|
Author: Suzanne Morrison Article source: http://www.workoninternet.com/. Used with author's permission.
Trying to get traffic to your new website or to your gateway pages for an affiliate program can be difficult if you are just starting out and have little or no advertising budget.
This article will explain how you can use traffic exchanges to get a steady stream of visitors to your website, without having break your budget or spend hours on end clicking away to get credits.
In simple terms, a traffic exchange is a place that you can join and view other members web pages in exchange for having your own web page viewed. Every time you view another member's web page for a period of time (e.g. 20 seconds) your balance of credits increases. Every time a member views your web page for the same period of time your credit balance decreases.
There are two main types of traffic exchanges - manual exchanges and auto exchanges. A manual exchange requires a real human being to view the web page and click on a link to proceed to the next web page, whereas an auto exchange can be left running in your web browser and will automatically refresh to a new web page.
Although both of these methods will bring hits to your website, the use of a manual exchange is far more likely to bring a visitor who will actually read what is on your web page. The auto exchange user who leaves their computer on all night, surfing web pages while they sleep is unlikely to buy your product! It is for this reason that I have not ventured down the path of using auto exchanges.
So how do you go about choosing which traffic exchange(s) to use? First let's take a look at the most common features of a traffic exchange, so you can differentiate between the competition.
* Credit Surfing - all traffic exchanges allow you to earn credit in return for viewing other member's web pages. Also look out for bonus credits. Many exchanges will give you bonus credits for signing up, for surfing a certain number of pages, or for winning competitions or sweepstakes.
* Minimum Time Limit - when surfing for credits, most traffic exchanges require you to view a site for a minimum amount of time before you earn a credit. This is normally somewhere between 10 and 30 seconds.
* Anti Cheat Mechanisms - to ensure that a real person is viewing your web site most traffic exchanges employ anti cheating mechanisms. This usually means that instead of clicking a "Next Site" button you have to click on a specific graphic such as a number, letter, picture or coloured icon from a selection of a few, to proceed to the next site. Repeated failure to do this correctly means suspension or termination of your account.
* Referring Others - this is the fastest way to build up your credits. Most traffic exchanges provide you with referral pages and banners. You can use these to recruit yourself a downline. When someone signs up from your promotional web page or banner they are placed in your downline. This can earn you an immediate bonus plus a percentage of your downline's credits e.g. 1 credit for every 10 sites surfed.
* Paid/Pro Memberships - most traffic exchanges offer paid memberships as well as free memberships. Normally a paid membership earns you privileges such as an allocation of credits per month plus an increased number of credits for your own surfing and the surfing of your downline. Most exchanges also allow you to purchase extra credits. I don't recommend going for a paid membership or buying credits until you have tried out the traffic exchange for free first.
A quick search on Google, using the keywords "traffic exchange" will reveal almost 200,000 results, including hundreds of differently themed traffic exchange websites. Within minutes you can sign up for an account, submit your URL and start surfing for credits. Easy? Yes, but how do you know if this traffic exchange will give you results? How do you choose between the hundreds of different traffic exchanges?
I use a report from a company called Traffic Hoopla to decide which traffic exchanges to sign up with. This report is updated weekly with the top 50 traffic exchanges and the top 10 new traffic exchanges. You can find out from this report who delivers the highest unique percentage of visitors and who will deliver traffic to your website in a timely manner. Armed with this information you can sign up for only the best traffic exchanges and get the biggest reward for your efforts.
Once you have signed up for some of the top traffic exchanges, you now need to earn some credits. There are three ways to do this:
(1)Personally surf for credits
(2)Purchase Credits
(3)Build a downline
In the beginning you may want to set aside a few hours each week to personally surf for some credits - in fact some traffic exchanges require you to surf a certain number of sites to activate your account.
However, the best way to be successful with traffic exchanges is to build your own downline. This way you can keep the credits flowing in by letting your downline do all the clicking for you.
You can do this by using the referral web pages of each of the traffic exchanges that you have signed up with or you can sign up with a downline builder such as Traffic Hoopla or Profit Rally and build downlines for all the best traffic exchanges by advertising a single link.
I chose the latter method and after signing up for the top 10 traffic exchanges I had over 60 people signed up under me in the various programs after the first week. I can't quite put my feet up and stop surfing yet, but every week I can spend less time clicking on traffic exchanges and more time deciding how to use all my credits. Suzanne Morrison is the webmaster and owner of http://www.homebiz-direct.com Visit her website to learn more about Building your Downlines
Launch Pad to a New Job?
The moment you decide to look for a new job is a great time to take stock and ask yourself some important questions. But are you asking yourself the best quest...
Finding the Right People for your Business
Whether you are in business or working for a company, you always need to make sure you have the right people in place. This article gives tips on what you can d...
Essential Advice for Your Wedding Day
You've been engaged for months, you've made it through planning the
ceremony, the attire, the reception, the honeymoon, and you haven't killed
each other yet....
Build Website But Watchout Bandwidth?
When we learn to build or create our website, often there is warning that bandwidth (or the lack of) can break your website. This is true of course but again we...
The Eight Week Cholesterol Challenge
When I first started down this path I was looking for something to reduce my cholesterol levels without giving me a heart attack. My doctor recommended Lipitor,...
Article Writing and Marketing: How Do You Come Up with an Idea Every Week
Do you know how some people struggle with coming up with ideas for articles? Well here is how to make it easy.
Five Easy Ways To Bring Family Time Into Your Day; Balancing Work And Family Stresses
The pace of life seems to quicken every year. More and more time is spent rushing from job to after school activities or evening meetings. It's easy to get over...
For Sale By Owner: The Inside Scoop On Selling Your Own Home
There is plenty of money in real estate and who wants to split the profits with an agent? You have to ask yourself the question 'Should I try to sell my own hom...
Its All About YOU!
The Hottest Word on the Web Did you know marketing people and copywriters are developing a science about writing for readers in this new medium called the Web? ...
The Power Of Free
The powerful word "FREE" is an essential key to gaining subscribers to your optin list, to your pre-launch membership site, and to gain popularity with your cus...
Happiness Increases Longevity...Where Do We Find This Gift of Life?
How to find authentic happiness and improve our chances for long life.
Russ Whitney and Real Estate Investing Gurus
Article on strategies and Guru's like Russ Whitney and Robert Allen who have influenced America's Real Estate Landscape.
Use a Guarantee In Your Headline To Increase Trust
Sometimes you can use a guarantee effectively in your headline. Doing so often creates increased trust in the reader. After all, if you guarantee it, you must...
The Truth About Weight Loss Marketing
Weight loss, diets and "carbs" are common household topics. There is always a new pill or product that really is supposed to work. Whether it's for burning fat...
Planning Help: Meal Two
One meal planning challenge for me has been to `lighten up' for my family's and my health. My husband and I were both raised on `meat and potatoes' so it has be...
Bath Furniture Components
Bath furniture components can make life a little easier when having to deal with a small confined bathroom...
The Perfect Strip Tease!
Every foxy female has wanted to be their partner's very own private dancer, now you can by following these easy steps!
10 Stunning Garden Decorations!
While you're enjoying playing games in the garden, give a thought to decorating your outside space. There are lots of fun and interesting things you can do with...
Checklist for High Performing Teams
Why do some teams perform well while others struggle? How can you assess how effectively your team is working now, and identify methods for improvement?
Secrets of Choosing the Perfect Acoustic Guitar
Whether you are looking to buy new, or replace an old acoustic guitar, the first thing you should always bear in mind is that no other materials should be used ...
Debt Handling Solutions
Sometimes debt can seem overwhelming. In those instances, or even before things get that far out of hand, get back to basics and try some of these debt handling...
A Guide to Savings Accounts
Savings accounts are an important part of banking ....
Orange and Lemon Ice an Italian Dessert Treat
Often times when you are at a gourmet restaurant enjoying a fine meal you will be served a delicious delicate dessert of flavored ice. This particular version ...
Unemployment Survival: Creating a Sense of Security
Job security no longer exists in the marketplace. It exists only for those who know and appreciate their values as a worker: their skills, their competence, the...
|
Print this page