Everyone knows Yahoo and Google as the premier search engines to you. Both use different methods to find user results. Both make a killing on advertisements due to the amount of traffic they generate. Here comes a new challenger called Blingo which pays it’s users cash and prizes.

Now, how about a search engine that actually pays the user? I’m not saying this is some pay to click program. This is a real search engine. Before March 27, 2008 Blingo was using the Google search engine. So if you used Google as a search engine it was only logical to use Blingo to win some prizes. After March 27, 2008 Blingo has moved to a combination of Yahoo, Live Search, and Ask.com. So now that Blingo has established itself as another search engine, why would someone use it over the ones they use now?

You win cash or prizes. Blingo is Publishers Clearing House Company. You know the one that comes to your door with a 5 foot check. Users basically use the search engine as normal and during different times throughout the day people will be able to win prizes. So what prevents people from just running a bot and blasting a ton of searches?

Only the first 25 searches of the day count per user towards winning a prize.

Prizes that I have won personally are a couple of Amazon gift certificates.

Now, the main draw to this search engine is that instead of advertising the search engine. It has installed a 1 level deep network. Basically if someone refers another member, if the newer member wins anything then the person who referred them will get the same prize. I thought this was genius. Blingo wants people to use the site so the only way to do that is by having a loyal user base. Refer a couple hundred people and every time they win something you will win it also! More than half of my prizes have come from people I’ve referred. They did a search and won so I won. Now this is only a 1 level deep network. So if the new person also refers someone the initial member has no contact or information to this new user.

Ways to promote and use Blingo include e-mail signatures, forum signatures, browser quick search, and home page startup.

Blingo specifically states that clicking on advertising does NOT increase your chances of winning.

The super prize is a $5,000.00 a week for life and will be announced on NBC.

• Not using Google search engine anymore

• More prizes have been reduced over time from $25 Amazon Gift Cards to $5 Amazon gift cards and Fandango Movie Tickets. There are still some $25 and $50 prizes but they are not as common as they were months ago. The special prizes are limited and only given a couple times throughout the week. Generally, if you are winning anything it is going to be $5 Amazon or a Fandango gift card. You do get the option of which you want.

• Doesn't add any search functionality or services that are already out there. People love Google because it pulls up fast and has the best overall searches. Others like Yahoo and Live Search because on the search site there is a lot of information about the internet like a one stop information portal. Blingo really just shows other people winning and uses a weaker combination of search engines.

Privacy:

You are not required to give any personal information when you first register. Blingo only asks for your address AFTER you have won.

Total prizes given out as of August 16, 2008: 79,234.