This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure page for details. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
WHAT IS IT? A Social Media Evaluator provides feedback about social media posts and trends.
WHO’S HIRING?
Both companies hire Social Media Evaluators on an “as needed” basis. If you do not find social media jobs listed, consider the other Rater positions.
HOW MUCH DOES IT PAY? Due to an ironclad confidentiality agreement, I am not at liberty to give a specific dollar amount. I can say that the pay is hourly and it is higher than basic national minimum wage in the US.
In other words, by and large, it pays better than retail. This is a contract position, meaning Appen does not take taxes out of your paychecks. Employees, thus, are responsible for filing all taxes themselves with an Appen issued 1099 tax form. The pay for this position is once a month.
HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK? When I held this position, I worked 20 hours a week. I had some flexibility in what time of day I worked, but I was required to work 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. I was not allowed to skip a day and make up the hours the next day.
Different contracts have different requirements, though. Once you apply and are offered a position, they will send a link to the project’s “Terms of Service” that will lay out specifically what the time requirements are.
WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR? Appen is looking for candidates who are active on social media, have strong written communication skills, and have the ability to work independently.
This position is a work-from-home job that requires high speed internet access, a computer that is less than three years old (no tablets), and an up-to-date operating system. Sometimes there are positions available to be worked from a phone.
As of this writing, Appen is hiring in the US, China, and numerous specific countries in Europe. Residency and fluent language skills are a must.
Training can be rather tedious in terms of time and self-studying. You must study the material sent upon signing a contract. After learning the material, you must pass a qualifying test in order to actually start work.
The training is unpaid, but the scope of the training really does prepare you for the scope of work you will see on a daily basis. It is worth taking the time in training to get things right, because that will lead to success on the job.
WHAT DOES THE AVERAGE DAY LOOK LIKE? My first social media evaluator job looked very different from the ones I know of now, so I can’t say that an “average day” even exists.
In most cases, though, you will be required to log in and complete tasks related to the training. More often than not, I see requirements for a certain number of hours a day and a certain minimum number of days a week.
I find the nature of this work changes often, as I’ve had 3 different contracts in this field and the scope of my work was different each time. Even if I had a definite account to tell, my confidentiality agreement would prevent me from saying anything here.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I held my first contract for eight months in 2015. I ended the contract myself in order to focus more on my family and the kids’ homeschooling. I somewhat enjoyed my time with Appen and I consistently earned right at $1000 a month.
Though monotonous, the work was not difficult and I picked up quickly on the formula they were looking for to complete that assignment. I will say that I became a bit annoyed with social media as a whole because of this position.
That isn’t a bad thing, I guess. Ever since ending my contract, I spend much less time perusing Facebook and Twitter throughout my day. The summer of 2015 was monumental for social media! Bruce transitioned to Caitlyn; Dolly Madison was hacked and names were leaked; the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. Needless to say, by the time I ended my contract in 2015, I had had my fill of social media debate drama!
I have heard some people on the internet complaining that they were unable to complete this work in the time allotted, or that they received numerous criticisms about their work.
Honestly, I never had those issues and I can only theorize that those individuals simply never “clicked” with the formula. I would recommend this position to anyone looking for a part-time, work-at-home position. The work is steady and the pay is more than decent.
ROUNDUP OF PROS AND CONS
Pros:
*set amount of work (so you know exactly what you need to do each day)
*pays better than retail
*fairly simple requirements (no college degree needed, easy-to-meet tech requirements)
Cons:
*work can be a bit monotonous
*not as flexible as some other work-at-home positions
*only get paid once a month
Have you worked as a Social Media Evaluator? If you have time, please add your thoughts, opinions, and tips in the comment section below. Thanks!
