Traffic Exchange Tips

Don’t you hate it when you’re surfing along, minding your own business (no pun intended), when SNAP! You’re ripped right out of the traffic exchange where you’re surfing and taken to another page? Grrr. I hate when that happens.

So, what do you do?

I click my back button and go back a couple of pages. (The reason for the back tracking is so that the frame-breaker doesn’t sneak in again.) Then, I hit the report button and report the site that took me out of the frame.

Some of you may feel that this is an unnecessary waste of time, but what if you don’t do it? Are you willing to waste time backtracking day after day until someone else does? Tsk. Tsk. Now, you’ve wasted everyone’s time, including your own.

Always report frame-breaking sites. Other sites to report would be those that go against the exchange’s terms of service, and these will vary by traffic exchange. Usually, you can bet that adult sites are a no-no, but Pay to Promote sites or even lead capture pages are illegal at some traffic exchanges, while at others they are not. Be familiar with the exchange’s terms of service, not just to help you spot bad pages, but to be sure you’re not uploading links to pages that aren’t allowed, as well.

It’s helpful to copy the URL of the offending page, too. Sometimes you’ll see a blank report form where you can enter that information. Other times, you’ll get a list of URLs to pick from and at least you’ll know which one is the problem site. But if there’s no place to list or show the URL at all, you haven’t taken much time by clicking in the address bar of your browser and when it highlights, right-clicking to copy, eh?

Pages you definitely don’t want to report are those that come up 404 or “Page Not Found.” When these appear, usually the site is down for a while or perhaps, changes are being made there. Once these situations resolve, the pages will appear in the exchange again and all will be well with the world. Exchange owners don’t look at 404 reports, anyway, and you needn’t waste time reporting these.

And don’t worry if you’re not given the proper URL to report or only given the current site and the previous site to point out. Exchange owners will usually check a few pages before and after your report to see if they can find the offending site, and just that you have reported it is usually enough to get it gone!

Reporting sites is a service to yourself and others. Next time you see a terms- or frame-breaking site that doesn’t belong, be sure to click that report button! We’re all counting on you.

Find Pat Marcello and more great tips at any of her sites: OVMarketing, OVEditing, OVBlogger

Everyone who uses traffic exchanges wants to promote their sites or programs in the most efficient way possible. One great way to do that is by using a site rotator.

With a site rotator, you can plug in several URLs and then use the single URL of the site rotator to promote all of the sites contained in it. Using rotators is quite convenient because when you want to change a URL, rather than going from site to site to make the adjustment, you merely change the URL in your rotator.

One important thing to remember about rotators is that if you use too many URLs, you probably won’t get very good results because you’ll water down your efforts. As a rule of thumb, use only about 5 sites, and you’ll probably find greater success if 2 or 3 of those point to different splash pages for the same site or program. This way, you’re getting maximum, but varied exposure for your premiere opportunity.

You can find free rotators all over the web.

Page Swirl is probably the most well-respected rotator because each entry is checked for frame breaking before the site is accepted into the rotator. Traffic Exchange List has a free rotator that also tracks your links.  Some TEs have their own rotators, too, such as WebCentreSurf, which also checks each URL for frame breaking. And Free Rotator allows you to set up all the rotators you want, with unlimited URLs; however, Free Rotator will frame your ad with theirs, whereas the others won’t.

Rotators can be timesavers, and a very efficient way of getting your sites seen. Just be sure, before entering the URL for the rotator, that using one is accepted in the site’s “Terms of Service” or FAQs (wherever the page rules are found). Rotators are usually okay in a manual exchange, whereas it’s rarely permitted in auto surf exchanges. Yet, site owners often decide which rotators they will allow you to use. Be sure of the rules and you won’t be embarrassed.

Using a site rotator responsibly can be an effective way to get your sites seen with the most convenience. Find a rotator site you like or buy a rotator maker of your own. Hermitware makes one known as, what else? Rotator Maker. The drawback here is that every time you want to change a URL, you have to use the program to write a new script and then, upload it to your web hosting service. That’s often more time consuming than using someone else’s. But you decide.  Whatever you choose, never underestimate the power of a rotator.

Rule #1: Never join a program before thoroughly checking it out.

That should be Rule #1, anyway. But how many of us simply see or hear something when surfing traffic exchanges that interests us (usually an enormous amount of money that can be made), and blindly sign up?

Probably all newbies. But oldbies do it, too. How dopey is that?

Think about this: When you give even just your first name and email address, you’re automatically added to that page owner’s list. How much mail can your inbox hold? If you don’t know what company or individual you’re signing up with, your name and address may well be sold to others, which could produce a volume of email that you may not want.
If it’s a program you’re considering joining, what do you know about it? Does anyone you know belong? Is any initial investment involved?  Who’s behind it? Before signing up for anything, you need to find out what the site is all about.

Here are some things you may want to question:

*   Is it a newsletter run by one person, and do they provide privacy information on the sign-up page?

*  Who is that person and how long have they been marketing online?  I mean, is it long enough to be able to tell you how it’s done or is it somebody just starting out, professing to know something when they know less than you do?

*   Can you even tell who owns the membership site?

*   Is there contact information on the homepage or is it easily found by clicking one button?

*   Did you do a “WhoIs” check (www.whois.com) to find out who the site belongs to and where the business is located?

*   Is there any negative information floating around about the owner? (You can easily find that kind of stuff simply by Googling it up.)

*   Toddle on over to Alexa (www.alexa.com) to look at the site’s stats.

*   Is the program even legal?

Traffic exchanges show many address-gathering pages.  At least, be sure who wants the information, what you’re getting in return for giving it, and see if there’s some kind of privacy statement you can access easily. If all you see is, “Sign up for this and then I’ll tell you what it is,” be sure to check the offering out more thoroughly before joining.

What is it they say about free not really being free?

Pat Marcello authors OVMarketing One-Tip Newsletter and always provides a privacy statement on her sign-up form.

Are you too shy to strike up conversations with other people? Hmm… What about email, surely sending someone an email isn’t terribly daunting, right? It is? Well, then you’re in the wrong business. Network marketing means just what it says. You are a network marketer. That means you need to network, and if you don’t do that most important thing, you’ll never succeed.

Traffic exchanges are a good place to start honing the art of becoming a good mentor. In most exchanges, when you get a referral into the program, you are notified by the site’s admin. This is great because you can take immediate action to assure that you remain on your recruit’s mind. If you can’t do it immediately, be sure to respond to this alert within 24 hours. Send your referral a private message, if this feature is available at the traffic exchange. If not, send an email, an IM, or even call them on the telephone. I know this isn’t everyone’s choice, but it works even better than mail. Yet, if you insist on sending a written messge of some type, there are dos and don’ts.

In your welcome message, do be sure to thank the person for joining you in the program. Point out places where new members will find help regarding the site, such as to a tutorial or an FAQ section. Tell the person that you will be happy to help, if he or she still has questions, and provide your contact information.

The more ways you give people to reach you, the better. Give them your email address, your IM address, and even your telephone number. If you’re reticent about doing that, maybe your cell phone number would seem better. Just remember, you can always change a number, but most folks who call you are just looking for guidance in their own online careers. They’re in search of a beacon. You can be that beacon for them, if you don’t abuse the privilege.

Sponsors who send an ad for another program in their messages are spamming, pure and simple. Don’t do it. Aside from it being against the terms of service in a majority of exchanges, it’s just rude. Offer help and guidance and that person will probably join your program anyway, just because you’ve taken your time to be helpful.

I can’t tell you how many emails I’ve had, telling me that, “I joined Program XYZ, and my upline sponsor said she’d call, but never has,” or “I never knew I had an upline sponsor in XYZ.” Well, it’s a shame you weren’t that person’s upline sponsor in that traffic exchange, huh? You probably will be in others, if you just give him or her a little support. It’s a cold, cruel World Wide Web out there, folks. Be kind to others, and you are sure to succeed.