Problems with searches

[dcwike]

If a person is a member of a search engine (Search Wallet, persay), he promotes it to get paid from searches other people make.

Now, I DO valid searches, but, with Search Wallet, I sometimes get a response from AHA, stating only 3 searches per person per day are allowed.

I contacted them about it, telling them that my searches are valid (I'm actually looking for home decorating ideas). They replied their limitations are for the purpose of cheaters who click just to get paid rather than actually look for something.

How fair is this to their members - who pay to promote the search engine? From what I understand, the member gets a portion of the revenue from each search made. Do these members get paid if a search is blocked by AHA?

And, other search programs advise you not to click on the same catagory. Are they trying to tell me I can't search for what I'm looking for more than once?

Don't get me wrong. I understand search program income depends on getting results (sales) for their advertisers. Without that advertisers wouldn't pay to place their links. But that shouldn't give them the right to dictate what I can and can't look for at any given time; much less how many times I click links in a catagory (I don't click the same link all the time, but, different links in a particular catagory.)

I am a member of quite a few GPTRs. Search Wallet is advertised on many of them. So, I may have to click on them more than 3 times per day. In a sense, these search programs are cheating their own members by limiting their earning potentials.

Personally I don't like searching. It's time consuming. But, when a wm does not indicate that a paid link is for a search, I feel obligated to do so. Elsewise, it would be cheating.

Some webmasters indicate that a link is for a search, giving me the option to click or not click.

The webmasters who do not indicate that a paid link is for a search is not good for business. Searches should only be intended for people who are looking for something to buy. They should be marked as such so people who are NOT interested can skip that particular link in a paid email.

If I KNOW a paid link is intended for searching, I do not click on it if I'm not looking for something.

If I don't know a paid link is intended for a search, and click on it, it wastes the advertisors' money (results on search programs are clicked but sales are not made.) No sale=no profit for resubmitting ads.

Is there something wrong with wanting to be honest?

[ScammersSuck]

I don't care much for the paid searches either.
These sites are a paid to read email, not, paid to search.

I don't think it's right that we have to make a search just to receive credit for it, since we receive and read the e-mail.

I will do the ones that are sent as one cent paid searches, but the ones that send them as one point, I just click the link for wasting my time reading and deleting the stupid thing.

If they can't pay more than one point, then need to give it up?

[dcwike]

Hi ScammerSucks,

I agree. We get paid to read - not search.

BUT!!!!
In some cases the wm uses searches to fund his program. It's like the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch your," cliche. So, I search on occassion to help the wm. He gets paid for my searches - I get paid when I reach payout.

I even search for members ads until they get greedy about it - you know - buying advertising over and over just to get the money from searches.

Good news is SOME programs are keeping searches separate from the paid-to-read ads. That's a plus to get my membership. Others tell you when a link is a search.

Another way to tell if a link is a search is to look at the link above the 'paid' link. If it has anything connected to a search, I don't click.

I, however, refuse to search on any searchwallet link. I guess you could call this a one-person-boycott (ha ha).

[AloraLyric]

First of all, I believe the click limit on search engines is for affiliate links. If you still want to search on that engine, you can use a direct link. How fair is that? Maybe it isn't. The search engine/feeds are just making rules that they think is best for their programs, though.


When you join a PTR, you are being paid to read the ad. Any program owner or advertiser that tries to force you to search should be reported to the search engines.
I will say, however, members should do everything they can to be supportive - whether it's performing a search, signing up for a program, requesting free information, or signing up for offers (free or paid). The reason many programs rely on searches is because members are not supportive. Why would a "real" advertiser bother paying for an ad when members won't bother looking at their site or trying out their offer?

One more thing..

I will do the ones that are sent as one cent paid searches, but the ones that send them as one point, I just click the link for wasting my time reading and deleting the stupid thing.

If they can't pay more than one point, then need to give it up?
It is very possible that the reason the program isn't sending that link for a higher value is because of members like you - clicking on the link and not performing a search.

If every member who clicked on a search link would actually perform a valid search, links could be worth 5 cents or more.

Just some thoughts.

[dcwike]

Tuchee AloraLyric!
I could not have found better words than yours to express my opinion on people who click searches and don't search!

And, thank you for helping me better understand how promoters of search engines earn from searches made by others. Maybe the affilliates of these search programs need to read the tos before promoting, too!:hehe: :hehe: :hehe:

[ScammersSuck]

I didn't join these paid to read e-mail sites to make a bunch of stupid searches, we get paid to read the e-mails?

If they had some different programs listed in them, it would be a little different, but they all have the same stuff?

If I do any searches, I use AOL, I can find any thing I want there?

I feel sorry for some of the webmasters that list their sites in those search engines thinking they'll get some good traffic and all they receive is people clicking the links so they can get paid?

[dcwike]

Did you ever notice there is usually a little blank box where you can customize your search on these engines by typing in any specific key word - like: hammers; tools; coupons, etc.?:stupid: :stupid: :stupid:

[ScammersSuck]

Oh, yeah, you can enter your own words and half the time it doesn't bring up anything?
When it does, it doesn't have anything to do with what you entered?

[dcwike]

My Dear SS,
Perhaps you need more clarification. The solution is extremely simple:

If you know it's a paid to search link, just do not click if you don't like searches.

And, if a program has more search links than paid-to-read links, unsubscribe.

Besides, let's not get off the track.

I generally skip searches - unless it's for the wm to help pay the members (even then I search only occassionally).

But, if the link is not marked as a search I feel like I'm coerced into searching, as it would be cheating if I didn't search. (My integrity will not allow me to cheat.)

All this thread is about is to get WMs to MARK paid links as searches to prevent:
1. members from cheating (clicking and not doing a valid search)
2. the advertiser from losing money
3. the WM from losing advertising clients

For example:
I joined Annies Biz (the 1 cent - 10 cent credits per link was enticing, despite the high payout), but, most of the links are searches (which I do not like), so, I am about to unsubscribe - even though I like the program format.
It is a free-to-join program, my earnings are minimal (only because I don't click on search links) and the only investment I'm losing is my time.
But, this isn't the subject. This is only about WMs that do not mark their links as search links.

By the way folks, it's working. I am seeing fewer 'un-marked' links. Thanks for your help.

[AloraLyric]

If we label search links as such, shouldn't we also label all other links?
"Free to Join Paid Link", "Survey Program Paid Link", "PTR Paid Link", "Site that lists 50 billion and 3 programs that will all go under before anyone gets paid, but join anyway Paid Link", etc..

While we're at it, should we also do away with the ad text and include instructional pictures instead?


Boy am I in a mood or what?! lol
*Switching gears*
I agree with you that labeling search links would make things easier. :)

[dcwike]

AloraLyric, you are a comedian in disguise!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :hehe: :hehe: :hehe:

How about a warning from the WM?

ALERT!!!! THIS IS A SEARCH LINK!!!
TO CLICK ON THIS LINK WITHOUT MAKING A VALID SEARCH WILL BE JUST CAUSE FOR CRIMMINAL CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST YOU FOR CORRUPTLY EARNING A PENNY. FINES AND PENALTIES WILL BE APPLIED AND/OR IMPRISONMENT. (However, if you let me take my penny back without complaint I may reconsider pressing charges and just put your account on probation.)

Silly begats silly. Thank you for the laugh.

[AloraLyric]

Rofl.. now why didn't I think of that?!

Off to see how well that works on members... on second thought, they'd skin me alive and throw me to the curb (then request that the new owner include pictures instead of ad text).. nevermind. :)

Oh, yeah.. getting back on topic.. lol.. I do label all search links. Members like it that way. ;)

[ScammersSuck]

I don't care if the WM uses the funds to help with pay outs, fill his/her pockets, or what ever else they do with it?
We are paid to receive and read the e-mails and click the links.
We should get paid without having to do a search since we received and read the e-mail.

If the WM wants to send out a search e-mail to make him a little extra money, that's fine, but if we don't want to make a search to receive credit, we shouldn't have too as long as we read the ad and click the link?

When I join a paid to search site, I'll do the searches, but now the sites are paid to read.

I'm going to start reporting all PTR sites that require us to make a search to receive credit for the e-mail we receive?
That might put a stop to all this search garbage!

[dcwike]

Oh give it a break, ScammerSucks. No one's going to press charges if you don's search. My remark was made in humor.

If you're that upset over searching, you need to take a break from cyborworld.

This message is not meant as an offense. I'm just trying to help you realize you are getting a bit too up-tight with this subject.