversity of data collected and limit one survey to an IP address, which puts a cap on income.Â
Therefore, residential proxies provide an excellent solution as they help to bypass geographic restrictions and allow people to earn more money from surveys while ensuring anonymity and data security.Â
 Choosing a highly reputable proxy provider guarantees you get the most from surveys. Contact us today to get started and enjoy a 7-days free trial.Â
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you avoid free proxies?
Although free proxies may seem like the sensible approach for surveys (because you are trying to make money from them), they come with certain risks. However, free proxies are often unreliable, which may cause a negative user experience.Â
In addition, websites with advanced security features can easily detect and block free proxies. Therefore, if you manage to access a website via a free proxy, there is a high probability that your responses will be flagged as invalid or suspicious.Â
What are some factors to consider before choosing a proxy server provider?
Many individuals rely on surveys as an additional source of income. Therefore, getting a reliable proxy server becomes a necessity. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the best proxy server provider:
- IP pool: The IP pool describes the availability of credible IPs that you can use to access survey sites. Using a limited proxy pool increases the chances of being blocked. Â Â
- Speed: Another crucial factor to consider is the speed of the proxy. The speed of the proxy significantly affects the time you spend completing the proxy.Â
- Security: A proxy server should have robust security features that guarantee a high level of anonymity and privacy.
- Cost: Although premium proxies cost money, they should not be unreasonably pricey.Â
- Customer support: Excellent customer support plays a crucial role in a positive user experience. Therefore, you need to choose a proxy provider with a track record of good customer relationships.Â
What are rotating residential proxies?
Rotating residential proxies is a crucial tool for successful survey completion and data collection. It involves constantly rotating your residential IPs to reduce the chances of being detected and blocked. Since these IPs are associated with an actual residence, it makes it harder for survey companies to flag them as suspicious.Â