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Although many people have heard of the term ‘crowdsourcing’, few really appreciate how the concept is revolutionizing many creative business’s tasks and fewer still realize the rewards for contributing ideas and concepts which can be substantial. Here I will examine a few areas where crowdsourcing is becoming a major business and marketing model and how you, as an individual, can capitalize from being part of the crowd.

Here is a quick précis of how a company may use some crowdsourcing resources and how an individual like you could benefit from contributing.

To begin with, a business needs a strong identity. Building a brand is one of the most profitable things a business can do for the long term. Working traditionally, a business would enlist the services of a specialist agency. This could cost many thousands of dollars.

The crowdsourcing alternative would be to turn to a company like Picky Domains. This is an established crowdsourcing service that boasts over 50,000 contributors. These contributors put forward their ideas for domain names and slogans. If the client likes a suggestion, then they pay only $50 for the domain name or $75 for a slogan. This is peanuts to what it would be charged by an agency and it is also risk free as the client only pays if an idea is accepted.

The contributor who submits an accepted idea gets a very generous percentage of the sale. If you have a creative mind and can come up with good suggestions, there could be a good second income opportunity by being a part of PickyDomain’s crowd.

This concept is not just limited to ideas. IStock Photos deals in images, audio clips and video clips. Contributors submit their work and are rewarded when images or clips are taken by webmasters. This is a resource favored by bloggers as there is a constant demand for images to liven up blog posts and increase the SEO value of the blog.

There are other services that specialize in design, website makeovers, advertisement creation and much, much more. All of these services are harnessing the power and creativity of the crowd. Here are some examples.

99Designs.com brings together over 40,000 designers from all over the world. Here you can get deigns for logos, buttons, even entire site projects. The client gets a professional job at a very competitive price. Contributors get a generous payout and can add to their CV.

If a website is looking a little tired and dated or your product or service needs a marketing boost, then there is a specialized service offered by ReDesignme.com. Their crowd will take your project apart and re-build it. Marketing, market research, design are all covered.

For those who want some professional ad agency sparkle added to their business, then rather than approaching expensive agencies in London or New York, they may find that they get a bargain at PopTent.net. This is a network of videographers, advertising directors, actors and specialist animators. Getting an ad made by independent contractors here will offer amazing value for money.
Is outsourcing to freelancers on these sites right for your business? Well, you have nothing to lose by trying them out. You may get a better result for a bargain price.

Is being a contributor right for you? There is no risk to being involved with any number of ‘crowds’ and, if you enjoy doing something why not get paid for it? Take a look at your skill sets and you will certainly find a profitable crowd to join and be able to start contributing for dollars.

The author, Barry Rodgers is a writer, blogger and internet marketing consultant.