What Is Crowdsourcing? Making Money From Your Social Networks and Shares

You may have heard of "Crowd Sourcing" lately and even if you haven't, you soon will!

In fact, you are already Crowdsourcing just about every day if you use Social Networking Sites such as Twitter, Zurker, Facebook and Pinterest!

Every time you share an article on your Social Networks you hope that your followers will read your work and share it with their friends and followers. When they do, you are sourcing the crowd! That is Crowdsourcing!

This article will explore what crowdsourcing is and how you can use it to earn more money online as an article publisher or product vendor. Getting others to promote your products and services without direct pay or overhead is the "Going Concern" of your business. Money spent is the difference between "Outsourcing" and "Crowdsourcing".

Simply put, if people are searching for a product, service or solution that You can provide, and if you have the best products and solutions, people will naturally find your product. They will Buy it and Recommend it! This is the nature of business. You don't always have to spend a lot to acquire a lot. You should spend more time than money on any of your projects. That will lead to success.

Wikipedia defines Crowdsourcing as:

"Crowdsourcing is a process that involves outsourcing tasks to a distributed group of people. This process can occur both online and offline. The difference between crowdsourcing and ordinary outsourcing is that a task or problem is outsourced to an undefined public rather than a specific body, such as paid employees."

Isn't that exactly what we are doing when we socially share our articles on our social networks? If you have a Targeted Audience that is likely to read and share your articles as well as click your Ads, then you are already Crowdsourcing!

Let's face it. People like what their friends like, not what corporations tell them what they should like. That used to work in the early 1900's but we have become smarter and better advised consumers.

If your friend tells you about a horrible experience at a particular restaurant, would you visit the restaurant or would you trust your friend's advice? That is the key to how crowdsourcing works! Warm Market Referrals (aka "Word of Mouth")

If you own your own business than you know this single truth: If customers are happy, they will not only come back for your products and services, but they will also tell their friends and will recommend you! That philosophy is the backbone to your business' success!

If you get good referrals you will do well. The opposite will happen if you get bad feedback and negative press. Your business and products are only as good as their reputation!

As noted, Crowdsourcing is the best way to promote your products and services to a wider audience. Getting people to "push" your products and services is not as hard as you think. You will have to work hard at first, setting up your networks with a targeted audience, but once the ball gets rolling, it will continue to bring you an increasing amount of traffic and sales.

Here are some Tips and Guidelines for making the most out of Crowdsourcing:

• Best Tip Ever: NEVER PAY MONEY for referrals or so-called "Guaranteed Traffic and Backlinks"! These are SCAMS and will earn you a reputation as a SPAMMER online!
• The best way to get traffic and backlinks is to Create Quality and share it with a Targeted Audience; customers who are already searching for your products and services!
• A Fact of Life: Most of the time, your family and friends will not be your best referrals! Over time when they see your success they can be valuable but when you are just starting out trying to promote a new product, don't be upset when they have doubts or lack of interest! Move on and find a Targeted Audience!
• Let your Products Work For You! If you have great products they will sell! Yes, you need to get the word out, but once you do, your great product or service will "Go Viral"! It's a natural process that occurs under the right conditions.
• Start A Campaign.
• Write Down Your Goals! What do you expect from your Campaign? Create a Marketing and Business Plan that is Realistic. Don't overshoot your goals.
• Deal with Disappointment! Sometimes deals fall through or you don't make your Quotas and Goals. That's OK...Forward Progress!
• Find Like-minded Individuals that are willing to Promote Your Products and you should Return the Favor.
• Consider sending out Mailings to Local Business to form Relationships and Referrals.
• No matter where you are, Look Around You for Potential Sales and Relationships.
• Remember that this is a Numbers Game; Most People Are Not Interested in Your product and you have to Sell Yourself to Sell Your Product! Never Lie or be deceitful by making false promises.
• Hand Out Business Cards
• Give Free Samples or Discounts to First Time Clients
• All of these ideas can help you to expand your Crowdsource and Networks!