Spinfield: Web marketing trends today, tomorrow, and beyond…

It’s simple: if you are reading this you are using the Internet. While on the Internet, there is a very good chance that you will use a search engine to check the news, stocks, do research, or be entertained. If you are going to use a search engine, why not use one that is going to benefit a charity just by using it?

There is nothing you have to sign up for, and no bill will be sent to your home. You search the Web just as if you were using your regular favorite search engine and still receive the results you expect. In fact, most of the search engines that donate to charity are run by and are connected to the major search engines you know and love, including Yahoo! and Google.

You may not have the money to donate to a charity or good cause, but by using these search engines you are given the opportunity to contribute. These sites all work a little differently from one another, but have one common goal: to help make a difference.

Some of the programs donate the money made through advertising, while others give a certain percentage for each search. Some of the sites let the user choose what charity they are donating to each time, while others choose charities by having users of the site vote.

Each charitable search site contains information on its home page about which charities it donates to and how it works.

You might want to find a charitable search page that best suits you and make it your homepage. And, don’t forget to pass the information on to your colleagues and friends.

Listed below are a few of the search engines available that donate to charities.

• SearchKindly: Google. Donates 100% of all money raised through advertising to charities.

• GoodSearch: Yahoo!. 50% of it’s revenue is donated to charities and/or schools.

• EveryClick: Ask.com. 50% of revenue per month is donated to a charity.

• Ripple: Google. 100% of revenue goes directly to charity to help fight poverty.

• MagicTaxi: Yahoo!, kelkoo, Wikipedia, Travel and e-mail. 50% of the advertising revenue is donated.

There are many more out there. You can find a list of the top sites at Gavin Hudson’s Green Options blog.

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