How to use traffic exchanges:

Join some programs, submit your url's and start surfing. It's that easy. Most programs offer a starting bonus, so you start with some credits. Some programs give you credits when you use them as your start page, each time you open your browser, you get credits. Most programs let you introduce more than 1 site and let you choose from categories where you want to surf and where you want to display your url's.

There are people who join auto surf programs. You start the program, it surfs pages and you can go watch TV or play with the kids. I don't like this. It's cheating and the other people using these programs do not look at your site either, so why do it at all?

Well, maybe these people just do it to increase their traffic stats and rankings. I could imagine that. Some of these programs give you 2,000 or more credits just to join them and that is a nice boost of the traffic to your site. Nobody looks at it, but you got your traffic.

You can use a multiple windows browser. Now this is one I like. It's not cheating (I think) because you actually have to click through the windows, but you only do it more effectively. When something grabs your attention, you will still read it or at least take a look at it. This way you increase your credits about tenfold.

There are several recommended multi-window browsers (sometimes called tabbed browsing). I personally use both the new windows Internet Explorer 7.0 still in beta at this writing and more often use Mozilla Firefox. Crazy Browser is another, and I'm sure there are more I know nothing about.

At the same time I am doing my research or playing solitaire in one of these programs, Topsurfer, to give the programs time to load their pages.  Top Surfer offers bribes as well. Members offer up to 1,000 or more credits if you sign up with other programs. I've accepted some bribes and found some interesting programs at the same time. You can play games, surf for money, surf for banner impressions etc. and most programs offer something interesting.

Downlines:

I am always on the look out for programs for e-biz beginners, people who want to start their home-based business without spending a cent. This month I came across 2 others which I am evaluating at this moment. Both of them urge you to start with PTR (Pay to Read emails) and after a few days in their program they want you to join traffic exchange programs.

I am sure that the next step will be to join them in some free to join affiliate programs etc. What is the foremost interest of the people promoting these programs? Building downlines! Pay to read emails (PTR) and the exchange programs are interesting for them because they work automatically if they have a large enough downline working for them.

Of course, some of these people really are legit and want to help, but most of them are just interested in building their downlines and I stay away from them.

PTR doesn't work, it will make you a few cents at the most in a few months. But if you have a big enough downline, that's another story entirely! I do not recommend starting with PTR. It will not make you enough money when you are starting and it will cost you a lot of time. But traffic exchange programs are interesting in my view.

Apart from seeing sites and getting ideas for your own, you can use some additional features they offer, you can present your own offers and if you can get your downline to grow... That would be nice as well.

Important things to remember when dealing with traffic exchange programs:

I almost never promote my main site, but use little offers and promotions in stead. Just for the same reasons as I do not use my main site to promote in ads, safelist or other places.

You have only seconds to get the attention of people who are surfing, so the site you promote should load quickly, have a catching title, offer an opt in mechanism urging the reader to ACT NOW. Most homepages are not designed that way.

Most affiliate pages aren't either. The most effective way to use these programs is writing or using simple sites with a good (free) offer and a sign up form. The main tactic should be to have them sign up, collect their email and start an autoresponder series (each of course signed with your name and url). Remember that people surfing these traffic exchanges are people just like us, surfing for credits to be able to promote their site as well.

While surfing these programs, you should take some time first and REALLY take a look at the sites that are promoted. You will see a lot of sites that do not even load in the few  seconds they have! You would not want to make that mistake! Others have too many colors, characters, pictures, pop ups, or annoying sound.

When surfing I don't  like music, nor pop ups, but take your time to see what sites do attract your attention and why. Learn from it. I have a very simple ad running on most of these programs that is giving me good results, and when you see it, you will notice that it is very, very basic, simple, and asks for action. Also notice the lack of "fake" endorsements, pop ups, sound, and photos. My simple ad...  Normally loads in less than two seconds on broadband high speed internet connection.

Are traffic exchanges worth the time you invest?

Yes, they are. We are people just starting our business and we can use all the free promotion we can get. Use your time effectively and enjoy! You have seen some ideas on this page, maybe you can come up with some others and use them in a new, inventive way.