Earning money simply by giving your opinion about websites? Yes, it’s about as simple as that, but there are a couple of things you need to know before you start. So here I’m going to tell you how you can make money from home while helping website and app creators.
- Here's the program
- How to test a website or an app?
- Who can become a tester?
- How do I get started as a tester?
- How much can you expect to earn?
- Conclusion
- EcoTips
How to test a website or an app?
The way to test a website, an online store, or an application can vary according to the needs of the creator. Basically, the tester must be able to bring an external and objective look on the use of a website or an app, and know how to answer simple questions such as:
- Is the interface intuitive and easy to use?
- Is the purpose of the website clear?
- Does the website make you want to come back?
- etc.
The answers to these questions are important because they will allow the developers to know what is wrong, what the strengths and weaknesses are, and therefore what needs to be improved.
The tester is an “average” person, who is there to give an external view that represents the target audience, but he can also bring an expert view, if he is skilled in a particular field such as web design, SEO, UI experience, etc. A tester who is also an expert in digital marketing, for example, will be able to give a complete evaluation of the site’s ergonomics, the level of optimization, and the quality of the messages the site wants to convey.
Beyond the simple analysis, some testers even provide solutions to help improve the site or application. They can propose to optimize the SEO, to boost the referencing, to proceed to modifications in the structure of the HTML, to help with a visual reorganization or to fix possible bugs they would have spotted.
Who can become a tester?
Anyone can become a tester for a website, an application or an online store. However, some profiles are more sought after than others. In terms of qualifications, for example, someone who has studied marketing can bring a definite advantage to the analysis. A person with a good knowledge of law can also help in several areas, such as verifying a site’s compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
People who have already managed a website or who have designed apps before also have an advantage. Similarly, testers who regularly consult sites of the same kind as the one they are invited to test will have the advantage of already being familiar with the elements that make a site or an app successful or not.
However, the eyes of a neophyte user can also be an asset! For an online store, for example, the majority of customers are just people with no particular skills in the areas of web or mobile applications. It is therefore this particular type of profile that can be sought to have an objective opinion regarding the process of product research, purchase, payment, etc.
In addition, it is better to be curious and open-minded, but also to have easy social contact for this kind of activity. You must also have a computer and a smartphone, of course, but especially a stable and fast Internet connection.
And if you’re just starting out, don’t worry too much because in most cases, you’ll get instructions to follow. Sponsors often have quite specific needs and will explain everything in detail. In the meantime, the graphic below shows the main points to test a website correctly.
The main points to check on a website or an appHow do I get started as a tester?
If you want to become a tester yourself, a first option is to go through specialized platforms because they will allow you to start quite quickly. These platforms are not very numerous, but I propose this selection of the most popular ones.
- Usertesting – Lang : EN/FR/DE
- Testingtime – Lang : EN/FR/DE/NL
- Userfeel.com – Lang : EN/FR/DE + 12 autres langues
- Userzoom – Lang : EN/ES/DE
- Testapic – Lang : FR/EN/ES
- Ferpection – Lang : FR/EN
- Utest – Lang : EN
- Userlytics – Lang : EN
- Trymata.com – Lang : EN
- EnrollApp – Lang : EN
The payouts vary depending on various factors but generally range from $1.50 for a quick little test to $10 for a more complex and in-depth test. This changes regularly so the best thing to do is to go directly to the site to see what they are offering at the moment. You should also know that some sites will propose you to install an application (computer or mobile) to start the tests.
The other option is to use a freelance marketplace. The advantage here is that you set the price and the conditions of your services, and you will also be in direct contact with the client or owner of the site or app to be tested.
Among the most famous and reliable freelance marketplaces, there are:
- Fiverr – Lang : EN/FR/DE/ES/PT/IT/NL
- UpWork – Lang : EN
- Freelancer – Lang : EN
- PeoplePerHour – Lang : EN
How much can you expect to earn?
As I said, it is difficult to give an exact figure, because the missions can be very different and their frequency can vary. On Fiverr, the people offering this kind of service charge about 20 to 30 dollars for a complete analysis of a site. On Userlynx, you are offered a minimum payment of 5 dollars per 5-minute test, and 8 dollars for tests lasting 15 to 20 minutes. For testers who propose solutions to problems discovered, the remuneration can vary greatly, but some ask up to 200 dollars for basic modifications.
Be aware, however, that the demand for this kind of service is usually not very high, especially compared to other services such as text translation or article writing, for example. For this reason, this option should be seen as a complementary activity, unless you really have skills in SEO, design, etc., in which case you might have a lot of requests, especially on freelance marketplaces. The more professional experience you have, and therefore, the more precise your expertise, the higher your rates can be.
Well, it doesn’t pay much, but at least you can work at the beach.Conclusion
Testing websites, applications, or online stores is therefore an activity that can allow you to earn some money by staying at home and doing tests that can vary in duration. However, don’t expect to earn astronomical amounts with this job, but rather a complementary income. And if you are really passionate about this activity and would like to make a living out of it, accumulate the necessary skills and offer your services on Fiverr or UpWork.
Finally, you should know that some specialized sites offer other services such as the evaluation of models and prototypes, videos, business networks, advertisements, and other online material. There are also sites specialized in testing physical products and even various services, but that will be the subject of another article because there is also a lot to say on this subject, and there are also big differences with what I just told you about.
EcoTips
Environmental and climate change issues are more than ever at the heart of the concerns of this 21st century, which is why I am proposing a few ideas that will enable you to limit the negative impact that the implementation of this idea could have.
These solutions that I suggest are sometimes largely insufficient to compensate for these negative impacts, such as carbon offsetting. Unfortunately, there is not always an ideal and 100% efficient solution, far from it. And if you have others, please do not hesitate to share them in the comments below.
The main thing that can cause any problem here is of course the computer. If you have one, try to keep it as long as possible before changing. If it’s a little slow, simply resetting it, adding some RAM and/or an SSD drive can help. You’ll see that the result will be spectacular. And then get it fixed if it’s broken. In most cases, the problem will be minor and inexpensive.
Pros
- An activity you can do at home or anywhere, as long as you have a network connection.
- No skills required, but if you have some, it’s a plus.
- Stress-free work.
Cons
- Random income depending on the market but also on your skills
Info
- Location: At home or elsewhere
- Investment: None if you have a laptop and a smartphone
- Earnings perspective: Variable, but globally low.
- Required: Good analytical and synthetic skills to make your report.
- Risk level: Quite low
- Implementation time: Fairly quick, depending on the solution you choose.
- Material needed: A computer (PC or MAC, it doesn’t matter), and a smartphone to test the apps (if you have iOS and Android, that’s great). Eventually a tablet too.
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