What are Traffic Exchanges? Tell us about where you surf!

I wrote up an article about Traffic Exchanges after reading what is on Wikipedia (there's a claim of bias to the entry). I started out with definitions but also added references here to specific exchanges as examples of what traffic exchanges are and what they do.

Feel free to comment back telling us about your experiences on any traffic exchange, how it works, it's features and what you like or don't like about it.

What are Traffic Exchanges?

Traffic Exchanges are a viable way to promote your internet business. Not only will you increase your web presence to an audience of thousands, but you drive targeted traffic to your site.

Traffic Exchanges allow business owners, affiliate marketers and bloggers to showcase their sites to a targeted audience. After joining, you list your site and surf to view other members sites in exchange for your site being shown for free. There are manual exchanges where you click to see the next site and there are also autosurf sites that can also improve your site ranking.

Getting ranking from TE or autosurfing is very complicated. Autosurf Sites increase your alexa ranking. Google doesn't allow their ads on TE and your sites are generally banned by the traffic exchange if you attempt to show sites with Google ads.

Since it is a free service, some Traffic Exchanges have a lower surf ratio than what it would be if you were to upgrade your membership. Most have 3:1 (or 3 click/views to your site being viewed once), 2:1 and then 1:1 or better in some cases. There are actually manual traffic exchanges out there with 10:1 surf ratios. Beware you're not clicking your time away because these sites can cleverly disquise this ratio from you.

There are many different kinds of Traffic Exchanges.

An example of a very unique traffic exchange is the one at Apsense.
As a member of Apsense Business community you create your own webpage and that is what is seen on the Biz Exchange.

It's a great way to get to know the membership at this TE as well as their products. You can see not only what they promote but how they present their products and services. Great way to learn while you earn. And there's an added twist! You can top or drop their rating based on your judgement of their page. Some might consider this an odd rating system but I believe it's intended to bring out the best in your webpage creation skills and you earn Apsense Biz Exchange credits for surfing this way

Other exchanges use a more basic method.

Basic? I doubt if traffic exchange programmers like Jon Atwood would consider that their craft creates a basic site. But what all traffic exchanges that I've come across have is is a webpage with a tool bar that displays the icons or text to click when the timer counts down as well as the banners that members promote. Below or above this will be your site and it will stay there to be viewed until the surfer clicks to see the next site! Basic! Autosurf sites automatically display pages every few seconds. Also Basic for those of us who surf!

There is no doubt an interesting history to the development of traffic exchanges, but I'll save that for another article.

Just the Hits Mam, Just the Hits

"Just the Hits Mam, Just the Hits" is the phrase I use when promoting Armi Niemi's mobhits.biz. There's more to traffic exchanges than just the hits. That's phase one: Surfing for traffic. Phase two is promoting your key exchanges to begin building your downlines because this will bring you more credits and some cash as members upgrade.

Promoting traffic exchanges is easy because they all have great splash pages for you to use on the other traffic exchanges. Your affiliate banners and text link ads ennable you to get your downline and all is fed by credits earned or purchased.

More than just a Traffic Exchange

Now there are traffic exchanges that provide you with amazing tools for for what you promote.

Webbizinsider is the sleeping giant. Appearances can be misleading. Under the veneer of a basic exchange you will find a variety of incredible tools and services to boost your internet business. You can email your downline if you are an upgraded member. You also get referrals (not random referrals ~ guaranteed referrals). Your link is included with your testimonial in The Webbizinsider Newsletter which goes out to 140,617 members saily and are clicked on for 5 credits each for a total of 50 credits per email FREE! Webbizinsider is 1:1 ratio and that is also FREE

When you search for traffic exchanges to join, chose those with the best surf ratio, surf to become qualified and to see if it is fast and gives out bonus credits and don't hesitate to join the smaller exchanges because their members are dedicated entrepreneurs who are loyal to the owner and are looking for ways to earn online.

I wrote this for blogs and also have this on http://sta.rtup.biz/profiles/blogs/get-targeted-traffic-for-your

All comments welcome!