Microsoft Still Paying People to Search

October 1st, 2008

It has been a long time since I had thought about search engines using a reward system for using their search engine to find information. Google has virtually taken over the web’s search throne, while Microsoft and Yahoo! are just trying to catch up, or get bought out by one or the other.

Frankly, I am finding Google to be less and less helpful the more that people manipulate their algorithm. When it comes down to it, Google may be the most used engine, but I’m just not sure it is the most helpful anymore.

So…Microsoft is trying to battle Google yet again. They are trying to get people to start using their search engine regularly by introducing SearchPerks!. Users who agree to download a small program to track their usage get one “ticket” per day for every Live Search query, up to 25 per day. The program runs through April, at which point users can “cash in” the tickets that they get and trade them in for prizes or donate them to a charity. So basically they want to know how you search and are going to give you some rewards for doing so.

I am not positive, because I haven’t downloaded the program, but the site tends to tell you that you need Internet Explorer. Now I assume they are just too stubborn to swallow their pride and realize that most people use Firefox, but I don’t see any place where they are allowing a program that will work with Firefox on the site. Either way…If you want some rewards for when you search for a wine of the month club, Hannah Montana, or actually need some help check it out. I guarantee nothing, because I am not going to try it :P.