After all, if a promotional or advertising plan clearly works, and costs nothing, then you might think that it would be pretty high on the list of the tools and resources that everyone should be using. Sowhat's the problem you may be wondering... For one thing, many, if not most, traffic exchanges doen't survive very long. They come and go like boy bands. I believe this is due to poor planning and management, not because the traffic generation method itself is flawed.
Another argument against traffic exchanges is that what little traffic you do get from them isn't targeted -and thus useless. Not so! Marketers just aren't doing they're research. If you understand who uses traffic exchanges and then take advantage of that information... then you'll receive tons of targeted traffic.
Most new online marketers, netpreneurs and online money-making opportunity seekers start their marketing efforts with traffic exchanges. So, if you're product or service caters to any of these marketers (or closely related markets) then you've got thousands of potential customers looking at your site (or splash page) every day.
As I mentioned above, if traffic exchanges are used properly, they can be an extremely valuable source of high quality traffic for any website. The key to success, however, is knowing how to do it correctly and, again, my experience indicates that this is where most marketers fail.
Traffic exchanges work now just as effectively as they did in the early days, and anyone not using them as part of their marketing mix is definitely missing out.
There are essentially two different types of traffic exchanges, manual and auto-surf programs. I probably don't have to tell you that auto-surf traffic exchanges are a waste of your time, but I will. Auto-surf traffic exchanges are a waste of your time and effort. No one is going to see your site or splash page. Every member is only using an auto-surf exchange to earn credits so they can show their own site. But, again, no one is viewing the sites.
There aren't any click requirements so each page (site) just automatically appears for a few seconds then disappears to be replaced by the next one.
Manual traffic exchanges will open a page in the exchange site's window in your browser for a fixed period of time. At the end of that period of time, you have to manually return to the open browser window and click on an icon, button, number or whatever. Otherwise the current window (page) will stay open.
The only traffic exchanges that are worth bothering with are manual ones, because you know for a fact that, no matter how fleeting it might be, people have to see your ad. It might only be for a second or two, but at least they will see it. This means is that your ad must work in the second or two that you have available.
Avoid being one of the statistics. By understanding what to do and not to do with traffic exchanges you'll avoid one of the biggest reasons that the vast majority of traffic exchange users condemn themselves and their businesses to failure before they even start.
The primary objective of using traffic exchange programs should never be to attempt to sell anything.
You're simply wasting your time. People who are exchange surfers are just not buyers!
Your primary objective of using the exchanges should be to build your business, and let the sales come along later.
Because you only have a few seconds to get your message across or your site views by other exchange surfers I highly recommend that you create a splash page. (You'll need your own website, however, to be able to do this).
There are tons of resources that'll teach you how to create an effective splash page, and there are sites where you can create a splash page online for free.
In order to generate traffic and build your business using traffic exchanges, your splash page should do one of the following:
- offer to teach the viewer something
- offer the surfer a free gift to help them earn more money, become more successful, or something like that
- offer them information on getting more traffic
People just don't buy things while surfing a traffic exchange, plain and simple.
What you should be exploiting traffic exchanges for is to build awareness of your site, service or product and most importantly, to build your mailing list. By offering one of the things mentioned above, you'll be able to add hundreds or even thousands of potential customers to your list... and that's where the money is, as they say.
So there you have it. Traffic exchanges are indeed a viable means of generating traffic to your site, offer, product or service... As long as you understand the restrictions and limitations, and as long as what you offer appeals to the types of individuals surfing the exchanges, then they can be an incredibly useful means of free traffic generations.
Additional Resources
These are the traffic exchanges that I personally use, track and have success with. There are literally hundreds of them out there, so I can't comment on them all. I just know what's worked for me and so feel confident in recommending the ones below. Feel free to check out others. You won't know which work until you try them.
Surfing traffic exchanges can get pretty boring! So I try to join ones that offer bonuses, games and other little extras that help keep my mind engaged. All of the exchanges listed below offer bonuses, most offer contests and games, and some offer cash prizes. But ALL of them deliver traffic to your site.
Traffic Swarm
Traffic Swarm isn't a traffic exchange per se. It's more of an ad exchange where you must click on text ads. They've been around for years and I've always had success with them.
Royal Hits
Traffic Splash
TE Club (Traffic Exchange Club)
Deep Space Traffic
High Hits
Traffic Wonderland
Horror Movie Hits
Traffic Showdown
Easy Hits 4U
Surf VO
Traffic Dodgems
Surf To Earn Traffic Exchange
Scarecrow Hits
That's today's traffic generation idea. Hope you found it helpful.
Until tomorrow,
Terry
