If you’re internet savvy, self-motivated and looking for a flexible work-from-home job, becoming a search engine reviewer could be a good opportunity for you. You don’t need any special equipment and you don’t talk on the phone. All you need to get started is a laptop or desktop computer, a high-speed Internet connection, and a smartphone.
However, remember that working from home is highly competitive, so be prepared for extensive training and a qualifying exam; in addition, you will need to have a good knowledge of current events, popular culture, places and people.
If you think you’ve got what it takes, let’s explore what a search engine evaluator does, how to find a job, how much it pays, and the pros and cons.
What does a search engine evaluator do?
A search engine evaluator evaluates search results and websites (and sometimes ads and social media content) and rates them according to companies’ guidelines as GoogleYahoo or Bing (Microsoft) to ensure users find the most useful, relevant and high-quality content on any given topic.
Do a quick internet search and see what the results are. Are they relevant? Did you find exactly what you were looking for? Creating algorithms to give you these results takes a lot of time and effort, but search engines don’t always get it right.
Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t always good at interpreting intent, especially when it’s a string of unrelated words rather than questions. This is where search engine evaluators come into the equation.
What are the requirements to become a search engine evaluator?
Google contracts with companies to do search engine rankings, and those companies then hire you as an independent agent. You don’t need to have experience or a university degree, but first you have to go through several test phases and you have to follow many instructions. You’ll have to work at first, but once you learn the procedures and get your foot in the door at one of the companies, you can have a fun and flexible ongoing job for many years.
You must be a native English speaker at least 18 years old for the positions. You should have excellent communication and computer skills. You will also need to stay up-to-date on current business, media, sports, news, social media and pop culture in the US. Finally, you should be detail-oriented, have strong analytical skills and enjoy online research.
How much does a search engine evaluator job pay?
Available hours and hourly rate depend on project and company. Sometimes the need is immediate or big, so set your availability on your profile and check in regularly to catch all jobs quickly. You can have a set minimum number of hours or a limit on the number of hours and weekly projects you can work on. Salaries are average according to ZipRecruiter $24 an hourdepending on where you live and the company you work for. You can work part-time, so it suits introverts, stay-at-home parents, university studentsor those who want to earn extra money.
Where to find a search engine evaluation job?
Here are eight companies to explore for search engine optimization and social media jobs you can do from home.
1. Start CrowdGen
While Appen CrowdGen lost contract with Googlestill hiring freelancers as social media evaluators and in other AI training roles. In these positions, you can rate content such as images, ads, and videos for certain qualifying criteria. These are freelance contract roles that you can work when you want. Appen CrowGen hires workers in 170 countries and pays individuals using platforms such as PayPal, Payoneer and Airtm, among others.
- Appen CrowdGen gets a 3.7 stars rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.
2. Centification
Centification is hiring part-time web raters to provide feedback on search queries. In these roles, you will have a flexible schedule and earn $14-$16 per hour. You must be a native English speaker and you will need to pass their certification to start working on projects.
- Cenific will receive a 3.2 stars rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
3. Clickworker
Clickworker is an artificial intelligence crowdsourcing platform where you can earn extra money by taking surveys, doing online research, writing articles, mystery shopping, testing apps, collecting photos, videos and audios and more. Payment is per task and payments are made via PayPal, Payoneer, direct deposit and other methods. According to Glassdoor, the median salary for search engine reviewers is $26 an hour.
Clickworker gets a 3.5 stars rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com
4. Datavio.ai
Datavio.aiwhich is part of iSoftStone, is hiring freelancers for linguistics, testing, technical, search engine evaluation, and crowdsourcing gigs. For these positions you will need excellent communication skills, strong computer skills and a Windows PC. Although you will have a flexible schedule, you will need to commit to at least 10 hours per week. According to their current job listing, the search engine job evaluation pays $0.60 per judgment, with an expected time per judgment of 120 seconds or less.
- iSoftStone accepts a 3.1 stars rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
5. FlexJobs
While FlexJobs does not hire search engine evaluators, they often have legitimate job postings for this type of work. To access their job board, you’ll need to pay a small membership fee that includes vetted job listings, career resources, skills tests, educational webinars, and more. Another nice aspect of FlexJobs is that you can set up job alerts so you’ll always know when there’s an opening. To see if a FlexJobs membership is right for you, check out our in-depth review.
- FlexJobs will acquire a 4.3 stars rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
6. RWS Group
RWS Group hires freelancers who provide translation, localization and AI training services to the world’s largest companies. Just like other platforms, you create an account and browse available projects. Some projects will require you to complete unpaid training and qualification tests to gain access to more challenging tasks. With RWS Group you are paid per task completed and payments are made via PayPal or direct deposit.
- RWS will get a 3.6 stars rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.
7. TELUS Digital
Digital TELUSformerly Lionbridge, hires online data analysts to determine the relevance and accuracy of search engine results. In these roles, you will work as an independent contractor and can create your own schedule. TELUS has too AI openings for internet evaluators, ad quality evaluators, online mystery shoppers and many others.
- TELUS Digital accepts a 3.6 stars reviews on Glassdoor.com.
8. Welocalize
Welocalize is hiring for a wide variety of remote jobs, including Quality Assessors, Reviewers, Analysts, Web Search Evaluators, translatorsand others. To find positions you qualify for, select your country and language from the search inputs. Each project has different qualification requirements and pay rates, but most positions allow you to work whenever you want.
- Welocalize gets a 3.5 stars rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
What are the pros and cons of search engine rankings?
For:
- The schedule and workload are flexible.
- You are your own boss.
- No technical expertise is required.
- The pay is decent for this type of online work.
- No software or special equipment is required.
- You don’t need a college degree.
- No phone work required.
disadvantages:
- Working hours may be limited.
- The work is project-based, so there may be a wait between projects.
- You will not be guaranteed hours.
- As an independent contractor, you will be responsible for your taxes.
- Projects can end unexpectedly and without notice.
Is search engine ranking a good work from home job?
Now that you know what a search engine evaluator does, what you need to get started, how much it pays, and you’ve considered the pros and cons of the industry – what do you think? Are you willing to give it a try?
If you are looking for one extra incomelots of flexibility, no start-up costs and minimal prerequisites, then this job opportunity could be perfect for you. To make it work, just put some plans in place for downtime between projects or, if contracts suddenly end, perhaps with some other flexible work from home. That’s the beauty of working from home: You can have more than one source of income to suit your needs and lifestyle!
If you’re looking for a way to turn this into a full-time job, you might want to consider becoming an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) specialist. Learn more about becoming a domestic here SEO specialist!
Originally published on June 22, 2020. Content updated September 2024.
