Online focus groups are a convenient and simple way to make money from home.

Generally, a focus group panelist can expect to earn between $10 and $100 an hour.

This makes it a desired job, which is why millions are searching for opportunities. But, this line of work is only valuable if you can join focus groups in volume. That could be difficult, but there are ways you can increase your exposure to focus group invite lists.

Here are five things to consider doing …

1. Sign up at more focus group sites

If you do not have an account at many focus group sites, you should not expect to receive many invites. In fact, some sites limit your focus group allowance to two groups per year. This means you need to be a member at many different sites to be able to scale your earnings. It might seem like there are few paid focus group sites around, but that’s where many get stumped. You need to join a bunch of paid survey sites, as survey panelists often receive private invites. This can get a little difficult, as you need to find out if a particular site gives out focus group invites. To do this, search in Google for: “sitename.com” “focus groups”

2. Become an active survey panelist

Even if you chose focus groups for the greater earnings, it’s still a good idea to remain active on paid survey sites. This is where most focus group invites flow through. Survey networks will administer surveys that serve as “qualifiers” for the paid focus groups. You can earn a small bit by doing a bunch of surveys, while simultaneously triggering a few focus group invites. The trick is to figure out which sites tend to use surveys as qualifiers. Most will state so outright, but you can read around on online discussions to see what others have experienced. Also, it’s a good idea to check for a focus group invite limit. Once you reach the most invites you can receive from a particular site, focus your attention elsewhere.

3. Join an online paid survey forum

There are no paid focus group forums that are active. This subject is either discussed in a sub-section within a paid survey forum, or just in random threads. SurveyPolice.com offers a great online community, where members share all kinds of get-paid-to opportunities. This is where you can find out which paid survey sites are really worth your time. User comments imply how often focus group invites came in from each site, and how many surveys got taken prior. If you take the time to research in both forums and search engines, you will know which sites are worth your time. In the end, no information is better than detailed experiences and this is what will keep you from getting scammed.

4. Reach out for invitations

The old saying, “It never hurts to ask.” could not be any truer. Most websites, especially survey panels, do not state that focus group invites get sent and not requested. This means it’s not against the rules to inquire about getting a spot in a paid focus group. Many networks appreciate the initiative, which means it could trigger some invitations quicker. In fact, sometimes the staff will view the user’s profile, and then look for compatible focus group offers. At the very least, you might get more information on how often the site gives out invites. This will make it easier to know how you should diversify your time. Just word your inquiry in a way where you want to know how common focus groups are, and if you might qualify for any right now. To make life easier, correspond back after and find out if there are qualifying surveys, or if it’s all random.

5. Keep watching for new opportunities

The focus group industry is fast-paced. When Toluna bought out Greenfield Online, the landscape changed for millions of panelists. Toluna members gained access to an immense amount of paid survey opportunities. Yet, many users turned away from Toluna to find focus group offers elsewhere. Those that were no longer active became oblivious to the fact that quality focus groups were just around the corner. Save yourself from the same fate by keeping up-to-date on who’s who in the focus group world. Further, watch out for any new, reputable companies that start up. The lower the user count, the better your chances are for getting invited to paid focus groups.

Do not give up hope that you can profit off paid focus groups. It’s a lucrative way to make money, but that’s normal for work-at-home jobs. You just need to position yourself with the best chance of getting invited to paid focus groups.

Focus groups pay much better than surveys, so it’s well worth it to apply most of your time towards finding new opportunities. In reality, after a few months of hard work, you should start seeing many invites each week without any extra effort.