Web Marketing Strategy Update

Considering your first crowdsourcing venture? Already seasoned crowdsourcing veteran? Either way, there are now literally hundreds of opportunities at your disposal. Here’s our pick of five not-to-be-missed crowdsourcing sites that you should pay a visit.

crowdsourcing.org

This is a one-stop shop for all things crowdsourcing. crowdsourcing.org is one of the most comprehensive crowdsourcing resources with a home page that provides a running, up-to-date log of literally hundreds of crowdsourcing stories, articles and case studies. You’ll have access to live chats, research results, industry event announcements and more. Best of all, here you will find the web’s largest and most comprehensive directory of crowdsourcing and crowdfunding web sites—totaling 1,801 and counting. Within that list you can drill down to find exactly what you are searching for including Cloud Labor, Crowd Creativity, Crowdfunding, and more (with subcategories within each.)

Image by tsevis

crowdSPRING

crowdSPRING refers to itself as the “The world’s number-one marketplace for logos and graphic design.” Well-designed and easy to use, crowdspring.com allows you to name your price, then sit back as their pool of nearly 111,000 talented creatives participates in your project. In the end, you will be choosing from an average of more than 110 custom designs. Clients are offered a money back guarantee, making this a fast way to buy custom design and writing services without much risk. A full 96 percent of customers would recommend crowdspring.com which is a sign the site must be doing something right.

BIZReef

BIZReef is an online freelance marketplace founded in 2007, that enables customers to outsource assignments to screened and rated freelancers in web design, programming, graphics, writing, translation and more. Once you create an account, you can publish a project that will be seen online. Freelancers interested in working for you will make contact, offering their services. You can then choose the freelancer you wish to hire and decide how you want to communicate and process payments for the job paying the freelancer directly or through BIZReef. Your money is transferred from escrow to the freelancer only after you approve the work.

vWorker

When you post your project to vWorker (formerly rentacoder.com), it will be distributed to several hundred thousand workers around the world. Within 24 hours you can expect to read at least a dozen bids on average. You can make a more informed decision about applicants on this site than on some others since you choose a worker by reviewing each bidder’s responses, resume, certifications and previous work history (including comments and ratings left by previous employers). You will not be charged a fee for posting—there are no fees charged to employers. A percentage comes out of the worker’s payment. This site gets a shot of credibility from the press it has received, which includes features/mentions in Forbes, on the CBS and FOX networks and Entrepreneur.com.

Ideavibes

Even among these progressive crowdsourcing options, Ideavibes offers an interesting approach. This site offers an innovative software platform that enables organizations to solicit feedback and seek funding from targeted online audiences. Clients are able to launch a campaign hosted by Ideavibes and incorporated into his or her own website. Social media sites are utilized as a part of the plan to generate buzz and reach more pointed groups.

Minerva Smith is a technical writer for an army heaters manufacturer. To ensure accuracy in her work she uses the technical writing feature of Grammarly grammar checker.