Microsoft resumes payments for using Bing

Despite the failure of the Cashback system, Microsoft continues to experiment with the concept of user rewards. This time, a reward is promised to people using the Bing search service.

The Bing Rewards program offers users to earn points for using a search engine, and then change their virtual points to various real products. To join the program, you need to download the Bing Bar and use it to join the Bing Reward program using your Windows Live ID. Bing Bar displays offers that allow users to earn points, and also counts them.

You can earn points in various ways: for searching using Bing, setting Bing as the default search in the browser, or testing new search engine capabilities. Registration in the system immediately brings 250 points.

The program offers many things for which you can exchange points: DVD, dishes, gift certificates of restaurants, digital cameras, etc. You can also use points to make donations to charities. So 100 points gives 1 $ donation. Points can also be redeemed for Microsoft Points to make purchases on Xbox and Zune.

Unfortunately, the program has the status of a pilot and so far is available only in the USA, although everyone can get acquainted with it.

The launch of Bing Rewards followedthe closure of the Bing Cashback program in late July. The old program offered online shoppers online shopping after searching through Bing. Announcing the suspension of the Cashback project, Microsoft said the service was not well distributed.

The idea of ​​rewarding Bing users is one of the things that "bequeathed" before leaving Bill Gates. While at the helm of a company, he often talked about the idea of ​​rewarding users in some way, for example, for using a proprietary search engine.

Since its launch last year, Bing has been slowly and gradually increasing its market share. According to Nielsen , by August 2010, Bing's share of the search engine market had grown by 30% compared to last year and amounted to 13.9%.

via Computerworld