The Key to Using Traffic Exchanges Effectively

The Key to Using Traffic Exchanges Effectively

by Allison Whitehead

Most home based net entrepreneurs have got enough to do without clicking for credits to get their sites seen on a traffic exchange.

But is auto surfing really the answer?

Traffic exchanges are an excellent way to drive extra traffic towards your site. But there are surely pros and cons to both manual and auto exchanges.

Both versions usually have some kind of reward scheme going on, whether that means random bonus credits, games to win credits that make the surfing experience somewhat more enjoyable, bonuses for referring others, bonuses for answering questions to make sure you’re not just a computer program that’s trying to cheat the system… the list goes on.

Auto programs are of course much more user friendly than the manual versions. They do the surfing for you, meaning you don’t have to run the risk of repetitive strain injury in your mouse finger.

Sounds great – but the chances are, if you’ve ever used an auto exchange, you haven’t spent too much time actually looking at the computer screen while you’ve been racking up the credits.

When you consider your site is also being advertised in the same way on that same exchange, you suddenly wonder how many people are seeing yours. Yup, it’s easy to score loads of credits, and get your site ‘seen’ loads of times… but how many people are actually looking?

For my money, manual exchanges are the best. As the name suggests, there is some manual work involved. You have to work to earn your credits, but these exchanges tend to deliver far better results, and you can be fairly sure that people out there are seeing your site.

Half the battle is in knowing how to make the exchanges work for you. You need quality traffic, you need leads, and you need customers. And to get the best out of any exchange, you need to consider what YOU do when you’re surfing. Do you look at the sites? For how long? How many times do you need to see the same site before you click on it for more information? What makes you click on a site the first time you see it?

You need to bear in mind that the number one reason people use traffic exchanges is to click on the ‘go’ button to go to the next screen and earn another credit. That’s it. They are not looking to buy stuff. You might occasionally get lucky and sell something right off the page in a traffic exchange, but it’s unlikely.

The key to succeeding with traffic exchanges is to use them effectively, and use them to capture leads, or recruit people into free to join programs. Advertise the other traffic exchanges you’re using. Write a report you can give away for free that advertises your latest e-book or product. Promote your free to join affiliate programs. Use them to create a relationship between yourself and your audience.

Whatever traffic exchange you use, look on it as a way of capturing leads if you have a product to sell. Offer a freebie in exchange for their details and email address. Look on the traffic exchanges as the Internet version of a ‘loss leader’ – the first sale that you actually lose money on, in order to keep that customer for the long term. Do that and you won’t go far wrong.

Only it’s actually better online – you’re not losing any money upfront. You’re just losing a little time, clicking on other sites for credit.

Personally I think that’s a good deal.