If you're anything like me, you search for things on the web a lot. It's almost always the first place I go for information. When I found out that I could earn rewards by changing my web searching behavior slightly, I signed up immediately.
Bing Rewards, the search engine that rewards you for your web searches has a pretty simple format. After signing up through Facebook or a Microsoft Account, you start earning rewards for all regular web searches that you do on Bing when you're logged in. You can earn up to 15 credits per day with one credit per 2 unique searches, which prevents users from searching the same thing over and over just to get points. You can also earn extra points through Bing's themed searches, for example, a recent one is about A Christmas Carol. If you use Bing enough, you can move up in status which gives extra benefits like additional credits and discounts on rewards.
So what's Bing got to offer in the rewards department? The current complete list can be found here, but some notable ones are sweepstakes entries, gift cards (e.g. GameStop, Sephora, Starbucks, Amazon etc.) and various donation credits. The rate at which you can earn credits is pretty fast. Assuming you earn the minimum 15 credits through web searches every day, you can have enough for a $5 Tango Card (credit redeemable for various gift cards, 520 credits) in 35 days. Keep in mind, 15 credits a day is a minimum, as Bing usually has additional credit earning opportunities through themed searches. This can come out to around $5 in gift card credit a month! If you haven't already signed up, here's the obligatory pro con list, with a tips section that has information on how to get the most from the program.
Pros:
- Rate at Which you Earn Rewards: $5 a month in gift card credit is pretty great for doing what most people already do, a bunch of web searches every day online.
- Reward Options: Again, the full list can be found here. I generally get Tango cards, which I'll explain in more detail in the tips section below but I've found there's usually something for everybody. Some of the rewards can be redeemed online, which is great if you don't like waiting for the mail like me.
Cons:
- Sharing Search Information: By signing up for the service, you allow Bing to give information on your searches to Facebook to provide you with more targeted ads. Personally I don't mind receiving better tailored ads on my Facebook page, however, I would be pretty upset if their database were to get hacked and my web search information to be in somebody else's hands or made public.
- Can Only Open Accounts with Facebook or Microsoft Accounts: I list this as a con, but the rewards system would not work well without this. Without Facebook or Microsoft integration, Bing would not be able to offer such great rewards because they make money off of using your search data to create more targeted ads.
I'd keep in mind that in my opinion, the cons aren't actually cons. Without being able to share your search information with other sites to better target ads, Bing wouldn't be able to offer as generous rewards.
Tips:
- Tango Cards are Flexible and Offer a a Great Redemption Rate: Tango cards can currently be redeemed for fewer credits than other gift cards, but offer some flexibility in how you redeem them. The full list can be found here but includes Amazon.com, Gap, Home Depot, Groupon and more!
- Make Bing your Homepage/Default Search: By making Bing my homepage and default search option, I never have to remember to go to Bing.com and then do my searches, I can just type into the search bar and earn credits quickly and easily.
- Stay Logged Into Your Accounts: As long as you're logged into your Facebook or Microsoft accounts you'll be able to earn credits. I would recommend staying logged in if you're on your personal computer so you don't accidentally miss out on getting credits for searches.
- Be Patient: Although there are some rewards that can be redeemed almost immediately, many of them will take some time to earn. Hang in there and remember that good things come to those who wait!
If getting rewards for web searches seems like your cup of tea1, be sure to sign up here. My experience has been very positive so far. I've gotten around $50 worth of credits from regular web searches, themed searches, referring friends and because I'm such an active user, providing independent feedback and filling out a survey. Have you used Bing Rewards? Got any helpful advice or criticism? Please share in the comments!
1. This is a rhetorical question. Who doesn't like getting rewards for web searches?
No comments:
Post a Comment