They are advertising intermediaries as well, but in a different way as the surf bars do. All you have to do, after a simple signing up procedure, is to log in to the PTC site and click the ad links you find there. To qualify as having viewed the advertisement, you must have the page opened for a certain amount of time (30 seconds on avg.). When the time is up, you can close the window and you've got your money, then you can click the next link. The page with the ad is not needed to be kept up front, you can minimize it if you wish. The ad links can be clicked only one at a time. Until the time isn't up for this, you ought not click another link, it won't be paid. All the links on a PTC site can be clicked in about 5-10 minutes depending on how many links are on that site. One link after the other, that's the rule, remember? Here's another little trick: it's worth signing up to at least 5 PTC sites and with a tabbed browsing capable browser (Mozilla Firefox, Opera, IE 7), you ought to log in to all the 5 PTC sites at the same time, each of them opened on a different tab. I'm using Mozilla Firefox. I've bookmarked my PTC sites and organized them in a folder. When I click on that folder with the middle mouse button (the wheel) every bookmarked site opens automatically on a new tab. That is a very effective way to open more than one page. Then click the tabs one by one and click on one link for each of these sites. The countdown timer runs on each tab, thus you'll save a lot of time.
Pay attention! Always log in to your PTC sites you are registered to before you start clicking the ads. It is possible to view those ads without being logged in just like a regular visitor, but in that case you won't get your money. This is a common mistake between the newly signed up users. They don't login, they just click the ads, and they don't get nothing when the time is up. They get disappointed because they think it's a scam and they quit.
Never forget: you'll earn much more with referrals. Every PTC site offers a few possibilities to increase your earnings. They are optional but recommended. You can upgrade your Membership. Premium Membership comes with some extra benefits. It will give you access to increased rates for every click, to lower and faster payout, and to increased rates for every referral’s clicks and more great features. You can buy referral packs as well, so you don't have to trouble yourself with referring others.
You are not allowed to have more than one account. But if you have an access to another PC with a different IP address, you can create an account there, using your first account's referrer link, of course. This way you'll earn three times more: 1st the points made by your first account, 2nd the points made by your second account, 3rd the points gained in your first account due to your second account.