Search Engine Evaluator Jobs
Search Engine Evaluator jobs are super-flexible ways to earn money online.
Working from home as a Search Engine Evaluator is a popular virtual work option mostly because the pay is reasonable and there is absolutely zero phone work involved.
Since several companies hire Search Engine Evaluators and similar positions, there always seems to be opportunities available at any given time, you just have to know where to look.
If you’re internet savvy, comfortable navigating different content, and have a variety of interests and a broad knowledge base, you may just be the perfect Search Engine Evaluator.
What is a Search Engine Evaluator?
You probably haven’t put a lot of thought into how search engines work. After all, search engines, like Google, spend a lot of time and effort into creating algorithms that are meant to give search engine users better results. But did you know there’s a human element to crafting the perfect search result, too?
That’s where Search Engine Evaluators come into play. Search engines are not perfect. And so groups of people, called Search Engine Evaluators, use their knowledge of current events, popular culture, people, and places to rate search engine return results. The hope is that by doing so, users will be given perfect search results each and every time they enter a query into a search engine.
How does Search Engine Evaluation Work?
Let’s say you type the term “Hilton Reservations,” into a search engine. Your most likely intent is to book a room at a Hilton Hotel. But let’s say the search engine gives you a few results about restaurant reservations in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
On the next page of results, there are news articles about Paris Hilton reserving an entire nightclub for her birthday part. You probably won’t be too interested in Hilton Head restaurants or Paris Hilton updates since you were looking to book a room at a Hilton Hotel.
Search Engine Evaluators rate the relevancy of search results based on user queries (queries meaning the terms being searched for, in the above example, Hilton Reservations was the search query).
Where search engines are quite literal in their interpretation of queries, humans can use their knowledge of news, events, and culture to rate search returns based on a user’s likely intent.
What does it take to be a Search Engine Evaluator?
Search Engine Evaluators are heavy internet users. They are comfortable navigating websites, search engines, and generally know how to find things online. A Search Engine Evaluator stays up-to-date on news, current events, and pop culture. They know how to interpret search queries to determine a user’s most likely intent.
So, if you are interested in becoming a Search Engine Evaluator, you should be very familiar with the culture and language of a particular area (often Search Engine Evaluator positions are location based, i.e., United States, Philippines, Netherlands, etc.)
Let’s use Paris Hilton as an example again. Imagine you type “Paris Hilton” into a search engine. Your likely intent is to find current news or biographical information about Paris Hilton. But a nonnative English speaker, unfamiliar with American pop culture, might interpret Paris Hilton to mean Hilton Hotels in Paris, France. You see where the confusion can come in?
It’s important to understand the subtleties of language and the double-meanings of some words because you will be rating search engine results based on user intent (i.e., Paris Hilton and Hilton Hotels in Paris are two very different things!).
Where can I find Search Engine Evaluator Jobs Online?
There are a number of companies that hire various Search Engine Evaluator positions. Often these are contract, part-time positions. However, if you are good rater, you may be given the option to extend a contract.
So, which companies hire Search Engine Evaluators?
If you’re interested in Search Engine Evaluator work, you’ll be happy to know there’s usually at least one opportunity hiring at any given time. In fact, just about every week, I post at least one updated job lead.
Appen
Appen is an award-winning company that helps companies expand into global markets. How do they do this? They are experts in languages and are capable of presenting businesses in over 150 languages. Appen often has work from home positions available, and not just in Search Engine Evaluation. They also offer transcription, translation, and linguist services in tons of different languages. But their more popular position is that of Web Search Evaluator:
Be part of a rapidly growing global network of independent contractors working as Web Search Evaluators! If you are looking for interesting work that adapts to your lifestyle, you have come to the right place. As a Web Search Evaluator with Appen, you will be rewarded for your ability to improve internet search engine results and performance. We offer flexible work schedules, competitive pay, free training, and the ability to work from home.
Appen has recently expanded into Social Media Evaluation, too. This means you can actually get paid to use social media. A Social Media Evaluator works to improve the relevancy of a large tech company’s news feed. Both the Web Search Evaluator and Social Media Evaluator positions are part-time, contract positions.
As a Web Search Evaluator, you typically need to have availability five hours a day, Monday through Friday. Before you are paid to work, you need to go through training which will include practice ratings and tests. If you meet their quality standards on a consistent basis, you can start getting paid!
Leapforce
Leapforce is a well-known company often hiring work from home agents around the globe. As they continue to grow, Leapforce has offered an increasing number of At Home Independent Agent positions. Leapforce is great for bilingual and multilingual candidates because they hire for multiple languages within one country. For example, I often see advertisements for At Home Agents in the United States for candidates that can speak English, Spanish, Chinese, and even Farsi!
Leapforce is experiencing unprecedented demand and growth for qualified home-based independent agents. We are looking for highly educated individuals for an exciting work from home opportunity. Applicants must be self motivated and internet savvy. This is an opportunity to evaluate and improve search engine results for some of the world’s largest internet search engine companies.
Recently, Leapforce added a new position to their At Home Independent Agent lineup called Personalized Search Engine Evaluator. Agents working on this project will be given tasks based upon their personal Google account. Ideally, Agents interested in the Personalized Search Engine Evaluator position are active Google users including Google Play, Google+, and Gmail.
If you’re interested about learning more about the At Home Independent Agent position at Leapforce, you can read up on the position requirements and look through their FAQs.
iSoftStone
iSoftStone often hires Search Engine Analysts for long-term projects. As a Search Engine Analyst, you may be rating the relevancy of landing pages or ads. I’ve worked for iSoftStone as a landing page rater. The support was great, the training extensive, and the flexibility amazing.
iSoftStone is looking for a On line Web Evaluator to join our team in the United States. As an evaluator, you are responsible for rating the content returned by search engines, using in-depth local knowledge of current events, pop culture, news, media and history. This position gives you the opportunity to participate in a long-term project focused on improving the web experience for your country. You will have flexible working terms and work from the comfort of your own home.
The pay rate for Search Engine Analysts starts out at $13.00 per hour. However, if you can consistently work 30+ hours a week and are an accurate rater, you can be bumped up to $14.00 an hour. Raters who work often and with a high-degree of accuracy can earn up to $15.00 an hour. Plus, after 20 hours of work, all raters become eligible for a $50.00 bonus!
You are assigned a point of contact who will guide you through training and answer any questions you may have. As part of training, you are given a 70-something page manual that demonstrates how to rate ads. It is really long and very text heavy. Admittedly, I barely read it through the first time (even though iSoftStone strongly recommends you read it carefully through, twice!).
When I went to take my test, I did not pass the first time, but my score was close enough that I was able to retake the exam. I ended up passing the second time around.
iSoftStone projects work with Bing search engine. So you must use Internet Explorer to work and install a browser extension to submit your ratings. The pay was reasonable, the support was great, and the nature of the work was okay. All in all, I would not hesitate to recommend iSoftStone to anyone wanting to work as a Search Engine Evaluator.
ZeroChaos
Out of all the Search Engine Evaluator companies, ZeroChaos pays the highest at $15.00/hour. They are also the only company to hire Evaluators as W-2 employees (all the other opportunities are 1099 contract positions). ZeroChaos has projects that work to improve Google ad results.
ZeroChaos is recruiting temporary part-time telecommuters with fluency in one of these languages and an in-depth knowledge of their culture to help with Ads Quality Rating for websites for our client, a leading search engine company. We are looking for average internet users to help improve the accuracy/relevancy of the ads that are placed with search results and on websites.
You know how when you search for something in Google, you see paid results or ads at the very top? As an Ads Quality Rater for ZeroChaos, you will be helping to improve the accuracy of these ads as well as ads on webpages. I like that ZeroChaos allows you to rate/review ads on a computer or smartphone.
As an Ads Quality Rater, you must commit to a minimum 10 hours per week (but no more than 29). You can work these hours at any time, as long as they’re completed within the assigned week. Once your timesheets are approved, you are paid once weekly via direct deposit.
ZeroChaos typically advertises job openings on the larger Craigslist markets (Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, etc.) At this time, you must be a United States resident since ZeroChaos does not hire workers outside of the U.S.
Get Started as a Search Engine Evaluator
If you think you would make a great Search Engine Evaluator (or ads rater, social media evaluator, or personalized search engine evaluator), you can get started by applying to whichever opportunity or company sounds the most promising. You can’t go wrong with any one of them–Appen, Leapforce, iSoftStone, and ZeroChaos are all reputable companies that pay their workers on time.
If you’re not particular about a certain company or position, perhaps apply to all of them. Remember, no matter which opportunity you choose, working as a Search Engine Evaluator offers good pay, flexibility, and an overall great way to earn money online.
Thank you for this article. I definitely want me a search engine elevator job. I had a job like that with another company. The job title was “online shopper”.
Hi Ashlee,
I recently heard about LeapForce and checked into the Search Engine Evaluator positions. I have all the qualifications except the degree, but have been in the work force for 30+ years. Are they sticklers on the degree, do you know? Also, what are the tests like? I’m so not a fan of tests, but I’m really interested in applying. Thank you so much for this great post.
Hi Kathleen,
Thanks for stopping by. I don’t think they’re sticklers for a degree — I’ve known several people who have done projects for Leapforce without holding a bachelor’s degree.
The test consists of questions/scenarios that you would expect to encounter if you work with Leapforce as a Search Engine Evaluator. I wouldn’t call it difficult (you get to use materials to help you with your answers) but it is tedious! I haven’t taken the Leapforce Search Engine Evaluator test but I have taken the iSoftStone one — and failed! Fortunately, they gave me the chance to take it again and I passed — barely.
I’ve heard from Leapforce workers that the test is a bit lengthy but easy enough to pass if you follow the instructions — basically, go in prepared and read up on the study material and take your time when actually taking the test!
I think it’s worth a try to apply and take the test — if you don’t like it, no big deal! You don’t have to actually contract with them 🙂 But it is a good way to earn some extra money and if you do well, you’re usually invited to work on additional projects.
Good luck!
Ashlee
Great article! I submitted applications for each company. How long would you say is the average response time for each one? I’m curious if the lag time between application and potential entrance testing is a matter of days or weeks.
Thanks!
Hello! Thank you for stopping by. I can’t say for all of the companies, but I remember when I did an iSoftStone project I heard from them several months later. I had all but forgotten about the position when I received an email inviting me to test for a web evaluator project!
So, it may be one of the situations where you apply and hear back right away or not be contacted for weeks or months — I’m sure it depends on their need for contractors at the time 🙂
Best of luck to you!
Ashlee
hi Ashlee! Thank you for your article, it was very helpful!
Do you know what type of qualifications they are looking for? Cause I have applied for a Social Media Evaluator position with LeapForce and they’ve rejected me. So I’m just wondering, is there anything specific they are looking for or is it just a matter of luck since there must be so many applicants..
thank you in advance!
^^^ oops, I meant with APPEN, not with LeapForce) sorry about that!
Hi Kristina,
Thanks for stopping by! With the Appen Social Media Evaluator position, I know that they’re often looking for very specific candidates — ones who are especially active on social media. So, if you don’t have enough Facebook friends or people in your G+ circles, you may possibly be disqualified for that. Other times, they’re specifically looking for candidates within a certain state.
You stand the best chance of getting in with Leapforce if you have a bachelor’s degree. Lionbridge is usually in need of candidates within certain states — so if they’re recruiting in your state, that’s your best time to apply! iSoftStone isn’t as particular, I’ve noticed, and will give many candidates a chance to at least pass their test. If you do well, they will likely extend a contract to you to work as a web evaluator. If not, they’ll expire your application.
It’s a good idea to apply to them all. I’ve found that you won’t hear from them for sometime and then out of the blue, you’ll get an email inviting you to test 🙂 Sometimes it really is just luck of the draw and applying at a time when they happen to be actively recruiting candidates.
Let me know if you need any help!
Ashlee
thank you for such a prompt and detailed response!!
I was contacted by a project manager and passed the training and test but failed the production assessment! I haven’t heard back, but I’m hoping they let me retake the production assessment. 🙁
Hi Victoria!
Thanks for stopping by. I applied to iSoftStone, tested with them, and failed! They were nice enough to let me retake the exam though and I passed (barely) the second time.
Which company did you apply to and hear back from?
Ashlee
I applied to isoftstone. I took the production assessment Sat and haven’t heard anything back. I emailed the project manager today for an update. I’m hoping they let me retake the assessment. I passed the training and test, it would suck to have wasted all that time.
Hi Victoria,
My project manager was a little slow in returning emails — perhaps yours is the same way! I would give it ’til the end of the week and see what happens. I know iSoftStone is pretty good about giving you a second chance, especially if you were close to passing the first time around.
Ashlee
He was pretty quick to reply throughout last week, hopefully he is just being slow lol. He seemed eager to get me on board to start working. He said if I pass the production assessment, he would send me the onboarding papers and get me in production to start working right away. I will take your advice and wait til the end of this week, thanks! Did you ask to retake the test or did they just offer?
Hi Victoria,
I believe what happened was after I completed the test, I emailed my production manager (I believe his name was Chris) to find out my results. He told me I didn’t pass but that I was close enough that he wanted me to take it again — which I did, and then passed.
This has been more than two years ago. So, my memory is a bit fuzzy of the onboarding process. Did you have to take a test of about 150 practice questions?
Ashlee
My managers name is chris! Lol took two training that consisted of 100 each, then a test that only had 50 and the production assessment had 42.
That’s too funny. It’s probably the same Chris! I think it would be completely reasonable for you to ask for a retake — what’s the worst he can say, no? It’s worth a shot. I can’t recall if I asked for a retake or if one was offered to me — but I feel like it’s something I would have asked for 🙂
Let me know how it goes!
Thanks for all the info. I retired as an RN and really would like to work at home. I am fluent in Spanish so I hope that helps. Your articles has a wealth of information. I am going to try to investigate what I’m suited for as far as online work goes.
I worked for Appen and hated every minute of it because they were very particular and nit picked EVERYthing because they didn’t bother to really train anyone outside of a vague 31 page booklet so it was a relief to me when they terminated my contract. I actually would burst into tears while trying to do things the way they wanted. It seemed like they kept adding more requirements and that the right hand of their company didn’t know what the left was doing and their rating tool kept ‘breaking’ for lack of a better term, but they still wanted you to get your work done on time even if it was their technoogy causing the problem. When they originally hired me I was told it was a flexible position and I could set my own hours. Wrong! I had to be done by 845pm in order to complete the ‘bake off’ before midnight my time. If I completed the 60 evaluations in under 4 hours and the bakeoff before 11:15:59 I could bill the hours, if not they could still bill the client but I wouldn’t be paid for my time. I work all day and usually didn’t get home before 5pm to be able to have my ‘assignment’ done before 845 so I would get up at 530am get ready for my offline job then clock in at appen at 6am because I wasn’t allowed to start before that time, work for an hour, then leave in time to get to my offline job that is an hour away. Anyway, I was just offered a contract at leapforce for what amounts to the same pay and hopefully less stress.
That time should have read 11:59:59 not 11:15:59 my bad
Hi Ashley! I wanted to share with you. I actually got a call back for the Web evalutator position but did not pass the qualification test. Do you think I can re take it?
Thanks for the wealth of info. Definately useful!
So, I’ve read that many of the companies hiring for a WSE provides some study materials before the evals. But with that, is a very limited time to study. I will definately try, but I am a SAHM with time challenges. I homeschool and both my tween and teen have “challenging/special needs” and my toddler is allergic to being still/quiet/non-destructive. Lol.
BUT, I am still REEEALLLY hoping to land a job in this field b/c the pay is decent and there isn’t a strict schedule.
Due to my situation and an unexpected divorce of 11 years…. a job like this would be a saving grace.
Anyway! Sob story aside… im wishing i could find some how to study BEFORE applying, esp since I’m probably not their ideal/qualified candidate.
Do you, or anyone, know of a way (resource, site, ANYTHING) that I can prepare in advance?
I’d appreciate any help. ♡
how to join and what are the terms of financial and admin
Hello can u share the link.of isoft and.other company reason i have got their sites bt not any link to apply help me.out plz
Hii I want a job as a search engine evaluator. But I have no work experience. But I want a job which provides online work from home. I am interested in online job.I need this job. I will work hard. Will you help me to find out a good job.
Hello
I am a first year Economics undergraduate student and I am a resident of India. Am I eligible to apply wid someone else’s graduation certificates to work on Leapforce as now I m not having any degree of my own.
thank you for article but this time 28 April 2017 they have no work.
we(my group) tried many time but they have no work.
may be this work is old
Hi
What about the income and tax? Do you have any information about it?
Thank you
Hi Anita,
Thanks for stopping by 🙂 The money you earn as a search engine evaluator will likely be as a contractor. For those in the U.S., you’ll receive a 1099 at the end of the year IF you earned more than $600 from one company. These earnings are automatically reported to the IRS and it’s your responsibility to set aside enough money to cover taxes.
If you plan on holding down enough side hustles, I recommend using a program like QuickBooks to help you keep track of payments. QuickBooks will also let you know how much taxes you’ll need to pay based on your earnings. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when dealing with the IRS 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
Please tell me about
Production assessment test in isoftstone.
I clear the training test and qualification test. Now is the test for production assessment and I have no idea about it.
Hi Akshay,
You should have received an email that details your point of contact at iSoftStone. They are the best person to reach out to if you have any questions about your testing. Good luck 🙂
Happily,
Ashlee
Hi Ashlee,
So I just passed the isoftstone tests and have some questions about the availability of work there. I am able to commit 30+ hours a week. Did they always have work for you when you were working for them? Can it be a primary source of income for a minimalist guy? Thanks
Hi Rashid,
Thanks for stopping by! And, congrats on getting in at iSoftStone. To answer your questions, there was not always work available. I’d say, on average, I was able to get about 15 hours of work each week. Of course, some weeks I was able to work up to 20 and other weeks managed to only get about 10. Depending on where you live and your bills each month, you might be able to get by. I know, for me, it was just one income stream I used to piece together a living. While I worked as a search engine evaluator I also did User Testing, transcription, proofreading, and writing. At one point, I even started to pick up tasks on Fancy Hands!
I loved working with iSoftStone but I wouldn’t count on it as your sole income stream.
Happily,
Ashlee Anderson, CPCC