Make money as a UX tester
It’s no secret that we do almost everything online these days. Whether it’s from our desktop devices, phones or tablets, we research, shop and communicate online.
This behavior is relatively new (we didn’t live online as much 15 years ago) and so is the field of UX or User Experience.
What is UX?
So what exactly is UX? Well UX is the field which studies user behavior on a given website or app and tries to improve the experience that user has while using it, hoping that a better experience will lead to a higher conversion rate, or in other words, more sales, submissions, signups or whatever the goal of that particular site is.
It’s important that users are able to find what they are looking for on a site, that they don’t feel confused, that the interface gives them confidence and that they feel comfortable and safe going through with purchases or leaving their personal information with that site or app.
Sometimes a website might want to try a substantially new design, but most of the times UX focuses on the details, specially with established brands. Making this button a bit bigger, giving it a different color, changing the text from “buy now” to “save now”… these details which might seem insignificant can increase or decrease the conversion rates percentages by a fraction of a tenth, which multiplied by the millions of people who might be using that particular site every day can translate into huge wins or loses.
How can you make money with UX?
All big companies have UX experts involved in the design and execution of their products, however it’s very hard for someone who has been involved with anything for a while to judge it objectively. If you work for a particular company you might know their website in an out, but would a stranger find what they are looking for on it just as easily as you would?
This is were people like yourself come in. Young, old, men, women, moms, business men, students… Companies are constantly looking for regular users who have never seen their sites to try them out and give them honest feedback, and since this getting their UX right can mean some huge wins for them they are willing to pay fairly well for your time.
When you become a UX tester you will be asked to visit a given site and complete a series of tasks like signing up, making a reservation, finding the opening ours, etc. You’ll need to install some software on your computer so that the whole process can be recorded while you speak your thought out loud when completing the assigned tasks.
What do I need to become a UX tester?
You don’t need much to become a UX tester. An average computer with a regular internet connection is basically all you need. As long as your computer has a microphone and the latest version of some main browser like Chrome or Firefox you are good to go!
How much can you make testing websites?
Tests can take from 5 minutes to 90 minutes, and pay anywhere from $3 to $60, but on average you can expect to find 20-30 minutes tests that will pay $15-$25.
The tricky part is how many tests you’ll be assigned every week. Different companies are looking for different user profiles and you’ll be assigned to one test or another based on the information from your profile. If you are living the US you’ll probably get more tests as most companies do their business there, if you are over 25 and under 40 you’ll probably also get more tests as that age range is the most active online, etc.
Companies will also give you a rating based on how useful they found your test, so once you start building a reputation you’ll get assigned to more tests (if your reputation is good that is).
So things will probably start slow, some people will get bored and quit, others will excel and make thousands, but a more realistic expectation would be to make a couple hundred dollars per month after 6-9 months.
Which are some good websites to find paid UX tests?
This article doesn’t focus on the specific platforms you may sign up to in order to become a UX tester but rather on the opportunity to make money that exists by becoming one. You’ll find plenty of UX testing platforms with a quick Google search, as well as other articles reviewing each of them in detail. You should take your time to study them and find the one that better fits your needs.
Still, these are a few established ones which can be a good starting point.