You’ve got Questions? Google’s Got Answers

Got a question you can’t find the answer to? On any subject? You need Google Answers, one of the most underutilized and underappreciated of Google’s vast set of tools.

Google Answers is staffed by 500 carefully chosen research experts. They may or may not be experts in any particular field, but they are expert in finding answers on the web. They are paid by the answer, and since there is a money-back guarantee, they aim to please. And, they are fast–answers can come within hours.

You have to pay to ask a question, but if your time is valuable, it’s worth it. It could cost as little as a cup of coffee. But, before you open your wallet you can search to see if it’s already been answered, and if so get the answer for free!

Taking a Look Around

Before you ask a question, make sure you search the past questions and answers to see if someone else had already asked the same thing. There are thousands of answered questions in their database; it’s likely that you could find the answer you need. Just enter your keywords into the search field and take a look. Or, you can browse through the categories and subcategories and search within them for a more narrow query. The following is a screenshot of portion of a subcategory page. Better yet, you can also click this link to see the Business and Money > Finance subcategory page, for an example.

Asking Your Question

If you don’t find your answer, it’s time to formally open a question (and your wallet). But first, you should read the Google Answers FAQ, particularly the sections on asking a question and pricing a question. It’s important the the question be asked clearly, and that it be priced correctly–the FAQ has some very good information on this.

The price you are willing to pay can be anywhere between $2 and $200. The price should be based upon the amount of effort it will take the researcher to answer your question. Don’t be cheap if you want an answer and you want it fast. Again, the FAQ has some good guidelines for pricing. In addition to the FAQ, the Google Answers Help and Tips has further information for asking questions, and for setting the price.

The best way to get a sense of pricing is to browse the answered questions and see what others have paid. For example, someone paid $200 for this detailed question about a Las Vegas Hotel Development. At the other end of the spectrum, someone paid $2 to ask the question of why are women better than men as supermarket checkout clerks.

After submitting your question, the researcher may ask you to clarify something, you may ask him to clarify his answer, readers may chime in with their own answers or comments, or your question may go unanswered. If answered and you are not satisfied, you can ask for a refund. If unanswered, it means no one thought the question worth their time for the price offered. You might then consider raising the price, changing the category or improving your question.

Just Use it for Fun

Whether or not you actually have a question to ask Google Answers, it’s still a kick to go through the questions and answers. Some are very informative, and some are outright hilarious.