ChaCha Review

Today I'm going to be reviewing one of the companies I first started using to earn income working from home. ChaCha (http://www.chacha.com/), much like KGB, is a SMS text message answering service. Basically, you text them a question and they send you back an answer. Unlike KGB, using ChaCha is free (standard messaging rates apply) because they make their profits from advertisements sent back to the customer. ChaCha also allows users to submit questions through their website, a toll free phone number, or an iPhone app.

The process of answering the questions is handled by several different guide roles. Most workers have one or two of these roles. The current roles are Expediter, Specialist, Vetter, and Affiliate. Workers are hired as independent contractors and can select to have their pay direct deposited once per month or have their ChaCha balance transfered over to a special debit card at any time (there is a fee of $2.00 per transfer).

Most questions come to the Expediter (EX) first. The EX answers simple questions with tools provide by ChaCha such as definition finders, movie listings, horoscopes, and business listings. They also quickly edit answers to questions that have been asked before. Finally, for more complicated questions they succinct and edit the original question and pass it on to a Specialist. Expediters are paid $0.02 per completed question, regardless of the method of completion.

Specialists (GE/SP) answer the more complicated questions asked by customers. After receiving the question from the EX they use whatever research tools they deem necessary to provide an answer to the customer. This process is more time consuming than other roles. Specialists are paid between $0.10 and $0.20 per question depending on the category.

Vetter (VT) is the newest role available at ChaCha. ChaCha has usage limits on questions for Expediters and Specialists. To provide answers to customers who have exceeded these limits ChaCha developed a program where users can submit answers to questions online. The VT selects and briefly edits the answers provided by the community to send a suitable answer back to the customer. Vetters are paid $0.005 per question (yes, that's half a cent). Vetter is by far the fastest pace role and is recommended for people with fast load times to maximize earning potential.

Finally, Affiliate is the rarest role at ChaCha. Affiliates are hand selected and have never had open applications. They handle questions from special business partners of ChaCha. The role currently pays $0.17 per question, but it is expected to decrease after the program is further developed and traffic is increased.

Obviously ChaCha shouldn't be considered a full time job (though there are a few people who use it as such). Most workers average $3-$6 an hour, but with efficient work, good system traffic, and utilizing bonuses it's possible to make close to $10 per hour. However, there is no guaranteed hourly rate. You are paid by the question (with occasional bonuses) and your hourly earnings will depend on your abilities, system traffic, and promotional bonuses. You can work as many or as few hours as you want, so there is a ton of flexibility.

I have had, and continue to have, a good experience working with ChaCha. I work exclusively in the Expediter role because I enjoy the pace. It's a pretty fun and easy way to make extra money in your spare time. Many workers play games or watch TV while they're working (unless system traffic is very high).

I hope this review has been helpful! If you are interested in working with ChaCha, leave a comment and I'll help you out with the application process.



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