How to write a micro task that gets good submissions
Knowing how to write a micro task is the difference between a batch of useful results and a queue of submissions you have to reject. Workers read your task once, on a phone, between other tasks. This guide shows the anatomy of a task that survives that reading, how to design proof, how to price per minute, and five templates you can copy.
Anatomy of a micro task
A micro task is a self-contained unit of work that one person can finish in a few minutes without talking to you. Every field in the task form exists to remove a question the worker would otherwise have to ask. On Tasklify a task has these parts:
| Part | What it does | Good example |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Lets workers decide in two seconds whether the task fits them | “Sign up and rate our onboarding (Android, 5 min)” |
| Category and link | Sets context and gives a single place to start | Category “test”, link to the staging build or landing page |
| Instructions | Explains the goal and anything unusual, in plain words | “We want to know where new users get stuck.” |
| Steps (up to 20) | The exact sequence of actions | “3. Tap Continue on the plan screen.” |
| Proof types and proof note | What the worker must submit and what it must show | “Screenshot of the Welcome screen showing your username.” |
| Estimated time | Sets expectations; drives how workers judge the reward | 5 min |
| Time limit | How long a reservation lasts before the slot is released | 1 hour for a 5-minute task |
| Targeting | Who can see the task: countries (or Tier 1 only), device, min approval rate, min completed tasks, Plus-only | iOS, Tier 1, 90%+ approval |
| Reward, workers, review period | Budget, sample size and how fast you commit to review (24h to 7 days, optional auto-approve) | $0.35 × 50 workers, 48h review |
The golden rule: one task, one outcome. “Install the app, try three features, and also fill in our survey” produces half-finished work, because each worker stops at a different point. Split it into a test task and a survey task and you get two clean datasets.
Writing clear instructions
Lead with the goal, then the steps
One sentence of context helps workers make sensible choices when something unexpected happens. “We are checking whether the sign-up form works on older phones” tells them that an error message is a valid result to report, not a reason to give up.
One action per step
- Open the link in the task (use your phone’s default browser).
- Tap Get started and create an account with your own email.
- Skip the tutorial by tapping Later.
- Take a screenshot of the Home screen.
- In the text answer, describe the one step that was least clear, in 1–2 sentences.
Quote button labels exactly as they appear in your product. Say what to do if a step fails (“If you see an error, screenshot it and describe what you tapped just before”). Mention anything workers should not do, such as paying real money or contacting your support team.
Write for a phone screen and a second language
Many workers read English as a second language. Short sentences, common words, no idioms, no internal jargon (“the PLG funnel”), and numbers instead of words (“3 screens”, not “a few screens”). If a word could mean two things in your product, pick one and use it consistently.
Proof requirements
Proof is how you tell a completed task from a skipped one without redoing it yourself. Good proof is specific, cheap for an honest worker to produce, and hard to fake. Tasklify supports six proof types; you can combine them.
| Proof type | Best for | Make it specific |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot | Reaching a screen, completing a flow | Name the screen and the detail that must be visible (username, date, order number) |
| Text answer | Opinions, data entry, answers to questions | Give a format (“3 bullet points”, “price in USD, no symbol”) |
| Link / URL | Something the worker found or created publicly | Say which page type is valid (“product page, not a search results page”) |
| Username or email | Matching a sign-up in your own database | Tell workers which identifier you will look up |
| Screen recording | Usability tests, bug reproduction | Ask them to think aloud or narrate, and to start recording before step 1 |
| File upload | Documents, spreadsheets, audio | Specify format and naming (“CSV, one row per item”) |
Add a unique element that only someone who did the work can know: the confirmation number on the last screen, the third word of your welcome email, or a code you display at the end of a survey. Tasklify also flags duplicate files and duplicate text answers across submissions, which catches copy-pasted proof. For a deeper look, see our guide to crowdsourcing quality control.
Pricing a micro task per minute
Workers compare tasks by what they pay per minute, so you should too. Time the task yourself on the target device, then add 30–50% because a first-time user is slower than you. Tasklify’s current suggested rewards work out to about $0.07 per minute:
| Estimated time | Suggested reward | Typical tasks |
|---|---|---|
| 2 min | $0.15 | One-screen check, single question, short data lookup |
| 5 min | $0.35 | Sign-up flow with feedback, short survey |
| 10 min | $0.70 | Feature test with written notes, 15–20 question survey |
| 15 min | $1 | Usability task with screen recording |
| 30 min | $2 | Exploratory test with a bug report |
The total you pay is reward × workers + a 12% service fee, plus an optional Boost of 20% that pins the task higher in the feed. Rewards are held until you approve each submission.
Worked example. A 5-minute onboarding test at $0.35:
- Pilot with 10 workers: $3.50 in rewards + $0.42 fee = $3.92.
- Full run with 100 workers: $35 + $4.20 fee = $39.20; with Boost, add $7.
The minimum top-up is $10 and your first top-up gets a 10% bonus (up to $5) you can spend on tasks, so a pilot like this fits in the first deposit. Full fee details are on the pricing page.
Underpricing is a false economy: low-paying tasks fill slowly, attract the least careful workers, and cost you more time in review than you saved. If a task takes longer than your estimate in the pilot, raise the reward before scaling.
Templates for five task types
Copy these, replace the bracketed parts, and cut every step that does not apply.
1. App or website test
Title: Test [feature] on our [Android/iOS] app ([N] min)
Steps: 1) Install [app] from the link. 2) Create an account with your own email. 3) [Do the key action]. 4) Screenshot the [final screen]. 5) Describe anything that did not work or confused you.
Proof: Screenshot + text answer (“at least 2 sentences; ‘everything fine’ is not enough”).
2. Survey or market research
Title: [N]-question survey about [topic] ([N] min)
Steps: 1) Open the survey link. 2) Answer every question honestly; there are no right answers. 3) Copy the completion code shown on the last page.
Proof: Text answer with the completion code. See how to get survey respondents for screening and attention checks.
3. Data entry or lookup
Title: Find [field] for [N] [items] ([N] min)
Steps: 1) Open the item list in the link. 2) For each item, find [field] on [source]. 3) Enter the values in the format below.
Proof: Text answer, one line per item: item ID; value; source URL.
4. Sign-up flow
Title: Sign up for [product] and tell us what stopped you ([N] min)
Steps: 1) Open the link. 2) Sign up with your real email (no test or temporary addresses). 3) Complete [first action]. 4) Screenshot the confirmation.
Proof: Username or email you used + screenshot. Genuine sign-ups only: no false identities or purchased accounts.
5. Feedback on a page, design or message
Title: Give feedback on our [landing page/pricing/email] ([N] min)
Steps: 1) Look at the page for 30 seconds. 2) Answer: what does this product do? 3) Who is it for? 4) What would stop you from trying it?
Proof: Text answer with each question numbered. Feedback stays private to you; it is not a public review.
Common mistakes that cause bad submissions
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Vague proof (“send proof”) | Every worker sends something different | Name the screen and the visible detail |
| Several goals in one task | Partial work, hard to judge | One outcome per task |
| Time estimate too low | Rushed work, few takers | Time it yourself on the target device and add a margin |
| Open-ended feedback questions | “Good app” one-liners | Ask specific questions with a minimum length |
| Hidden requirements | Rejections that end in disputes | Every rule you will enforce must be in the task |
| Wrong targeting | iPhone owners testing an Android-only flow | Set device and countries before publishing |
| Staging link that expires or needs a VPN | Workers cannot start | Test the link logged out, on mobile data |
If a submission is close but not quite right, use request changes (available once per submission) with a short note. It is faster than rejecting and reposting, and it is fairer to a worker who misunderstood.
Pre-publish checklist
- The title starts with a verb and states the platform and time.
- The task has one outcome, and the steps lead to it in order.
- Every rule you will use to reject is written in the task.
- The proof note says exactly what must be visible or written.
- You timed the task yourself; the reward matches the per-minute rate.
- Targeting matches the product (device, countries, experience level).
- The link works logged out, on mobile, without a VPN.
- You will run a pilot of 5–10 workers before scaling.
Frequently asked questions
How long should micro task instructions be?
As short as possible while still being unambiguous. Most good micro tasks have three to eight numbered steps and a short proof note. If you need more than about ten steps, the task is probably two tasks.
What reward should I set for a micro task?
Time the task yourself, add a margin for someone who has never seen your product, and price it per minute. Tasklify suggests rewards for 2, 5, 10, 15 and 30-minute tasks when you create a task; generous rewards fill faster and attract more careful workers.
Which proof type is best?
The one that shows the outcome with the least effort. Screenshots suit “reached this screen” tasks, text answers suit opinions and data, screen recordings suit usability tests, and links or usernames suit tasks that produce something public. Ask for two proof types only when one cannot show the result.
Can I reject a submission that does not follow the instructions?
Yes, with a written reason tied to the published instructions. For fixable problems you can request changes once instead. Workers can dispute a rejection within 7 days and Tasklify reviews the instructions and proof to decide.
Can I ask workers to post reviews or ratings of my app?
No. Tasklify’s Acceptable Use Policy prohibits fake reviews presented as genuine and rating manipulation on platforms that forbid it. Ask for private, honest feedback in a text answer instead.