Earn money as an internet assessor or search engine evaluator

If you enjoy processing data then you can find legitimate at-home online jobs which pay you per hour to research websites, manually evaluate them or evaluate how well search engines are performing. Unlike normal data entry jobs, where work is more casual and less well paid, website or search engine research jobs are more like traditional jobs in that they generally require you to work a minimum number of hours and pay a per-hour wage. Because pay is typically fairly good, employers can also afford to be fairly fussy about the people they hire, so be aware that you will have to go through a selection process before being able to start.

Summary

Type of job: Computer based, research, data processing.

Skills: Good concentration, ability to research using search engines, strong analytical abilities and a high level of comprehension. A second language is a strong plus point, but not a necessity.

3/5

Hours: Flexible but may require a minimum hours-per-week commitment. This type of work is generally part-time and may not be constantly available.

3/5

Equipment: Minimal. A computer with internet access is all that you need.

5/5

Pay: Fairly Good. If you are successful in being hired you can expect to earn around £10 per hour or more.

4/5

What is a search engine evaluator or internet assessor job?

To some extent, what an internet assessor job entails is dependent upon the company you work for and the exact role you perform. Some people work assessing individual websites, some considering search engine performance and, more recently, people may also work evaluating social media posts and trends. Evaluation or assessment typically involves examining the website for how well it is performing against certain standards. For example, it may be necessary to consider whether a particular website has any broken links, or is grammatically correct etc. Alternatively, search engine evaluation tends to involve manually checking the accuracy of search engine results to ensure that only quality websites are being displayed in the top results. For example, the task may be to ensure that a search for a particular type of shop (eg coffee shop) in a particular area are not showing pages from a totally different area high in the results.

Legitimate search engine evaluator or internet assessor jobs

There are several legitimate companies who hire search engine evaluators and internet assessors. None of the ones we list here require you to pay anything to join. If you do come across a company which requires some form of payment, avoid them as they are most likely a scam. Training for the roles can be lengthy (up to 10-15 hours) and you won’t be paid for this time, so bear that in mind before you apply. Some companies will also require you to take a test before you are accepted, which in itself can require some study time (around 5 hours).

Lionbridge (The Smart Crowd)

Lionbridge is perhaps the best known of all the internet assessor employers. It has been in business since 1996 and has a good reputation for being reliable and paying on time. There are not always job vacancies available, but they do post regularly so keep checking back if there aren’t any when you first look. It is generally quite tough to get accepted, with several steps to the process and there can be a delay before you hear back from them. The key is to be patient. Take your time with the assessments, and do the recommended study first, and you have a good chance of being accepted. The maximum number of hours you can work per role, per week is 20, but you can apply for more than one role in the same company. Once you are accepted there is normally a good flow of work available, but there can be quiet periods. For that reason, it’s good to have a back up income. Check out our other ideas such as data entry jobs and online transcription jobs.

Appen

Appen specialises in social media evaluation, but also has more traditional search engine evaluation and internet assessor jobs available too. Work is 4 hours per day, Monday to Friday. They are flexible in terms of which hours you work. Once you are accepted, some roles require extensive unpaid training, up to a total of around 30 hours. Work tends to be plentiful once you are hired though, so your income will be fairly consistent.

Leapforce

Leapforce allows you to set your own hours and does not have a minimum or maximum hours-per-week requirement. Acceptance is tough and the training is long, but that applies to all legitimate search engine evaluation jobs. One thing to note though is that Leapforce does not pay you by your working hour as such, but by the time it assumes it will take you to complete each task. At the start you may earn less than their advertised rates while you get used to the work, as it may take you longer than you think. As you gain more experience you are likely to be able to work at the advertised rate.

Tips and tricks for search engine evaluator or internet assessor jobs

• Take your time filling out the application form. These companies tend to be picky, so spelling or grammatical mistakes may prevent you getting further.
• Do be patient when it comes to hearing back, sometimes it can be several weeks before you receive more information.
• Prior to the assessments, read the materials carefully. You will be able to refer to these during the assessments but you will need a very good understanding of the instructions in order to pass.
• Once accepted, expect to undergo unpaid training. Search engine evaluator and internet assessor jobs tend to be for the long-haul. You will probably have to dedicate some time to training at the beginning, but you can then expect to work for several years (if you want to) and there are opportunities for promotion.
• Expect some quiet periods. Although the companies listed on this page tend to have a steady stream of work available, there may be times when you struggle to make your weekly hours target. Have a look at our suggestions for the top ten highest paid online jobs for some back up plans.