5 Online Platforms Crowdsourcing for Your Business Worries

The distinction that makes crowdsourcing a better alternative to outsourcing is that the problem gets solved better and abundant ideas come to the fore for practically no cost

Intellectual inclusion is a smart approach to solving a problem. Why stick to certain minds and treat their ideas as sacrosanct, when a lot of better ideas can flow from common people. The symbol of Indian Rupee is a classic example. It was created through a contest where the public was invited to send their entries for a symbol that would reflect the Indian culture and ethos. Five signs were selected from over three thousand entries and the current symbol was finalized by the Union Council of Ministers. This is an excellent example of outsourcing a commission to the masses. In simple terms, that is what crowdsourcing is all about.

Wikipedia was the first and the most visited online crowdsourcing platform where shared knowledge has the potential to match established encyclopedias like Britannica. It is run by Wikimedia Foundation and has 23 million articles contributed by volunteers in more than 285 languages.

Facebook: Recently, a theater troupe was staging a play on RO Narayan’s Guide and they needed a young girl to play the heroine. They invited young actors through Facebook for the role and with this they not only got a suitable actress to complete their play but they also saved the cost of advertising. The social networking site has more than 800 million users. Facebook is increasingly being used by media houses to engage with readers to know their instant reaction. Companies use Facebook to hire people from their fan list. Contest and share your experience about a certain product is also a way of engaging and interacting with readers so that one can work to fulfill their expectations.

YouTube: The online video portal needs no introduction for the online users. Videos are

uploaded every minute and this is a potential area for crowdsourcing. Recently, NASA initiated a project called Space Lab in collaboration with YouTube for teenage students, under which they are invited to upload videos of their experiments on YouTube.

One billion Minds:

One billion minds is a popular website cum forum where a problem is put up and the members, which can be anybody, can help solve the issue through suggestions. People, non-profits or companies related to science, technology, design, business and social innovation can use this as a dais to have their problems addressed for free.

iStockphoto: An online photo website where amateur photographers can upload their photos and get royalty on the number of downloads. The photos are uploaded with keywords under different categories. It is then analyzed for quality, utility and copyright. The images are available for download at very low costs and the contributors receive a commission of between 15% and 40% of each sale.

Guru.com: It is a freelance website where companies from any sector, be it IT, legal or fashion, can find freelance workers to get their job done. Once the work is done, freelancers are securely paid through a SafePay system by the employers. Besides the allowance, it also allows freelance workers to broadcast their skills and experiences in the market which would mean more commissions.

Do you know of any other crowdsourcing service that deserves a mention here? Do write back at pcquest@cybermedia.co.in with your suggestions.