I had said in another post that I hate it when I get searches. Well, I have read on here that you can still get searches, but they are redemptions or ads bought by someone not the actual PTR programs searches.

What is annoying me is the new way these ads are being written. I got an email from a PTR today and there is a member redemption search and it says : Please do a valid search and get paid, DO not click if you dont want to search.

I have heard many people here say that usually when they have a members redemtion ad and it is a search they will click but not search. But it is annoying that it actually says don't click here if you don't want to search. I am suposed to clicking the link, that's how I make money. I will search if it is a search right from the PTR.

Mary

First of all, if members in this forum are posting this, then they are posting that they are cheaters.

Second, I am an affiliate in 2 different search engines, and am seriously thinking of expanding that number. But not when I see posts such as this. Many many searches in the different emails are searches redeemed from members. Are you posting that you will click on these, and then deliberately not search? What kind of cheating crock of a statement is that? It truly makes me not want to be advertising for my 2 searches. I am sure it makes others feel that way to, and then WM's probably won't like that either, because it means less ad dollars for them. If this is your mentality, then maybe you should stay away from searches. And this includes not getting credit for clicking on my ad, and then not searching for me. You gotta be kidding, with what you posted. Right in black and white, your stating you are a cheater!

Hello???

That is like saying that if I see a link that goes to a PTR program that I already am either on or don't want to be a part of that I shouldn't click on the link. The person who advertised it only wants people to sign up under them. That's the point of sending the advertising. It is the same thing as searches redemed by members.

I am still going to get paid for reading the email and clickiong the link but, I am not required by PTR programs to do searches if redemed by members, especially if I already have search not clicked as something I want to recieve.

I am PAID TO READ not, Paid to click on a search and search, even if I asked not to get those emails.

Mary

So then don't click on the search links,your not being paid to "read" searches,your being paid to do a search.If you don't want to do a search,don't click the link.

Im ignorant when it comes to searches...do people get penalized if people visit their page but dont do a search? Does it actually make a difference to them getting paid?

Searches from my country are not valid so I dont click on these links (the only time they irritate me is when their value is pretty high and Im missing out :ph34r: ) Otherwise I just skip them.

Mandy

Let me try to say this again.

I put out an ad for my website. It was a 1 cent solo to all members (membership base was 3,000 when I sent the ad) I have had over 1,100 clicks, but I don't have 1,100 people in all of my downlines combined, so some people are clicking the link to get the penny and then not signing up for anything. Should I be all upset becuase people are clicking the link and not signing up?

Same thing with a search. I am not required to search just because a member sent out the ad. It is still along the same lines as my ad sent. I want people to sign up under me in programs so I can make more money, but they don't, they got the penny. Same thing I do, I click the link to get my cash or points btu I don't sign up for anything.

I have heard WM say that they don't have a choice but to put the redemption ads for searches in regular paid mails.

Until I read in a TOS that I have to search ALL search ads sent, then I will continue to click and not search.

See I have only read in TOS at different programs that you only HAVE to search if it is a search that comes right from the program itself. Like if I had search checked off I would get email sfrom the Paid to Read program I am on and the search would be in the name of the person who runs the program. I have never read anywhere, as of yet, that I have to search on a member redemption ad.

its out of niceness and fairness that when you KNOW its a search and of all things its a fellow member who like you is trying to make a few bucks that you search for them.

TO me thats just not nice clicking the link KNOWING FULL WELL its a search link and just sitting there collecting your reward.. If a site gets poor results ppl wont be back to advertise in turn cutting down on the number of ads you get and money that you could make..



just my .0001 points

Well, let me put it this way. It does't matter whether or not you HAVE to search. It would be nice to help out your fellow members, like Sierra said. I am not expecting a huge click-thru, not by any means. But I would rather have a WM resend my ad, rather than having people clicking on it without searching. Oh, by the way: an 1,100 CT on an ad for 3,000 isn't superb, but it ani't all that bad either. I think it's about average. Also, you gotta take into consideration, yeah maybe 1,100 people didn't sign up under you, but show me 1,100 people who read that ad that AREN'T already a member of the site you're advertising. Do you see my point? If you're not gonna search, don't click.

Ummmmm not exactly. I could care less if people wanted to become an affiliate under me. The main purpose of a search engine is to search. Sure, I'll get EXTRA money if people join under me. But that is not the primary concern, as with PTR programs. If you belong to ECF, or SAS, you still make money, even if people don't jon. You make money for each view, just like you would make money for each search.

Why should it matter if its a paid ad from an advertiser or a Redemtion

Member have to click MANY links to earn enough for a redmeption and then use there hard earned clicks and share there cash with you via an ad.

I have had MANY advertisers buy a search link FIRST to see what kind of results they get as searches generally dont get as good as ohters..........Many of those were so happy with searches they came back and bought MORE PAID ads that werent searches.

Its people like you who ruin it for others trying to make a buck just worrying about yourself

If you were paying to sent out a search link......you wouldnt have the same attitude I bet

You're beating a dead horse brela101201. Already tried to explain to her what was fair earlier this week when she posted about cheating the advertisers by not doing searches and one of the longstanding members of this forum basically told her it was alright, that she only should do (didn't say had to do J) searches for WMs.

I sometimes send out search ads and the search rate isn't very high. Nobody is forced to search, but if I click a search link I make the search otherwise I don't click it. It's all about being fair.

Especially when the search link is for limited clicks.

LOL I can't picture any long-time member of this forum posting that it was OK for her not to search after clicking, but if that's what she says...

What I do not like.

I get an paid ad. It is a search. I click and search, fine. I click and do not search: i cheat?

Do you people realise what you are doing? It is an ad, the search only some kind of ad I choose, but they are simple ads.

But then now, the rule: you click you search.

When I get a paid ad, most of them are for eiter a search or a ptr. I click them, you click them, but you will not join. I think the idea is you join? What is the differnce? It is even worde: You will go to the downlinebuilder, ref exchance, or even sell yourself as a ref on this forum. Or you are allready a member.

So Clicking those, you are cheating.

I think we are all cheating then.

I handle it in a way that makes everybody happy.
When an advertiser purchases a search link, I send to members who have chosen to receive searches.
It must be working because the same advertisers keep coming back to buy more search ads.

I don't consider it cheating when somebody clicks but doesn't search. I just don't think it's fair to the advertiser. it's a matter of principle.

I think this is a great idea. I honestly don't understand why more don't do this. Yes, it may mean less searches because of only a few receiving them, but barring an error or some other screw up, the searches will be done and not just click and earn.

Did that make sense? lol

i sent a search link to over 1159 members who checked off search.

the result so far:

119 clicked on it

only 40 made valid searches.

my terms state that only certain countries may check off searches. yet i see many of the searches coming from India.

I deleted 2 members from India for not only searching illegally, but for doing it from the same computer.

i do not delete members just for making searches and not being allowed.

only if they are cheating in other ways, such as having 2 accts like the person above.

what i think stinks is the low value searches i am talking .001 or .002
people you have got to be kidding or searching for points now that really stinks
those paying .005 and over deserve to be searched
but the others just delete them and maybe people will not send them anymore
dont want to search them then dont click

I would never send out a search ad and I belong to several search places as an affiliate.

The person who started this thread must not belong to the same programs I do. I think every one of my programs has sent out multiple messages saying search ads are for searches, so if you click, do a search. Most program owners say you can be deleted for violating this. So, I do my best to comply. If I don't feel like searching I don't click. If I do click I try to make a valid search.

But, I do have a complaint: I hate it when adds or banners don't say they are a search. In that case, if I wasn't looking for a search, I feel it's optional. Also, I try to avoid doing too many searches with the ones like Searchdrifter and the Searcherz, which have limited clicks per person. If the ad or link doesn't identify the search engine, you're taking the chance that I can't make a valid search.

I am not a member of your program but think is the best way to do it.

I have seen a few places that do this and I wish more PTR did this. Actually most of the PTR that I am on do the searches seperate or they just send an email with their own searches and I do click and search on those.

Well you know some people can not afford to send out really expensive ad's so that kinda stinks.
I have sent out points and redemptions when I don't have the money to advertise and gotten not so great results, which inturn leads me to believe that when I do have money for a more expensive ad that my results wont be much better. And I have been proven right at times. I have sent out links work .5 and gotten kicked in th butt so to speak, sending to 3000 and less than 100 searches I say that stinks.


I have to say we are all in this business to make money. If people would just be considerate and work together as a team everyone would make money. I even hold of on opening some of my searches if i know they wont be valid. I wish people would care more about the next person then being so darn gready.

AMEN

Like eurofreecash, I don't consider clicking or not searching as cheating, though if there is someone who consistently does that, I wouldn't think that it is too nice.

As an advertiser, when I advertise a ptr program and someone who already is a member clicks on it, I don't have any problem at all - hey the clicker makes some money and I am happy. And if he's already a member you can't possibly expect him to sign up again

On the other hand, if a person clicks on a search link, the clicker knows that there is a way he can help the advertiser and indirectly the WM (better response gets more advertiser to come back) - unlike the clicker who is can't sign up twice - but he decides not to search even though he can.

But I would say many people do click and don't search. That's just the reality. What happens is advertisers will keep looking for a program that has active members and advertise there instead.

I agree that we should keep in mind that this biz works best if everyone gets ahead, webmasters, advertisers and members. But I also agree with the post about low value searches. It's asking a bit extra of us to make a valid search (or several, as some ask). I have to ask myself what my time is worth, and whether it is worth the effort to make a search for a tenth of a cent or a fraction of a point. Unless I'm feeling charitable, the answer is usually no. As it is, I get more searches in my inbox than I can comfortably do, so I go for the higher value ones. I'm sorry for the people who can't afford better ads, but I promise, if you put in a worthwhile ad, I'll give you value.

Most of the search results are completely useless anyway. Suppose I search and click on a result and can tell within a few seconds that the result I clicked on isn't really what I want, so I close the window. I believe that we need to let the page load fully for the search advertiser to get credit, but surely the people who pay good money to have their page in the search in the first place deserve some respect as well. When I close this page before it fully loads, I am saving the initial advertiser money, which is going to be more than the money earned by the secondary search advertiser. It seems to be the best thing to do in terms of honesty and integrity.

Oh it's not just that, I have sent out better ads and if everyone was like you and actually searched itwould be great. They aren't and thats why the value is going down on searchs.
If people didn't click the links I suppose it wouldn't bother me so much, but when you see 1100 clicked the link and lets say 98 searches or spend $5 to send out a search and only make 2.50 back would you send out that one cent link?

ok, it might help if you look at it this way:
paid for your attention, that means reading the ad, and considering the offer, even if that consideration is 1/2 a second (oh lord, not another ad for fillintheblank)
Paid to sign up: these are pretty clearly oulined as well. You sign up, you get a reward.
Paid for action:
Send a card, make a search, etc.
I also make decisions on what my time is worth, if the value is too low, i do not click. But clicking on searches then not searching is not fair to anyone, though i agree searches not labeled as such stink. Honest effort is all any webmaster asks, really. NO effort at all, well.. stinks.

One more thing:

I just clicked on a search link. It was one of those where it doesn't say how much you get for clicking on it (ended up being .025 1/4th cent.) BUT the search page opened right at a search result already and the top result was worth 11 cents!

I know that being an affiliate for a search place one of the rules is that you can not tell people what to search for because then you are just telling people to search for the high search valued ones meaning you get more money if they search.

Isn't that cheating for the person that is the affiliate?

On the odd occasion that I actually search, and get that kind of search, I always re-search anyway, or find the lowest-paying search result and click that instead.

I don't like those either. I will search for what I WANT to search for. If the advertiser tries to "FORCE" me into clicking a high paid result in the way described above, I always go to the end of the list of results and click a very low value result.

That's what you get for trying to use me like that.

Ummm...forgive my ignorance here but I've always thought search engines do not condone forcing people to search. Not that anyone is actually forcing anyone in the physical sense but as I understand it, the search engines are looking for voluntary searches. That leaves the affiliate in a position where if they want to use it in an ad, they shouldn't be telling people they have to search. It is optional. I've tried to be considerate and do the searches but I get a bitter taste in my mouth when I get paid a half cent for 2 minutes of my time and then the next thing I know, 4 billion people are spamming me. I think some of these search engines are clever cloaks for spammers. Or they insert ad tracking cookies on my hard-drive.

Yesterday I clicked the category Government Agencies and the only result that showed was Orbitz...I get a little disgusted when the owners let people put their sites under every single keyword ever invented.

As posted earlier, if the advertiser is making 11 or 13 or 16 cents for me making a valid search, seems to me I shouldn't be paid a fraction of a penny especially when the pages take forever to load completely.

OK first of all... that 11 cents.. an affiliate would only make a certain percentage of that bid (In most cases, probably 3-6 cents)

Secondly, nobody is saying members HAVE TO search. The point is, it would be nice. But ne shouldn't come in here and post: "I'll click the link, earn my money, but not search for you" That's inconsiderate.

If it's not marked as a search, it's a gift to me

If it's marked and someone is arrogant enough to say you MUST click several results to get paid, I'll search and click on the lowest paying links.

If it's less than 1/2 cent -- forget it.

At the same time it could work to your advantage, depending on the program you are in. I don't send searches in my emails, it is only in the P2C section. My members getonepoint for doing it, BUT I take the amount that was paid to the account for that monthand divide by the number of points earned to decide on the amount per point. No one is forced, no one is tricked, however righ tnow I have had 27 clicks on one of them and only 8 valid searches. My members are hurting themselves. I hate to see that happen, but I wanted to give them the option to earn a little more money. Since we are a new site I don't have a lot of cash flow, so other than that everything comes from my pocket. Not all WM's are trying to "trick" the members.

I must say I am disappointed in some of these replies. Being a member on many pages I only do searches if I feel like it, but if I take the time to click that link (even if it isn't identified) than it is only right for me to search. Giving you a choice is the difference.

As for the ones that are already selected.....yes, that is cheating on the affiliates part. It is specifically stated that you cannot send a link that way.

As someone said earlier, why can't people be a little more considerate of each other.

I don't send out searches any more. It's not worth it. The only searches I send are birthday searches - untimed, unpaid, and 100% of the search income from that day goes to the member who's having a birthday. Members can choose to search or not - doesn't matter. I do have searches in the PTC section, but again, they're untimed and unpaid. Once a week, 20 random members who clicked and actually searched get a 10 cent credit to their account, or a free ad, or instant payout. People who feel like searching can search, and support the program a bit, and maybe win a credit. People who don't want to seach don't have to, and won't get anything if they click the link. There is an entire page dedicated to explaining this to members. It's a horrendously time-consuming process, because I make sure the winners actually did search, but worth it to me - and apparently to quite a few of my members - I usually get very good results and winning members are always thrilled. And this way there is no worrying about losing money on people who click and don't search. The only people that search are the ones that really want to. Works for me. And the members who have put search raffle links keep coming back.

And who said something about is it cheating if you click a link to get paid but don't join a program - that's the funniest thing I ever heard! It's an AD! I don't see the JCPenney police beating down my door saying "We spent money to send you an ad in your Sunday paper but you didn't shop at our store so we want our ad back" - you're being paid to look at the program - if it trips your trigger, you join. If not, so be it. If I ever had an advertiser who bought an ad to 200 and received 200 views and then wanted his money back because he didn't get 200 new referrals, I would probably fall over.

QUOTE

From Emaillionaires But clicking on searches then not searching is not fair to anyone, though i agree searches not labeled as such stink. Honest effort is all any webmaster asks, really. NO effort at all, well.. stinks.

EXACTLY why I made the thread a while back on LABEL LABEL LABEL LABEL!

With nearly every single PTR out there sending searches, and most of us belong in quite a few proggies, there's not enough time in the day/night to go for searches. And when we're blindsided by unmarked searches (just a paid link, no revisit link or marked as SEARCH), I believe this falls on the webmasters themselves, and they have only to look AT themselves for any bad results.

A lot of webbies have stated in the threads they do not send unmarked searches, but it's still going on. Some very FINE, decent webbies are still doing this. I realize it takes time to make up the ads to get out, but it only takes a second or two to mark things properly. Until that time, if a search engine loads slowly, as it's loading, and I was unaware of it being a search...it's gone. That's just the way it is. I give as valid a search as I can...when I know what it is, and I've voluntarily hit that link. On every single program I'm in, I've NOT checked the box for searches and still receive single emails loaded with them. Which I promptly delete because I did NOT OPT IN. I do the single searches for members when I can, I do the webbies searches when I can, and also do the PTC searches when I can, but let's be real here. There are WAY too many out there and while I understand it brings money in, that's not what everyone wants. And we can't be faulted for not liking them. As there being oversaturation of PTR's, there is also with searches.

I do not condone cheating of any kind, nor would ever cheat myself. But I cannot meet all the searches out there when they hit me in the face UNMARKED.

Also, let's put the time/money issue out there. We ARE in the business to get paid. A search OR a regular mail coming to us at .001 points for 30 seconds? Ummmm, NO. Anything under .005 cents for that amount of time in is ridiculous. Is this what the advertiser is making from searches? Somehow I doubt that. Same with ECF. I don't remember who it was that sent it out, but there was actually LESS than one point given for I believe it was 25 seconds for ECF. What's up with that??!!

Ugh lol I need to stay away from search convo. Makes me buggy! lol :ph34r:

I posted this in another thread several days ago.

I look at it this way - When an advertiser buys an ad for another program, they are taking a chance that I might or might not join. Same thing for searches - I might or might not search. When a webmaster posts a search and clearly states that if you click the link you must do a search that's a different thing altogether. I might or might not click that link - depending on the time I have.
Let's face it, program ads open rather quickly with one click, timer runs out and I'm off to the next one. With searches I click the link, wait for the page to open, click a search term, wait for that page to open(sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't) then I click on a result and wait for the page to fully load and if I'm lucky I'll only have 1 or 2 extra windows to close down. Now wasn't THAT fun and I have yet another site where I can buy Coral Calcium for just $10.95!

Yes, and rather than complain about the vast majority not doing searches, if something isn't working, find something that does. Don't keep wasting your ad money on it if it isn't bringing in the desired results.

If I owned a store and sent out flyers every week listng certain products and found that very few people were buying them, it wouldn't take me too long to change that flyer. I don't think I'd stand at the door and yell at customers that they are cheating for not buying what's in my flyer. What an absurd concept.

I don't know about anyone else but I even resent being sent searches that say I am required to search or have my account deleted. When I purchase my ads for Annies or Mikes or whatever, I don't whine at the webmaster that people who are already members clicked my link. Webmasters, even though it is income, you need to put your foot down somewhere and explain to these people who are pressuring you that if it isn't working, find something that does.

The concept of telling us we're cheating by not doing the search is a cop-out. Threatening our accounts is a devious tactic and I resent it. Don't mean to sound harsh but I'm tired of it.

Agree 100%

Also, it is time that wm realise that many people are doing this paid to as a sort of hobby.

I am one of those, and then I do not like it when wm are behaving like they are running a scout camp, telling me to behave, warning me to click, do this do that, pushing me to sent an e card, read the whole thing very carefully because it could be a cheat link (sorry to say but the ads are a bit boring, most of the time), or otherwise: leave camp immediately.

You know, I belonged to a program not so long ago that sent out searches ALL THE TIME, and they also said if I did not click at least two search results I was cheating and my account was subject to deletion. They also said if the search results page wasn't working or didn't load, I was cheating if I didn't email them about it. Umm...I don't think so! So I deleted myself - SOOOOO not worth my time, and I don't appreciate being threatened like that. As far as I know, NONE of the SE's promote threatening to take people's accounts and money away from them for not searching! If that isn't the mother if all incentivized searches, I don't know what is. You're searching to save your account - oh, this is just not right.

The program I mentioned above has around 10,000 members - and every day they're searching just so they can make a few cents and not have their account deleted. It's terrible and something should be done about this.

This thread is so colorful we could wear it! LOL

My 2 cents worth

I hate searches too but I do them if I have time (if it is marked search) if I click a link and it IS search I search.

Here is what I feel about it:

I click a link for an ad, it may be the same program I am in or one I do not like but I still READ it why? Because I am PAID to read the ad.
I click a link and it is a search so I search, why? Because I am PAID to search.

Those of you who send out ads and get angry when you recieve search links, think about this. What about the ads you send out that we dont like? Such as ones with MANY pop ups that freeze our screen? We still read your ad dont we?
About sending them out for referrals, I have sent a couple ads out, maybe I didnt get any referrals but I didnt have high expectations of recieving referrals because these programs ads are sent out many times a day and not everyone wants to take on more programs.

I pay to send out a search to a certain amount of members or I click very hard in a program and decide to redeem my earnings and want to send out a search link, how do you think it makes people feel to send them out using they're money or earnings to recieve .50 cents in return? Limited clicks and people are clicking and letting the timer run out just for the money with no results or even trying?

I have sent out a search ad once, redeemed points it took me a long time to get and what did I get in return? 50 cents. I search for those who send out searches why not get them in return? I know that many complaints are made about searches that come from people who send them themselves but its ok if they send out searches and get results but it isnt ok if someone else does.

LOL It wouldn't happen to be Magical-Emails, would it?

Maybe someone should come up with Get Paid to Search programs instead of Get Paid to Read.

I couldn't have said it better! Thank you for that post!