How to Explode Your At Home Business With Traffic Exchanges While Avoiding the Risks and Snags

Frequently, you will hear some people complain about traffic exchanges because they don't think the traffic is of high quality for their at home business. On the contrary, prospects who take the time to surf traffic exchanges are exactly the kind of prospects you want! New opportunity seekers! You already know that they have a home computer to use, they are at least somewhat computer-knowledgeable, and that they are likely to be involved with an affiliate program. Often they are newbies to marketing and very anxious to get started. So why not try to win them over to your opportunity? After all, isn't your opportunity better than most?

You'll find traffic exchanges everywhere you look. They are easy to start with the right program, so many are run out of basements and spare rooms. Exchanges are simple in concept, and thus it is a relatively simple matter for interested webmasters to get the up and running. But don't overlook the small-time traffic exchange--its users may represent a customer base that would be difficulty if not impossible to reach otherwise. Once you find a traffic exchange you like, you complete the brief sign-up form, and you will soon be in the company of many fellow marketers, each with a webpage or two that they wish to promote. Lead with the best opportunity sales page you have for your at home business. To promote your own page, you find the form on the site where you can enter your website's URL, and the program will arrange for its display once you have assigned "credits" (increasingly exchanges are offering auto-assignment of credits). From there, you head to the "Surf" page where you rack up these credits by visiting the pages of other entrepreneurs. Traffic exchanges come in both free and paid varieties--the free ones proliferate, so there is no need to pay to join unless you receive a special offer in return. You will immediately note that some exchanges are more technically advanced than are others.

Of the two basic types, however--manual and automatic, you will want the manual. After all, there is little point in having your page shown if the end user does not even have to be there in the room while it is being displayed. That would not benefit your at home business. Manual exchanges ensure that this user will be participating in the viewing process, so no worries there. The webmaster of the traffic exchange controls the way in which the pages are viewed--order, time shown, and so forth. The pages are usually rotated randomly.

Automatic exchanges can have specific uses, but generally speaking they are not a great way to get your site seen.since they are automatic, such exchanges do not even require a person to be at the computerhence, no real traffic for you. Manual exchanges are far better. Lately, some eye-catching automatic exchanges have surfaced that offer cash bonuses on select pages--the pages on these exchanges certainly can capture one's full attention, so don't rule out attractive automatic exchanges, either, once you have gotten comfortable with the traffic exchange concept. Automatic traffic exchanges are not without merits of their own, but are more suited to advanced users who can judge their worth for at home business more accurately.

You may find it very handy to make use of a rotator of your own if you have more than one sales page. A professional rotator such as Pageswirl can be a great help in showing your pages smoothly and in the order you choose, while giving no clue that it is even operating. While there are some traffic exchange operators that do not like rotators at all, Pageswirl is very exchange-friendly, and is usually welcomed.

Because a great many marketers make use of traffic exchanges, your site has the potential to be seen by many people--the market is worldwide. Most traffic exchanges work on the "credit" program. You will earn a full or partial "credit" each time you visit another member's website. In turn, you forfeit a full credit each time another member visits your website. Typically, an exchange allows you to earn from 0.5 to 1.0 credit on each visit you make to another member's website. There are often three main ways of obtaining credits--earning them through surfing of the traffic exchange as described, purchasing them in a package, or referring other exchange users who earn some credits for you when they themselves surf. Purchased credits can sometimes be targeted a little more effectively, as a reward for the purchase. Choose the exchange benefits that best suit your at home business.

Often there is a "pro" or enhanced membership which will allow you some favorable terms for surfing and purchases--often with an higher number of credits distributed. It is not common for traffic exchanges to offer bonuses to join--this can be an effective way to promote your site if you keep your eye our for new exchanges with a competitive bonus package. Some traffic exchanges are very helpful in this regard. Traffic exchanges have the ability to control how many websites and banners that you are allowed to display--this varies widely from exchange to exchange (although, as mentioned previously, a rotator such as Pageswirl can bypass such limitations.

As you become familiar with a favorite traffic exchange, you will want to consider joining its referral program as a way to accrue more credits more often. Again, you will obtain a portion of the credits obtained by the downline member when they surf. The downline structure is determined by the exchange itself--downlines can vary.

Be aware of traffic exchange restrictions. You may not be allowed to use pop-up windows, adult content, sites that break frames, rotators, multiple accounts, URL forwarding, gambling themes, or banned websites. There are often cash bonuses available as rewards for certain activities or for participation in contests.

The speed and ability of your website to load without difficulty is very important to the traffic exchange. Most exchanges urge user to make use of "splash pages"--small pages that load instantly, often with just a single picture or message, rather than full loading of a complete, fully loaded webpage full of graphics and tools. Your concise message should be one that is absorbed readily in the 10 or 15 second viewing period.

Beware of complicated displays, languages or presentations that drag down the loading time of your page. Your message should be brief and to the point, with maximum impact in presentation. A common goal for many users is to simply obtain the name and e-mail for follow-up later, either by e-mail campaign or autoresponder. In this way, you can market to the list any way you would like to at a later point in time. This is a more comprehensive strategy for your at home business.

Make sure that you have a pop-up stopper runningtraffic exchanges can be irritating if you have to deal with all the pop-ups. Even if not officially allowed on the exchange, pop-ups have been known to slip through. A pop-up stopper allows you to surf more contentedly. And be sure you are running a good anti-virus program, because you never know--traffic exchanges are not better or worse in this aspect than the internet itself.

Use a web page rotatorit is especially helpful with exchanges that will only let you list one or two pageswith a rotator, you can get all your best sales pages seen. Pageswirl is a highly recommended professional rotator.

If you really enjoy a particular exchange, consider upgradingthere are often a lot of benefits. Some exchanges even offer ways to make money!

Traffic exchanges can be a lot of fun. There are a wide variety of them, and used effectively, they can bring a lot of traffic to your offer. They should most definitely be a part of your online marketing campaign. Many traffic exchanges have recognized that there is a fatigue factor is surfing site after site, so they have enhanced their exchanges with contests, bonuses, entertaining displays, extra advertising avenues and other perks of "surfing the exchanges".