Is there a google answers?

Why do people use Google Answers?

• Why do people use Google Answers? Now, let me clarify. I have learned alot from reading answers to questions here and it is amazing the pure amount of data, trivial and otherwise, that is out there. However, a large of the answers provide are found using basic search engine queries. An example is when someone asks a question and the researcher provides an and answer and their search terms used were taken directly from the question itself. Now, there are several that show obvious heavy duty investigation and research by the researchers. I do not mean, in any way, to belittle the work done by researchers. What I am asking is why would someone pay anywhere from two to five to ten dollars for someone to answer their question when, had they simply typed their question within Google, or used quotes, they would have found it on their own at no cost. Admittedly, I have used GA for a couple of questions that I probably could have found the information for, but I did it for one of two reasons: 1) I simply did not have the time and it was worth a small investment to have someone find the information for me, or 2) I was just lazy. So, is it laziness, lack of time, curiosity, lack of search engine (Google is specific) usage skills or what? Think about it. Unless there has been some marketing that I am unaware of, the only way to find GA is through a search on Google in the first place. Yes, I know, this question is a perfect example of what I am talking about, but I am curious as to what the researchers, haveing seen 1000's of questions, feel the percentage of questions were answered with basic search engine skills. I look forward to the responses

• Answer:

  tar_heel_v-ga, First of all, I think you generally answered your own question to some degree when you site Questioner lack of time, laziness, and lack of more advanced search skills. But I will add a few things here which you may consider when pondering why people use Google Answers and other Q&A pay services. There are gradations of complexity in the Questions posed to the GA service. As you point out, many Questions priced $10 and less may oftentimes be answered by entering the keywords from the question itself, and visiting a few sites on the page one results, and pasting excerpts to the Question, citing them properly, and adding a bit of explanation to put it in context. [Note: It is this concept which fuels my AnswerBot idea which will operate by automatically inserting the nouns and verbs from a Question title into the Google search engine, locating the first paragaraph from each of the first five links of the page one Google search results, and copying-and-pasting this information to the Answer box for that Question--look for my Question WIFS #1B--Technology, coming soon (also see WIFS# 1A: Human Resources still posted and awating an Answer)]. To directly answer your question, I'd say that 90% of all $10 and under Questions can be answered through basic searches. Now, what percentage of all posted GA Questions are in the $10 and under range, I do not know (although I'd like to), but I suspect it's around 70%. For the people asking these $10 and under questions, I'm sure the reason for not finding the answer themselves has to do with laziness, lack of time, or just a complete lack of computer/internet savvy. Keep in mind that the account holder is not necessarily the person asking the question--they may be doing someone else with no computer skills whatsoever a favor. Also, and no one has touched on this yet--I think another reason for paying people to find answers which are easy to find might be that of corroboration. If the accuracy of the question is extremely important to the Asker (and this is especially true of the market research questions where Askers may be using the information gleaned to seek funding for business ventures), then even if they already found the answer themselves, they may be willing to pay money to feel corroborated (or use as "independently verified data" in a business meeting) when somone else who is completely objective comes up with the same answer. This will also apply to questions priced over $10, now that I think of it, and may be the rationale behind pricing a seemingly "easy" Question at a fairly high dollar amount. [Also note that pricing a quesiton higher tends to increase the likelihood it will be answered in a short period of time]. GA may provide a sense of security to those who think they have the right answer to a pressing question, but just want someone else to concur with them. Consider further that even if you are capable of finding the Answer to a Question, if you have 2 or 3 or 4 or more Questions you need answered "yesterday," then you're going to want some assistance. The following link is to a site which reviews the more popular premium Q&A services, including GA: http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/product/66665.html By perusing these reviews, you will get a sense of what it is customers (i.e. Questioners) are seeking, generally speaking. To sum up, I'd say the answer to your question is, a combination of lack of internet/computer skills, lack of time, corroboration and plain old laziness. (i.e., human nature). Google search strategy: Keywords "google answers reviews" ://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=google+answers+reviews Good luck in continuing your inquiries! ~omniscientbeing-ga