How to earn a gift card using free apps

One piece of advice that I’ve learned over and over again as a shopper is that there’s more than one way to find what you want. This has especially become true with online shopping. Way back when, in order to find a certain type of electronic device or that absolutely perfect blouse you saw last week on display, you had to go to one specific store that sold it, and if that store didn’t have it, well, you were just out of luck.

Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Because now, I’m able to have my go-to online shopping sites, brick-and-mortar stores, and vintage and consignment shops when I’m looking for the perfect clothes for all seasons and occasions: winter, summer, work, exercise, going out, you name it! This same attitude also applies to savings strategies, like sales, deals, and gift cards. In fact, that last one is what I want to talk about today. There is more than one way to earn a gift card, and today I’d like to share with you how to earn a gift card using free apps.ways to earn a gift card

Gift cards earned through free apps have actually become a cornerstone of my hybrid shopping routine, both online and in my favorite stores. Today, I want to share some of that shopping love with all of you!

How to Earn a Gift Card Using Free Apps for Surveys

One of the most common ways to earn a gift card using free apps is by taking surveys. That’s where Ipsos comes in. The Ipsos app’s mission is to find out what the public thinks, especially when it comes to topics like advertising, politics, and other sources of debate on the national level. The way Ipsos works is that the average user receives about eight survey invitations each month, which they can then accept or deny. For completing each survey, users get points that can later be cashed in for prizes, including gift cards to many different places, which to me are just as good as cash.

There are so many different survey apps out there, with more and more new ones seeming to pop up every week, but Ipsos is certainly one of the most popular. If you are looking for a survey app that will give you gift cards, know that you can use Ipsos via a smartphone app, which gives it a leg up over some other survey platforms that require you to use a desktop computer.

How to Earn a Gift Card Through the Lock Screen on Your Phone

You know the lock screen on your phone, the one you see every time you hit a button on your device without unlocking it first? That screen can give you free gift cards. Well, with the help of an app called Fronto, that is. All you have to do is be willing to swap out whatever photo you have there now, whether it’s stock wallpaper, a photo from your vacation, or a cute snapshot of your kids.

Opt in to receive news and ads selected by Fronto and each time you view one of these of ads, you’ll earn points. Sometimes the app will ask you an interactive question to help you earn extra points. Once you have earned at least $10 worth of points, you can exchange them for free gift cards. A word of advice, though, for those of you who are tethered to your phone all day like I am: Fronto can be a bit rough on your data plan and your battery life, so make sure you have available data—and a full battery—before you download it.

How to Earn a Gift Card for Shopping

Taking surveys and renting out the lock screen space on your phone are both great ways to earn a gift card with a free app, and you should definitely use them—I know I do. However, I think my absolute favorite way to earn a free gift card that helps me save money when I’m shopping is through shopping itself. That’s right, you can literally shop your way to free gift cards with a free app called Shopkick.

How it works is that Shopkick turns every trip to the store into a super fun scavenger hunt for points, which the app calls kicks. It’s also super easy to use, and the tasks that users like us have to complete for kicks are ones we do every time we go shopping anyway. At its core, Shopkick is basically a free app that pays you to shop. For example, if you download the app, then walk into a partner store, you’ll earn kicks. Scan featured item barcodes, get kicks. Buy a featured item, get more kicks! Shop from your sofa using the app, get kicks! Watch videos when you have a little downtime, get kicks! There are also “instant surprises,” kicks you can find when you look around in the app—it’s an in-app treasure hunt, you just have to look around to find them, tap on them, and collect them! Once you’ve earned enough kicks, you can then trade them in for gift cards to a super wide range of stores. One of my favorite things about Shopkick is that you really don’t have to go out of your way at all. It really is that easy!

Now, you should know that these are just my personal favorites and that there are many more out there.

I’m so glad that I got to tell you how to earn a gift card using three of my favorite free apps. Now, you should know that these are just my personal favorites and that there are many more out there. I’m sure now that you’ve learned about the game, you’ll come up with a hybrid shopping routine of your own, involving free gift card-earning apps of course.

If I had to choose just one of these apps, it would definitely be Shopkick! Like my personal shopping routine, it works both online and off, and I just can’t imagine what my budget would look like without all the free gift cards I’ve been earning through Shopkick.

Ready to take your online and brick-and-mortar shopping games to the next level? Start using Shopkick today to earn gift cards for free. Just download Shopkick and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy Rido81

Posted in b2c

The biggest kicks of the season are coming!

Don’t miss HUGE upcoming kicks in stores and online! Our Blue Weekend event runs from June 8, 2018 through June 10, 2018. Plan ahead and check out this sneak peak of participating stores!

Get big kicks in stores

T. J. Maxx

Marshalls

Brighton

Reebok

Carter’s

OshKosh B’gosh

Best Buy

Fabletics

Ulta Beauty

Shoe Carnival

Corningware, Corelle & more

Bed, Bath & Beyond

+ MORE


Get big kicks online

Walmart.com

eBay

Etsy

Amazon Devices

Amazon Home

Amazon Fashion

Overstock

Lane Bryant

Jet

ASOS

Kohls.com

CheapOAir
Posted in b2c

The highest paying apps for Android that are free and fun

I remember the days when I used to roll my eyes at old sayings and cliches, things like it feels better to give than to receive, or an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Then I became a mom. All of a sudden, I found myself very sincerely teaching these old sayings I used to think were corny to my boys because I realized there’s quite a bit of truth to them.

And the truest of them all, at least in my humble opinion, is that the best things in life are free. I have three boys at home, three boys who love their fancy video games, but, honestly, I think they have the most fun on the random days when the weather is nice and we all get out to run around at the park. Thinking about all of this was actually a big part of my motivation recently when I set out to earn a little money by using my Android smartphone, and I decided the ideal way to do that was by finding the highest paying apps for Android that are both fun and free.the highest paying apps for android

And you know what? I actually found some really cool apps! It’s my pleasure to share what I’ve found with all of you. To borrow an old cliche, in my experience sharing really is caring. I hope you have as much fun using these free apps as I do!

Highest Paying Apps for Android #1: App Trailers

App Trailers is the first on the list of highest paying apps for Android. It’s both free and fun, and it’s also an app that my boys and I can enjoy together because it pays you to watch free videos. I like it because of the rewards and my boys like it because many of these videos are about something that’s very near and dear to their little hearts: video games.

We’ve watched videos about games from EA, Rovio (which makes Angry Birds), and plenty of other companies that my guys know far more about than I do. The more videos you watch, the more points you earn. Then you can trade those points in and get paid via PayPal, or in Amazon gift cards.  

Highest Paying Apps for Android #2: Make Money Earn Free Cash

As you can tell by the name—Make Money Earn Free Cash—this app is basically about two things: making money and earning free cash. And it’s free to download via the Play Store on Android devices.

I think of this app as no-nonsense, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a lot of fun to use, especially if you’re like me and enjoy learning about new apps that you might have otherwise missed out on. It’s pretty simple to use. All that you do with Make Money Earn Free Cash is download free apps, watch videos, and then complete offers from the sponsors, which usually involves signing up for mailing lists or taking surveys. Obviously, this isn’t always fun, but sometimes you learn about really cool new apps, and that can be a blast! When you’re ready, you can then go ahead and get paid for your earnings via PayPal.

Highest Paying Apps for Android #3: Shopkick

The last one on the list of the highest paying apps for Android is actually the one I’ve been using the longest. It’s called Shopkick, and, just like the other two, it’s both free and fun to use. How it works is that Shopkick rewards you for things you do while you’re out shopping. Don’t worry, you won’t even have to go out of your way to use it. See, Shopkick gives you points for things like watching videos, making purchases, scanning barcodes on certain products, and even just for walking into the store! You can then trade those points in and get paid in gift cards to some of your favorite stores, which is just as good as getting cash back.

But I have to say, Shopkick is my favorite just because of how thoroughly it has transformed my trips to the store.

It’s a free app for Android (and also iPhone), but more importantly, Shopkick is seriously a ton of fun to use. Finding time to get out to the store can be kind of hard, especially when you have three boys at home like I do, and, if I’m being totally honest with you here, it used to be a bit of a hassle. With Shopkick, though, a lot of times I’m having so much fun trying to maximize the number of points I get on each trip, that my trips fly by. I’ve even started looking forward to going to the store! Oh, and I’ve really started looking forward to cashing my points in for gift cards.

Those are just some of the choices, though. There are literally dozens more out there. But I have to say, Shopkick is my favorite just because of how thoroughly it has transformed my trips to the store. Even the boys have gotten in on the fun, coming with me and asking me what items they should look for to scan for points. It sounds cliche, but you really can’t put a price on that kind of togetherness.

Get to know one of the highest paying apps for Android that also happens to be as free as it is fun! Download Shopkick today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of a free shopping sidekick.

And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy Bankrx

Posted in b2c

Celebrate Memorial Day with kicks!

When life gives you kicks, go shopping! Celebrate Memorial Day weekend with BIG kicks when you shop through the Shopkick app on LivingSocial, Kohls.com, Overstock, Groupon and more!

Thinking of heading out to stores on Monday, 5/28? Stop by T.J.Maxx and Marshalls to get BIG kicks when you walk in. Plus, earn even more when you pay with your linked card at Best Buy, Carter’s, and many more participating stores.

Happy shopkicking!

Big kicks through the app

May 25–28


25 kicks/$1
was 8 kicks

22 kicks/$1
was 7 kicks

15 kicks/$1
was 2 kicks

15 kicks/$1
was 10 kicks

11 kicks/$1
was 7 kicks

1,200 kicks
was 900 kicks

10 kicks/$1
was 3 kicks

10 kicks/$1
was 5 kicks

Big kicks in stores

May 28 only


200 kicks

200 kicks

2 kicks/$1*
was 1 kick/$1

6 kicks/$1
was 3 kicks/$1

6 kicks/$1
was 3 kicks/$1

6 kicks/$1
was 3 kicks/$1

6 kicks/$1
was 3 kicks/$1

10 kicks/$1
was 5 kicks/$1

200 kicks
8 kicks/$1
was 4 kicks/$1

2 kicks/$1**
was 1 kick/$1
*Scan Shopkick QR code
**You can also use your linked card at fabletics.com

 

Don’t have the app yet? Download here to start earning rewards for the shopping you already do!

Posted in b2c

How to earn free movie tickets for your entire crew

I don’t know about you, but my kids just can’t get enough of Marvel and Star Wars movies. Some days it seems like my kids are all about Captain America one minute and Kylo Ren the next. I shouldn’t complain too hard, though, because I know exactly whose fault this is—mine. I used to love superheroes and sci-fi growing up, and I couldn’t wait to share it with my kids when they got old enough.

The only hangup though is that nowadays spoilers are always a concern. Nobody wants to find out a major plot twist before actually seeing a movie. So, my kids are always insistent that we see the movies on the day they come out, and hey, if I’m being honest, I’m afraid of spoilers, too. You never know when someone’s going to drop one on Twitter! Problem is that all those first-run movie tickets get pretty expensive for the entire family. That’s why I’ve recently put my tech-savviness to the test and searched for apps and other ways to earn free movie tickets.

And you know what I’ve found? There are actually plenty of ways to do that out there! These ways are actually pretty diverse, but I’ve found a few good ones that work for me, and, as much as I’ve always loved Iron Man, there’s just something special about watching him on the big screen with the kids at a showing you got to attend with free movie tickets.

Earn Free Movie Tickets Through Theater Rewards Clubs

In doing my research online on ways to earn free movie tickets, I found that one way was through joining a theater rewards club offered by the company that runs the multiplex in your town, AMC, Cinemark, or Regal, for example. Luckily for me and my little crew of Marvel fanatics, we have one of those programs where we live that gives you discounted popcorn on Tuesdays, free tickets on your birthday, and points that let you earn free movie tickets the more you go.

ways to earn free movie tickets

So yeah, there’s really no reason not to sign up for this one. You typically just have to provide a valid email address and put up with the occasional advertisement email, which sometimes actually includes a great deal such as two-for-one tickets. You can search for your local theater online to find out if they offer this, or keep an eye out for more info next time you head out to a show.

Earn Free Movie Tickets Through Advanced Screenings

This second option is maybe not as reliable as the first one, but it can sometimes be a lot more fun. It involves being on the hunt for free advanced screenings. Theaters often do these to gauge audience reactions to films or to start generating positive word of mouth. Now, for someone like me who’s trying to take the entire crew of kids to the show, it’s tough to find one that has the number of tickets I need.

What makes it just a little bit easier though is that there are actually several reputable websites that have information about tracking down free advanced shows. Some of the sites I’ve found include Sony Screening, Gofobo, and Wild About Movies. I must say though, that they’re almost always limited to major metropolitan areas, but once in a while, they have an offer in a smaller town. Just make sure you check the sites regularly.

Earn Free Movie Tickets Through an App

The best way I found to earn free movie tickets though is with an app called Shopkick. Shopkick is what’s known as a third-party shopping app, and how it works is that it gives you points for the normal things you do while you’re out shopping. When I’m using Shopkick, I get points for stuff like making purchases, scanning the barcodes on certain items for more info, and even for just walking into the store.

Then, I can trade those points in and get paid in gift cards, including gift cards to my local theater. It’s really cool, and I’ve actually started to like shopping more because of it. Before, I used to look at shopping as a serious hassle, something I just had to do and get over with. Now, it’s a lot more like a fun scavenger hunt for points, points that I can use to earn free movie tickets for me and my crew. Basically, these days I’m turning my old annoying grocery shopping trips into superhero movies!

Put them all together, and you basically have your own Avengers team of superheroic value techniques helping you reduce the amount of money you spend on movies.

One thing I should mention before we wrap up here today is that you can actually use all three of these techniques to maximize your productivity as you earn free movie tickets. You can and should use your movie rewards program every time you go watch a film, just like you can and should use Shopkick each time you go to the store. One of the keys to making this work is consistency, sticking with these apps and using them all the time.

Put them all together, and you basically have your own Avengers team of superheroic value techniques helping you reduce the amount of money you spend on movies. At least that’s the way I look at it. But as I said, I grew up with superheroes and Star Wars and all that, so forgive me for being kind of a nerd!

Ready to start having fun with your shopping while at the same time earning free movie tickets for your entire crew? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping can be!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration. 

Image courtesy Maglara

Mobile advertising companies: how to choose the best one

Mobile advertising companies: how to choose the best one

It seems that mobile advertising companies are everywhere. From the established offerings of Google to small start-up app developers, everyone wants to cash in on the popularity of mobile. As of January 2018, 77% of adults in the U.S. have a smartphone, making this an advertising market with massive reach and a major impact. However, the skills that mobile advertising companies offer can vary quite a bit. Finding the best mobile advertising companies is about looking for the five factors that set them apart from the rest: a strong user experience, innovative features, anti-fraud compliance, detailed analytics, and an established reputation.

Those five factors ensure a mobile advertising company has the technology, clout, and dedication to service and customer experience that a brand needs to boost sales through mobile marketing. Mobile advertising is competitive but very lucrative for the brands that manage their campaigns effectively. Brands should partner with companies that offer the features consumers demand along with the technology, experience, and reputation a brand needs to pull market share from their competitors.

Giving Customers What They Want With a Strong User Experience

Consumers have already voted for the kinds of apps they appreciate, and companies should take note. The top downloaded apps in both the App Store and Google Play offer similar sets of features: they provide a fun experience, incentivize activity, and engage consumers with video. As such, a good digital advertising company will offer the following options:

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Gamification:

Gamification takes a regular, mundane event and makes it fun. It’s a proven method for gaining consumer attention. Gamification can be taken very literally, in that brands create a mobile game based on their product, or it can be a strategy based around gaming, one that’s designed to incorporate something else. Popular fitness trackers that offer users challenges for meeting certain exercise milestones are a prime example of this form of gamification.

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Rewards:

Rewards often go hand-in-hand with a gamification strategy, as they recognize a user’s accomplishment. Consider Shopkick, which takes consumers on a digital scavenger hunt to find products and locations. When those consumers go to certain locations or interact with participating products, they receive point rewards—known as kicks—which can later be redeemed for gift cards. Such rewards are often viewed as being more valuable than their face value amount, thanks to the embedded emotional reward the consumer receives in earning the reward and again when collecting on it later.

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Video:

Of all the digital advertising channels, video is the most powerful at converting passive viewers into active shoppers. In one study, it was noted that adding a video to an email marketing message increased click-through rates by as much as 300%. Using video ads in a mobile advertising campaign isn’t just an option, it’s a necessity. Consumers prefer video to both text and image-based advertising, and it’s capable of reaching active and passive audiences. When working with a mobile advertising agency, look for companies that offer video platforms.

The best mobile advertising company will provide the features users demand. Working with them, you can offer consumers a better customer experience, while also staying ahead of the competition. Offering advanced tech features that other companies haven’t yet adopted is also a good way to stand out.

Adding Advanced Tech to Gain Consumer Awareness

Being among the first companies to deliver innovation is always a good way to excite the consumer. Some newer marketing options out there haven’t yet found digital advertising market saturation, which gives early adopters an edge due to the limited pool of competitors. A few emerging technologies to consider include:

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Geotracking:

While beacon technology has been around for a few years, companies are finding more precise methods of geotracking in apps to pinpoint a consumer to their location within a store. This allows for better, more accurate mobile advertisements that reach consumers at that all important moment when they’re in the shopping aisle.

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Augmented Reality:

A few companies have rolled out their own augmented reality (AR) apps as a means of tying the digital and physical worlds together. Because AR is in high demand, the best mobile advertising companies are seeking out ways to leverage AR to engage with consumers.

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Voice-based Assistants:

Smart home devices, like smart speakers and wearables, primarily rely on voice to allow users to work with them. Companies planning marketing campaigns in the future may need to look for ways to offer voice integration.

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Mobile Pay:

Consumers are shifting their payment methods to the digital universe with mobile wallets. As the technology becomes more widespread, expect consumers to want more mobile payment options. Mobile payment options are also a good time for upsell opportunities since additional products and services can be recommended to the consumer based on what is in their shopping basket.

Adopting advanced tech—like any of these four features—will help a brand stand out. Moreover, integrating them into your mobile strategy could help improve the adoption and retention of your branded app. A publisher offering these services is one that’s clearly at the forefront of trends. However, remember that all the high-tech features in the world won’t mean a thing if that company can’t provide high-quality traffic.

Seeking Out Companies That Combat Ad Fraud

Any company engaging in a mobile marketing campaign needs to work with those who combat ad fraud. Ad fraud associated with pay-per-impression and pay-per-click campaigns can vary  but typically uses false traffic—which appears to be coming from real users—to collect revenue from a company that has paid to display an ad. To avoid the possibility of this kind of fraud, work with a company with a proven track record of combatting ad fraud, seek out industry recognized anti-fraud credentials from respected organizations, and ensure the company you choose has policies that protect both the users of the program and the clients they partner with. To verify this, look for:

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Partnerships with the Trustworthy Accountability Group:

This group provides a TAG Certified Against Fraud Program certification badge for publishers that meet certain guidelines in actively preventing fraud.

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Audits from the Media Rating Council:

MRC compliance covers the proper measuring of traffic. To be considered MRC compliant, a company needs to pass an audit of their prior traffic and measuring processes.  

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Clear User Terms:

When working with a mobile app, you should carefully review the terms of service users of their service sign to ensure that data is stored carefully and collected legally. Consumers must give retail mobile apps permission to access user information and the permission type should be clearly stated in the user agreement, so the company ensures they’re only accessing data that the consumer agreed to release.

Companies that have these certifications and protocols in place are ones that are prepared to offer real, relevant traffic for your mobile app marketing strategy, which provides a greater impact for marketing budgets while also giving relevant information to marketers. The data required to validate traffic is the same data needed to advise on marketing campaigns.

Gaining Detailed Analytics Through Mobile Marketing Moments

A good mobile marketing platform doesn’t just offer impactful campaigns, it also gives the data needed to create better campaigns in the future. The data a mobile platform can gather through customer permission can be used to gain valuable insight on clear purchase indicators. This data can give information on:

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Incremental Sales ROI:

With the right data, brands can see exactly how marketing impacts a customer through all parts of the purchase journey. This allows brands to adjust or expand strategies as needed.

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New Customer Acquisitions:

Companies should be able to see how many individuals who purchased something through the campaign are new—versus returning—customers. New customers are necessary for gaining market share. Data that shows how effectively a campaign converts new customers into buyers will directly impact the company’s bottom line.

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Ad Impressions and Completed Views:

These metrics offer  insight particularly on video ads, which can be expensive to produce and roll out on a mass scale. This data informs brands how long users are watching videos, the completion rate as well as the actions taken afterward. Such information helps determine the level of brand awareness created by running mobile ads and whether the ad is worth rolling out on other mediums.

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In-store Product Engagement:

Getting consumers to engage with products in the store is often the first step on the path to purchase. In-store product engagement, whether it’s obtained through geotracking-based data or barcode scans, shows a brand how often consumers are seeing their product in-store as well as how often those consumers make a purchase afterward.

These are only a few of the insights that are available through a well-managed mobile marketing campaign. Platforms providing this data use it to both show the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and to give advertisers insight into consumer behaviors. This goes a long way towards helping a brand build the reputation it needs to gain attention in the crowded marketplace.

Vetting the Reputation of Mobile Advertising Companies

Attracting the best user base means working with the best companies. Mobile advertising platforms are only as good as their reputation, so you want to thoroughly vet the mobile advertising company you’re considering. The best way to do that is online.

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Look for testimonials and case studies:

Brands with proven experience share that experience via their client testimonials. However, when looking at these testimonials, you need to look for real numbers that discuss incremental sale lifts and new customers acquisitions. This will provide the real data needed to determine if a company can deliver impact.

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Seek out online reviews:

Consider looking for online reviews in places like Google and on industry-specific sites. These can provide the customer’s perspective and will help you determine if the firm is a good fit for your brand.

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Find company leaders in the news:

Often, when a company is particularly promising, information about them is available from interviews the leadership team has completed in publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Business Journal, and more. Such stories are typically a good sign that the company has come up with an innovative idea or product and can give you the edge you need. Just be careful of “advertorials,” which is an article that a company has paid to have placed in a magazine. (Most are identified as such.) While the company may still have a strong base of industry knowledge, the article is not unbiased like a regular article in the business or marketing news section.

A little reputation research will help you differentiate experienced mobile advertising companies from those that may not have the clout your brand needs to stand out. Read all the reviews, good and the bad, to make a determination about the company before you enter a contract. After checking the company’s reputation, you can then move on to vetting their features, certifications, and advantages.

Hiring a mobile advertising company is essentially about establishing a partnership: You want any company your brand associates with to reflect well on you. By thoroughly vetting and evaluating mobile advertising companies, and by hiring only the highest rated that can deliver emerging tech, you can see a strong ROI on sales, new customer conversions, and market share growth.

Shopkick is a mobile app offers real marketing insight and ROI to our partners. For more information, contact us.

Posted in b2c

How to earn Best Buy rewards points on a budget

My boys are of the age where they are starting to discover things about life that make my job as a parent more complicated. That’s right, they’ve discovered the wonders of electronics and Best Buy! They are just collectively freaking out about all the new gadgets, video games, and gear they’re finding. I love to see them so passionate about innovation and tech—it’s the future after all!—but I don’t think my wallet will ever be the same.

I have, however, found some effective ways to mitigate their budding love of all things digital—specifically, the Best Buy rewards points program. The rewards program is free and easy to join using your email address, and once you’re set up, you get points for every Best Buy purchase: up to 1.25 points for every dollar you spend, depending on your membership level. Once you get 250 points, you can trade them in for a $5 Best Buy reward certificate. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you have three tech-obsessed boys at home like me, it really adds up!

earn Best Buy rewards points

By their nature, electronics can often be expensive. So, to satiate my boys and make sure my bank account doesn’t implode, I’ve had to find other ways to earn Best Buy rewards points on a budget. Not to brag, but I think I’ve come up with some good ones. That’s why today it is my pleasure to share with all of you a couple of my favorite techniques!

Maximize on Best Buy Rewards Points with Sales

The first and simplest technique—at least in my humble opinion—is to keep your eye out for sales. I know that spending $1,500 on a new TV nets you far more points than spending $500, but if you can’t afford that $1,500 TV you won’t be getting any points at all. Keeping your eyes open for great sales at Best Buy is a fantastic way to afford more electronics, which, of course, then earns you more Best Buy rewards points.

Here are some of the places I like to keep my eyes out for sales at Best Buy:

  • The Best Buy Ad: This sounds super old school, but each week I still like to browse the Best Buy ad that comes in the Sunday paper. My family still gets one of those—what can I say, I’m traditional like that—but even if you don’t get the paper, you can easily browse the ad on Best Buy’s website, taking in all the great sale prices they have to offer.
  • The Best Buy Go Mobile App: The Best Buy Go Mobile app does a great job of serving as a resource for the store’s sales. With it, you can browse Best Buy’s daily deals, the aforementioned weekly ad, clearance sales, and even open-box discounts. That way you know what kind of great sale price you’re getting before you even head out to the store.
  • Social Media: If you keep your eyes on Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit, you can also find many users who love to share info and tips on Best Buy sales, both for purchases in your area as well as online. We’re all in this together, so why not use some communication?

Double Up On Best Buy Rewards Points With a Shopping App

I think the most effective way I’ve found to earn Best Buy rewards points is by using a third-party shopping rewards app like Shopkick. The app awards you points for certain behaviors you do while you’re shopping, things like scanning the barcodes on products to get more info, scanning your receipts after you’ve made purchases, and—my personal favorite—just for walking into the store! You can then trade those Shopkick points in for Best Buy gift cards (or gift cards to many of your other favorite stores), making them as good as cash back.

Let’s face it, technology is an integral part of our daily lives, but it’s also still pretty expensive, especially for those of us with kids.

The best part of all of this is that you can combine Shopkick with the Best Buy rewards program which essentially doubles your earnings! Oh, and you can also use Shopkick online. It’s really comprehensive and easy to use, which is why I can’t recommend it enough.

Let’s face it, technology is an integral part of our daily lives, but it’s also still pretty expensive, especially for those of us with kids. Fortunately, by monitoring sales and also using my favorite rewards app, Shopkick, I’ve been able to find great ways to make the most of sales, rack up Best Buy rewards points, and earn gift cards with all my purchases. At least technology, and apps like Shopkick, can help turn our trips to Best Buy into extra savings. What a wonderful time to be a shopper!

Looking for the perfect app that will help you earn Best Buy rewards points on a budget? Download Shopkick for free, give it a whirl, and join a community of Shopkickers who love the rewards of shopping with us!

Or join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check in every day on your phone, no matter where you are, to learn about the hottest, newest deals.

Image courtesy Jonathan Weiss

Posted in b2c

Get a move on: the best apps that pay you to walk

I take a lot of evening walks. I just love to stretch my legs, get some fresh air, and see my town at a slower pace. It’s easy to miss out on things when you’re zooming by, running errands. Then a funny thing happened on one of these walks: A friend pulled up and asked if I needed a ride. She couldn’t believe I was walking for fun!

Once I explained why I was walking, she also decided to get on board. Now, a whole group of us get together and walk around town. Recently, one of the girls remarked that it would be even better if we could make our walks more productive, maybe by becoming professional walkers who make money for their walking skills. After a good laugh, I fessed up and told her that I actually know of apps that pay you to walk!

three apps that pay you to walk

was surprised to find out that not one of all the ladies in our walking crew had ever heard of these apps. Especially since I’ve been using them with great success (#humblebrag) for some time. That got me thinking: how many others have never heard of apps that pay you to walk? So, because I love to walk, and I love to make some extra money, too, I thought it time to share my favorite apps that pay you to walk!

Step Up for Cash: The Best Apps that Pay You to Walk

Gigwalk

The area where my walking crew and I live is a mix of suburbs and city. The community is mostly walkable, with a few areas where, if you plan well, you can pass little shops, bigger stores, cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants. Still, it’s not so hectic and filled with traffic that you’re overwhelmed. This makes it ideal for Gigwalk.

Gigwalk is free to download, although be warned: for it to pay you, you do have to foot the bill for some small PayPal fees. The way it works is by providing you with a map of your area with participating stores and restaurants (or “gigs”) represented by a red pin. Click on the pin and a set of instructions pops up, something like: “go to [a specific location] and photograph [a specific item] with your phone.” As you walk, the map updates with additional gigs. For each one you complete you get paid!

In general, I’ve found that gigs only take a few minutes to complete and often pay less than $10, although demanding gigs can pay up to $100! The more gigs you complete, the more money you make obviously. Within a week of completing each task, you get paid via PayPal. Add Gigwalk to your daily stroll and you might not even notice you’re working!

Charity Miles

This next one doesn’t pay you directly. Instead, it donates to a charity of your choice. Charity Miles benefits more than 30 charities and organizations, including Stand Up To Cancer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Special Olympics, and Habitat for Humanity.

When you’re out walking, the app uses motion detection within your smartphone to measure your total distance. It banks up to $.25 per mile you walk, or $.10 per mile when you bike if that’s more your thing. Then, Charity Miles’ corporate partners—companies like MasterCard, Kenneth Cole, and Humana—make the donation to your chosen charity. It’s walking with a cause—and it makes an already refreshing hobby even better!  

Shopkick

Of the apps that pay you to walk, this one is my favorite. Shopkick and is a perfect choice for walkers, like me, who like to combine their favorite hobby with quick trips to the store. How it works is that Shopkick gives you points—known as kicks—for doing things you already do when you go shopping, like scanning barcodes on certain products for more information, scanning your receipt after you’ve made a purchase, and—ding ding ding!—just for walking into featured stores. You can then trade those points in for gift cards to participating stores.

One of my favorite things about Shopkick is that it makes my nightly walk even more fun by turning it into a sort of scavenger hunt for points. As my ladies and I are walking, we just pay attention to the alerts Shopkick sends us about nearby stores. Sometimes we duck in and score some points that way. Other times we plan ahead and do our shopping, too. We share tips about places where we’ve found the most kicks and just generally have a good time. I can’t recommend it enough!

One of my favorite things about Shopkick is that it makes my nightly walk even more fun by turning it into a sort of scavenger hunt for points.

So, there you have it: my personal list of the best apps that pay you to walk. I suggest integrating walks into your daily schedule because they’re a peaceful way to get some exercise and see the community where you live. I also suggest using one (or all) of these apps, because if there’s one thing I think you’ll enjoy more than walking, it’s getting paid to do it!

Get to know one of the best apps that pays you to walk. Download Shopkick today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of a free shopping sidekick.

And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy maridav

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Celebrate in style with kicks from ASOS, HSN, and Lane Bryant

It’s time to freshen up your closet with new offerings in apparel. Now earn kicks from ASOS, HSN, and Lane Bryant with Shopkick!

New online stores have bloomed

Check out three new places to earn kicks online through the Shopkick app. Snag cutting-edge fashion on ASOS, discover hundreds of brands online on HSN, and find the latest looks for all women on Lane Bryant, all while earning kicks for your purchases. What’s not to love about getting rewarded for being fashionable?

ASOS – 4 kicks per $1

Earn kicks for cutting-edge fashion on ASOS

ASOS has made a name for itself as a global fashion destination, offering hot styles for men and women. ASOS offers hip clothing for all, including petite, tall, curvy, and maternity sizes. Shop men’s trends, women’s dresses, and much more while earning rewards along the way.

HSN – 4 kicks per $1

Get crafty with kicks from HSN

The Home Shopping Network gets a makeover as online shopping mecca HSN! From on-air to online, HSN makes shopping easy and fun. Shop their impressive online assortment of exclusive products and top brand names from the comfort of your own home through the Shopkick app.

 

Lane Bryant – 9 kicks per $1

Earn kicks for fashion and fit through Lane Bryant

Lane Bryant is perhaps the most recognized name in plus-size clothing. Though they specialize in sizes 14-28, it’s their emphasis on fashion and fit, regardless of size, that makes them a style leader. Shop through the Shopkick app for the latest looks for women of all shapes and builds!

Happy shopkicking!

How it works

Shopkick rewards you for the shopping you already do. There are many easy ways to earn reward points (we call them kicks). Redeem your kicks for free gift cards and enjoy. It’s that easy! With a wide selection of gift cards available from Starbucks to Target, Sephora to Amazon, you can be sure to find the perfect gift card to treat yourself.

Don’t have Shopkick yet? Download it now and to start earning rewards today!

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Shopkick Survey: What’s Keeping Mom Up at Night?

With Mother’s Day around the corner, we asked Shopkick moms what’s most on their minds this year.

In a survey of over 5,600 moms across the country ranging from ages 18-71, we uncovered how moms feel about raising children in light of some of today’s news. From Millennials to the Silent Generation, from Californians to Floridians, find out how moms are engaging their children in dialogues about what’s happening in the world below! 

On Mom’s Mind

  • Biggest Concerns: Physical safety for their children is the #1 concern for moms today (30%), followed closely by financial security (26%), according to survey results. For single moms, specifically, financial security (33%) is the predominant concern, while physical safety remains a close second (30%).
  • Fostering Conversations: 75% of moms are engaging their children in conversations about such current events, with school safety as the #1 topic of discussion (37% of moms engaging). Racial equality (25%) comes in second, followed by gender equality (11%), and presidential politics (8%).
  • Generational Differences: The up-and-coming generation of mothers in Gen Z are most concerned with financial security (38%), and the most likely to discuss gender equality with their children (17%). Millennial moms place nearly equal emphasis on discussing school safety and race equality (31% and 30% respectively). Moms that fall into the Silent Generation spend the most time of all age groups discussing presidential politics (25%) and racial equality with their children (38%).
  • Across the Country*: New York moms are the most likely (80%) to engage in conversations with their kids about the outlined issues (money, physical safety, online behavior and privacy, health and bullying), topping Florida (78%), California (76%), Illinois (75%) and Texas (73%).* Moms in Illinois spend the most time discussing and teaching their children about school safety (44%).

Shopping Values

  • Shopping Their Values: When it comes to managing household finances, the overwhelming majority of moms (78%) state they shop their values and are impacted by a brand’s ethics when considering where and what to purchase. However, only 25% of moms change where or how they spend based on their political beliefs.
  • Different Generations: Silent Generation and Gen Z moms are more likely to adjust their shopping habits based on their political beliefs (35% versus 25% of moms in the middle generations).
  • State by State*: Floridians are the most likely (80%) to match their shopping habits with their values and to be impacted by brand ethics. Moms in Illinois are second only to those in California in their likelihood to change where and how they spend their money based on political beliefs (28% and 31% respectively).

Shopkick conducted a survey of over 5,600 users who self-identified as mothers to uncover the issues of most concern and their shopping decisions. Shopkick classifies age groups as: Silent Generation (over 71), Baby Boomer (54-71), Generation X (42-53), Xennial (33-41), Millennial (20-32), and Generation Z (under 20). The survey was conducted between April 6 and 12, 2018. 

*Based on the top 5 states (California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois) in terms of volume of respondents.

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3 cool apps that offer rewards for techies

Being a techie has its perks—I was on social media before any of my friends, and I had an iPhone back when most people I knew were still on flip phones. But, there’s also a downside. While we may be the first to know about a new or yet-to-be-released device, the pressure of keeping up with the Jetsons can get pretty costly.     

If you’re anything like me, you probably spend a hefty chunk of change each month on the latest gadgets and services. Yet while my wallet might feel the pain, I’m not really complaining. I love buying new tech as soon as it drops. From a practical standpoint, though, I do have to find ways to use that tech to repay the debt, so to speak. The best way I’ve 

found is through apps that offer rewards with techies in mind.

Even if you’re already hip to some of these, I felt it my duty to share my favorite apps that offer rewards so you all can start affording more gadgets, too.

My Favorite Apps That Offer Rewards

#1: CoSign

cool apps that offer rewards

I remember when a new social media platform seemed to debut daily. I jumped from Friendster to MySpace to Facebook and Twitter just about the moment they each launched, but my favorite of all has been Instagram because I just love sharing my pictures. Hence my love for CoSign, which lets me get rewarded for uploading pics to social media. Using CoSign, I tag the images that I put on Instagram (or on Twitter, Tumblr, or Pinterest) with information about the products that are pictured—stuff like my sweet new laptop bag or my cool new sneakers. You can tag tech products, books, movies, clothing—even food. Then, when your followers buy any of the items that you post, you get a commission of up to 35%, depending on the product, which CoSign pays through PayPal or gift cards.

#2: Swagbucks

Another cool app that offers rewards for techies is Swagbucks. Most of the ways to earn rewards through Swagbucks are things that techies do online already, including searching, playing games, watching videos, and taking surveys. All you have to do is incorporate Swagbucks into your daily digital routine.

For example, I open up the Swagbucks app, just as I would any of my social media apps, and check out the many ways to earn points. I might take a survey, watch an informational video, or do whatever else the app is awarding points for. Swagbucks doesn’t pay that great—usually just $0.01 to $0.36 per task—but if you’re always on your device, like me, that can add up. Once you get at least $3 you can cash out via PayPal or gift cards.  

#3: Shopkick

The last of my top apps that offer rewards is actually my favorite, which is odd because it revolves around shopping, which for a long time was not one of my favorite activities. That changed thanks to Shopkick which turns the whole experience of going to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points. You’re rewarded when you buy select products, scan the barcode on certain items, and even just for walking into featured stores. When you earn enough points, you can trade them in for gift cards!

As an early adopter, I can safely say that Shopkick is the future of shopping apps.

Shopkick also has a few really cool features that appeal to a tech guy like me, including the fact that you can use it for online shopping. It also has some great shopping list functionality, which makes it super easy to get organized before you even head to the store. As an early adopter, I can safely say that Shopkick is the future of shopping apps. I’d be shocked if everyone isn’t using it soon.

So, there you have it: my three favorite apps that offer rewards. It’s really a small sampling of all the apps that can help you reap rewards, so get out there and find your own! Just make sure you’re using the best and getting rewarded when you do. Eventually, I think a lot of these, and especially Shopkick, will be like smartphones: we won’t even remember what life was like before them.

Get to know the many different ways that techies can get rewards on Shopkick and start collecting your free gift cards today. Download Shopkick’s free app and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of a free shopping sidekick.

And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy notice44

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The 4 craziest apps everyone should have

Recently, I made a promise to myself: I’d be open to more new experiences and would stop saying no so much. Crazily enough, one of the first things I started saying yes to was apps my friends were suggesting. Forever, I’d been reflexively no-ing apps that paid me to take surveys. (And also that one that makes it look like I’m drinking a beer through my phone.)

Since I’ve started saying yes more, though, I can’t believe the awesome apps I’ve found! There are just so many amazing apps out there these days, even ones that sound crazy at first. Today, I want to introduce you to my list of the four craziest apps everyone should have. Warning: most—if not all—of these will seem too good to be true. Trust me, they’re for real! Give them a chance and I’m sure that you’ll love them as much as I do.

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #1: Memrise

What if I told you that your smartphone could teach you Spanish? Or French? Or even Japanese? You probably won’t believe me, but thanks to Memrise, it’s true.

craziest apps everyone should haveMemrise is a language learning app that helps you attain basic conversational fluency in a variety of languages. Developers call the process “elaborate encoding,” and it works by using word associations to lock in information. There is a free tier, with a variety of courses to get you started, as well as a pro level. For me, c’est tres bien!

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #2: IFTTT

Maybe you’ve heard of a tech trend called If This Then That, or IFTTT. Basically, IFTTT is a bit of code that lets you schedule your devices to perform actions depending on a situation. In other words, If this happens, then do that.

For example, you can use IFTTT to help manage your social media. Like, if you post on Instagram and use the hashtag #T, then your post will also go to Twitter. Or, anytime you post to Twitter, that post gets saved in your Dropbox.

You can also use IFTTT to program other devices too, like Amazon Alexa. If there’s a traffic jam along your morning commute, then Alexa should wake you with music 20 minutes earlier than usual. Heck, you can even use IFTTT to have your phone alert you when the International Space Station passes overhead!

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #3: DoorDash

You know those nights when you’re almost too tired to move, let alone cook? Well, what if there was an app that would have someone bring you dinner from your favorite restaurant—even if that restaurant doesn’t deliver?

Tada! That app is called DoorDash and it works like other localized apps such as Postmates or Favor Delivery. The general idea is that you order whatever food you want, and the app sends a driver out to pick up your order and deliver it to you. No moving or shoes required on your part!

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #4: Shopkick

This is yet another app that you won’t believe exists; it’s almost too good to be true. Basically, how this shopping app works is that it turns all your trips to the store into a game—and it pays you to go shopping!

If I’m going to leave you with one last bit of advice, though, it’s to definitely download Shopkick.

Of all the apps on our list today, Shopkick is my personal favorite. I mean, it’s basically a digital coupon app that helps stretch my budget. There’s a lot to love about that. Shopkick works by giving you points—which you can redeem later for gift cards just—for doing things you normally do while shopping. For example, say you walk into a certain store: you get points. Or, you scan the barcode of a featured item: you get more points. Maybe you take a picture of your receipt after you buy your weekly groceries (or toiletries, or maybe that super cute necklace): you get even more points! It may sound crazy, but it’s true.

So, there you have it: the four craziest apps everyone should have that I know of. If I’m going to leave you with one last bit of advice, though, it’s to definitely download Shopkick. The savings are immense, it’s totally fun to use, and it’s also super easy. Plus, it’s free. Hey, maybe you can use all the money you save for the pro tier of Memrise. Hold on, don’t thank me now. I want to hear it in whatever language you learn.

Looking for the coolest apps for iPhone and Android, especially one that can help you save money while shopping? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of Shopkickers who love the rewards of shopping with us!

Or join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check in every day on your phone, no matter where you are, to learn about the hottest, newest deals.

Image courtesy Oneinchpunch