Mahalo, a hybrid web directory/zeitgeist/search engine with wiki capabilities, has quietly added a Loyalty Program that tracks the number of pages people view and rewards the most loyal visitors with prizes. The site, which was founded by Jason Calacanis, has been in the news lately because it laid off 10% of its staff.
According to a special page on the site, Mahalo won't track specific pages people view. Mahalo - presumably via a cookie - tracks the number of pages you've viewed and lists the figure right below the search box in the upper right corner of the homepage. Further, there is a clear opt-out. There's no word yet on how often it will offer prizes or just what those might be.
The move is not entirely novel. Microsoft Live Search has a similar program with Live Search Cashback (Microsoft is an Edelman client).
