Good morning, and thank you for attending. Today, we will delve into a topic that has garnered significant public interest, particularly on knowledge-sharing platforms like Zhihu: the routine and reality of making money by watching advertisements. Our objective is to provide a clear, objective, and accurate breakdown of this practice, separating the operational mechanics from the often-exaggerated financial potential. **Defining the Practice** At its core, "making money by watching ads" refers to a digital micro-task model where users are compensated, typically with small amounts of money, points, or in-app currency, for viewing commercial advertisements, promotional videos, or completing simple, ad-related actions. These actions can include clicking on a link, installing a promoted application, or engaging with the ad for a specified duration. This model is not unique to any single platform but has become a subject of extensive discussion, analysis, and skepticism on Zhihu, where users share their experiences and data-driven evaluations. **The Standard Operational Routine** The daily routine for an individual engaged in this activity follows a predictable, repetitive pattern. It is a process of converting time and attention into incremental digital earnings. 1. **Platform Selection and Onboarding:** The first step involves discovering and registering on platforms that offer such services. On Zhihu, countless questions and articles are dedicated to reviewing these platforms, with users listing and ranking them based on payout rates, withdrawal thresholds, and legitimacy. Common types include dedicated "reward apps," features within larger shopping or gaming apps, and websites affiliated with advertising networks. The onboarding process often involves a small sign-up bonus to incentivize new users. 2. **The Core Earning Cycle:** Once registered, the user's routine begins. This typically involves: * **Browsing the Task List:** The user opens the app or website to a dashboard filled with available tasks. These are usually short video ads (15-30 seconds), interactive banners, or offers to install a new game. * **Engagement and Viewing:** The user selects a task and watches the advertisement in its entirety. Some platforms require a click to confirm engagement or a tap to proceed to a website. The key requirement is that the user must not close the window or app before the timer expires. * **Crediting of Rewards:** Upon successful completion, a small reward is instantly credited to the user's in-app wallet. This is typically a minuscule amount, ranging from a few cents to, at most, a few tens of cents per task when converted to local currency. * **Repetition:** This cycle is repeated for as long as the user has available tasks or patience. Most platforms impose daily limits on the number of ads a user can watch to prevent exploitation and manage their advertising inventory. 3. **The Withdrawal Process:** Accumulated earnings are not immediately accessible as cash. Platforms set a minimum withdrawal threshold. This is a critical aspect of the model. A user might need to accumulate the equivalent of $5, $10, or even $20 before they can transfer funds to a digital wallet or bank account. Reaching this threshold through micro-tasks alone can take days or weeks of consistent effort. **The Role of Zhihu as an Information Hub** Zhihu has become the primary arena for dissecting this practice in the Chinese internet sphere. It functions not as a platform that directly offers these tasks, but as a massive repository of user-generated analysis. The discourse on Zhihu is characterized by its data-driven and often critical nature. * **Experience Sharing:** Users post detailed "road-test" reports, documenting their journey with specific apps. They track the time invested, the number of ads watched, and the final earnings over a week or a month. These posts provide raw data that is far more reliable than the platforms' own marketing claims. * **Efficiency Calculations:** A prominent theme on Zhihu is the calculation of "hourly wage." Users divide their total earnings by the total time spent, including the time navigating the app and waiting for ads to load. The results are consistently sobering, often falling far below regional minimum wage standards. A common conclusion is that the effective hourly rate is negligible. * **Scam Identification and Warnings:** Zhihu serves as an early warning system. Users collectively identify and call out platforms that engage in deceptive practices, such as suddenly raising withdrawal thresholds after a user has invested significant time, or failing to pay out altogether. This community vigilance helps others avoid losing their time and data. * **Discussion of the Underlying Economy:** More insightful discussions on Zhihu explore the "why" behind this model. Users explain that they are essentially selling their attention and, more importantly, their data. Advertisers pay the platform for user engagement and potential conversions. The platform retains the majority of this revenue, distributing a tiny fraction to the users as an incentive to continue participating. The user's personal data, including device information, viewing habits, and click patterns, is a valuable commodity in this transaction. **The Financial and Temporal Reality** The central question, thoroughly answered on Zhihu, is: "Is it worth it?" The consensus, backed by extensive user testimony, is a resounding "no" from a pure income-generation perspective. * **Extremely Low Earnings:** The income generated is symbolic at best. An individual dedicating an hour each day might earn, after weeks of effort, an amount sufficient to buy a cup of inexpensive coffee. It is not a viable source of substantive income. * **High Opportunity Cost:** The most significant cost is time. The hours spent mechanically watching ads could be invested in skill development, education, freelance work, or even rest, all of which offer a much higher long-term return. * **Psychological Drain:** The monotony of the task and the slow pace of accumulation can be mentally taxing. It is a high-friction, low-reward activity that offers little to no intellectual or creative stimulation. * **Data Privacy Concerns:** As highlighted by Zhihu users, the compensation is not just for watching the ad; it is for the permission to track user behavior. The value of the data collected may far exceed the micropayments received, raising significant privacy considerations. **Conclusion: A Nuanced Verdict** In conclusion, the routine of making money by watching advertisements is a verifiable practice with a clear, albeit tedious, operational routine. It is technically possible to earn small amounts of money through this method. However, the extensive analysis and shared experiences on platforms like Zhihu paint a realistic picture of its severe limitations. It is not a hustle or a side business in any meaningful sense. It is best understood as a minor, passive activity that might be engaged in during moments of idle time, with full awareness that the financial return is negligible. The true value of the discussion on Zhihu lies in its demystification of this model. It has empowered users with data, fostered a critical perspective on the digital attention economy, and provided a collective defense against misleading marketing. The routine exists, but the promise of "making money" is, for the vast majority, a mirage obscuring a transaction where the user's time and data are the ultimate currencies. We will now open the floor for questions.
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