ChaCha - free human search engine

[boron]

ChaCha (http://chacha.com) is human guided search engine. You type a word in search field and you press guided search. You'll be connected to some guide (person), you can ask anything and he will search for you and he will list results like in others SEs.

It is also a job opportunity. FOR US residents only, as I've understood, but like I've heard you can get $5-$15 an hour.

Tried the service, it works OK.

[zac439]

That is a bad idea for the webmaster. He is giving his profit away for something that is less efficient that just typing in what you want yourself.

I doubt it'll get too much success before it gets abandoned.

[boron]

I consider ChaChas guides like experienced forum members. Insted of going on Google, you can ask something on forum, or there. It's just it. And you can make them a hard time with some SEO question...

[bdude]

We've had this service over here for a few years by the National Library, it's called AskNow - they're both very good services

[masm50]

I have to say I don't see this really catching on. Why would someone use this over Google/Yahoo/MSN? Only you know exactly what info you were looking for and this just doesn't strike me as an efficient way of doing this.

I suppose some people don't know how to use search engines properly though and this might help them...

-Tim

[Mystic]

What is their business model?
I didnt notice any sponsored search results or ads.

[masm50]

I hadn't even thought about that Mystic, but you're right they don't seem to have much of a business model either :(

-Tim

[Submerge]

I've been invited to be a Cha Cha member, but I still don't know how much they make an hour so I have no interest currently.

[boron]

I've been invited to be a Cha Cha member, but I still don't know how much they make an hour so I have no interest currently.

$5/ hour when you reach a master level and $10/hour when elite level.

Chacha review (http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/060904-044533).

They have over 2,500 guides. Income is from ads. You see them during your search.

[Jim]

I've seen this thing before, its quite funny talking to the people sometimes.

[killafawk]

alot people are selling the invites. im personally a master on there but right now i have stoped working with them because i want to use my bank account.

blah blah anyway i have some invites but i kinda would like something in return for the invite


mabe a link on one of your sites or something. let me know.

[Submerge]

I should look into being a guide for them, I stopped the joining process because they made you mail in a w9 instead of the online w9 submitter, but they fix this i believe.

[boron]

Lol, now it looks everyone is there. So you - insiders - how it looks? You sit at home and browsing the internet, then a question popups on your screen? Is it like that?