Getting Paid To Search With SwagBucks Review: Is It Worth Your Time?

Getting paid to make internet search queries sounds great, doesn't it? Over the years, the concept has been experimented with by various internet start-ups. Not surprisingly, most have failed thanks to a combination of a lousy search engine, lack of marketing, limited number of sponsors, and a void in the place of a long-term business plan. SwagBucks, yet another rewards-based search engine, is one of the few to get everything right ... almost.

Get paid to search?

The primary reason to sign up with SwagBucks is to use their search engine to earn points. Once you have accumulated enough points, you can exchange them in their Swag Store for products, gift cards, and even cash via PayPal.

The assumption is that since you already use search engines to find relevant content on the web, why not use SwagBucks' search instead? Whether you set their website as your homepage or integrate their search into your browser's toolbar, you can effectively get paid to do what you would do anyway without adding an extra step.

In one month's time, I generally earn enough points from doing searches through SwagBucks to snag one or two $5 Amazon gift cards (450 SwagBucks each).  While the $5 PayPal option (700 SwagBucks) sounds wonderful in theory, the Amazon card is significantly cheaper.  If you are one of the rare consumers who can not find a thing to buy on Amazon, the PayPal cash converts better than anything else I've found in the Swag Store.

Depending on your perspective, $5-10 per month for doing practically nothing might not do enough to get your adrenaline pumping.  If so, SwagBucks has put together a package of options for increasing your monthly haul.  Surveys, games, special offers, and even tasks a la Amazon's Mechanical Turk program pay you in Swag Bucks if you are willing to put in the time. Refer some friends to SwagBucks and you can snag a share of their earnings as well. 

When you first join SwagBucks, it is very easy to get swept in by the numerous activities that can boost your accumulation of Bucks. I recall blowing the first few weeks on filling out surveys and taking advantage of every special offer that didn't require buying a product.

Eventually, I came to the realization that I could be putting that time trying to earn an extra $5 per month to better use. For instance, I can make nearly $4 an hour mindlessly typing away at Key For Cash. Depending on what is available, it can take many hours to accomplish the same earnings through SwagBucks.

In my opinion, the best way to take advantage of SwagBucks is to stick solely to the search engine. While I still prefer Google, I've grown comfortable with using the SwagBucks toolbar for making my web searches. Besides, the search results aren't horribly different from Google's anyway.

If you really feel the need to speed up your Swag Buck stockpile, subscribe to one of the various Swag Code feeds circulating online and enter the codes when notified. You can easily earn 50-100 additional Bucks a month for seconds of your time. I don't make Swag Codes a priority, but I will enter them on occasion depending on my mood.

To wrap all of this up:

• Stick to just using the search engine (and possibly entering Swag Codes)
• If you are able to, refer friends and readers of your web content
  
• Don't bother with anything else unless you actually enjoy the other activities
• Always choose the $5 Amazon cards (as long as they remain at 450 Swag Bucks)

$60-80 year for doing searches you already make is worth the trouble of signing up.  I've been with SwagBucks for over a year and have always received my Amazon gift credits in a timely manner.  I give them a strong recommendation.