How Mahalo Works

Mahalo is a human-powered search engine and a knowledge sharing service. Mahalo aims to help users from all corners of the Internet quickly find the most accurate possible information on any topic. Mahalo users are encouraged to join Mahalo and share their expertise in exchange for Mahalo Dollars, which is a virtual currency that can be used both around the site and within the Mahalo Store. This page can be the start off point for every new Mahalo user as it offers manuals to all of the features found within Mahalo.com.

Mahalo works by tipping it's users for providing accurate and helpful internet research. Anybody can get started at earning for research by Answering questions for Mahalo.

Introduction: The Three Corners of Mahalo

Mahalo is a human-powered search engine. All information you find on Mahalo is created and curated by members of the Mahalo Community. Mahalo "Guides", or freelancers that write for Mahalo system, earn US$ for their writing contributions to the site. In Mahalo Answers, the Q&A section of Mahalo, users are rewarded in "Mahalo Dollars" for their work contributing "Best Answers" to questions posed in the system. Check out How Mahalo Dollars Work to learn how to earn and redeem Mahalo's virtual currency.

There are two main money-making components to Mahalo. Each is relatively unique and users can participate at their own leisure in each area. Here are the two main Mahalo areas you can become familiar with. User manuals are posted in the recommended order of reading.

1.Mahalo Answers:

This is the main community hub. Users come here to ask and answer questions about anything. Every question offers a monetary tip for the answerer who provides the best answer, and there are often contests that users old and new are invited to participate in.

Must Read Guides Include

2. Writing for Mahalo as a "Mahalo Guide":

Topic pages on Mahalo.com are written by Mahalo "editors", our team of top-notch, freelance writers. Mahalo users must apply to become a Guide, who are expected to be honest, trustworthy sources for information on the topics they cover.

Must Read Guides Include

Get To Know Your Mahalo Profile

To get to your Mahalo profile, click anywhere you see your username on the site. You can always find your username in the upper right hand corner of Mahalo Answers. There are 6 main elements of your user profile:

1. Your profile image - This is the image that will be associated with your username. The default avatar image is one you share with every new user. We encourage you to upload your own profile image. Many Mahaloians found their avatar images at Weeworld.com or on the the South Park avatar creator. After you create the avatar simply save it to your computer and use our "upload" option.

2. The Direct Question box - Users can ask you questions from your profile. This is mostly used by Mahalo staff members to contact users.

3. You can edit your biographical information and link to profiles you have across the web, like Twitter and Facebook.

4. Tabs - This is an informative section that updates you on all your activity on the site.

Recent Activity: This shows the latest interactions with you on Mahalo Answers.
Answers: This is where you find your Mahalo Answers history
Tasks: This is where you find you Mahalo Tasks history
Pages Managed: This keeps track of all the Mahalo pages that you manage. It will show you how much revenue they have earned and how long it has been since you updated each page.
Payments: Here you can request to payout your balance.

6. Stats - There are two types of statistics listed in this section, first your "Q&A" stats which adds up your public Mahalo Answers activity. The 2nd section "Site Activity" lists your Mahalo Search and page management stats. Your settings are also here, as well as your friends.

Belts and Points

Any significant action you take on Mahalo Answers is worth points.

A brand-new Mahalo user starts out with a White Belt. As you contribute information to Mahalo pages or participate in Mahalo Answers, you will earn points that allow you to "level up" to higher belt levels. 100 points gets you your yellow belt, 500 earns you a green belt and 2,000 gets you a purple belt. There are brown and black belts as well, and these will require not only that you earn 8,000 and 13,000 points, respectively, but that you pass an evaluation by Mahalo's staff and community based on your overall positive contributions to the site.

View previous Brown Belt Tests Here, View previous Black Belt Tests Here

To learn more about Mahalo Belts and Points check out this in depth information page on the topic. Higher belts are worth more access and privileges on Mahalo.

Mahalo Dollars

(1) Mahalo Answers: Many questions on Mahalo Answers have tips attached. If you answer the question, and your answer is chosen as the "Best Answer" for that question - either by the person who asked the question or the community - we will deposit the tip into your Mahalo account.

Users can spend their hard-earned Mahalo Dollars in the Mahalo Store, which stocks a hearty supply of gift cards and goodies, as well charitable contribution opportunities.

Widgets

Individual and informative widgets are available for every Mahalo Topic page, and can be found in the "About this page" section in the bottom right-hand corner. When you place these widgets on your website or blog, it will help to draw traffic to your page, and of course advertising revenue as well. This can be a great way to market and promote Mahalo pages. You will also be paid M$1 for every 1,000 views to your embedded Mahalo page widget, provided you follow all the guidelines.

Mahalo Dollar payouts for widget views are made with Mahalo's sole discretion, and must be based on legitimate use of the widgets. This would include targeted placement of Mahalo page widgets on high-quality content sites.

The Mahalo widget should not be placed within toolbars. As well, the widget should never be placed alongside illegal or inappropriate content. All content featured alongside the widget should resemble Mahalo content - helpful, high-quality and original writing and features that enhance the user's Web experience and provide relevant information.

For more information about using and embedding Mahalo Widgets, check out our Mahalo Widgets guide.