Do traffic exchanges work?

Opinions please

[Inquire]

Hello all,

A few weeks ago, due to a slow summer, and in a desperate attempt to increase traffic to get prospective clients and leads, and also have some spillover clicks on my AdSense ads, I joined <snip>.

Athough both work differently, these are basically free traffic exchange services whereby you are able to advertise your links. The more you surf, the more credits you get, and the more your ads are shown. Yo ucan also create downlines, although I haven't done that. So far, I'm not impressed at all, because although I do get some traffic I wouldn't otherwise get, it seems everyone is surfing to just get credits and you don't really get people paying attention to your site. Also, while there are some interesting sites and legit. businesses, it seems that 90% of the ads are MLM schemes and scams.

I would however, be interested in what others have to say about these types of "free traffic" programs. Or if there are any decent ones out there that actually work in terms of getting you targetted leads.

[edited by: mack at 2:30 pm (utc) on Sep. 14, 2005]
[edit reason] Removed company names. [/edit]

[Inquire]

I'm assuming nobody knows what I'm talking about, or that I've answered my own question. Nevertheless, I'd love to hear from someone with an opinion on these programs.

[mack]

I have always though that any trafic you get from such sources would convert very poorly simply because people have an incentive to go to your site. They are not really interested users, simple visitors who are visiting your site to get extra credits.

These schemes along with banner exchanges used to work very well, although not so well lately. I feel that the only real gainer in those programs is the exchange owner.

Mack.

[Leosghost]

Futile way to burn up bandwidth ..

[Inquire]

Thanks folks. I just figured that I may get some interested spillover sufers who are acutally interseted in my service, but as yet, to no avail. (note: to self: quit these asap :-)

Are there any traffic exchanges that are not based on a third party benefiting, that actually work? What I mean is, other than the usual methods like reciprocal linking?

[shigamoto]

I've tired a few traffic exchanges, just lately I tried one exchanging ordinary text links. It's too early to tell how it will work out, but right now I've had a couple of leads.

As for traffic exchanges showing banners I've always had the strategy to display the website URL and name in them. This is to build a brand and so that the URL sinks into people's minds. However the click-through rate I've had through banner exchange programs has been very slim.

[HappyMomAnna]

I do have one traffic exchange on a sub domain (for a small business) and I have not been impressed at all.

Mainly because I have Zero contorl over what site is going to pop up to my visitors! Sure there are rules about no porn sites joining the traffic exchange but--those porn sites have managed to go a few hours...and even a weekend here or there before being removed.

I have decided that traffic exchange is a rather risky business for me!

Anna

[etechsupport]

If you set rules on what types of sites can join you or you can join them that can be bring effective results however you should follow the most common rules that your site can only have a certain number of pop ups, if any.

[khill05]

Hello
I am new to this forum.I have found a traffic exchange script and added it to my services on my website.The script gives you control over every aspect of your sites.You can show only on manual search or auto and manual,you can ad text ads or banners to pages on your site to earn credits without surfing.I check every site by hand and have a good report system for surfers.
The basic idea of manual surf is bringing eyes to your site.
Auto surf is purly for organic search engine rankings.
But traffic exchanges are a good way to get actual leads, you just have to pick the right exchanges.
I have not profited from it but we are also building a search engine and a system to tie exchanges together for greater exposure.It is an evolving business model but might get big someday we hope.

[chasing something]

if you find exchanges with text links they can work. doesn't burn the bandwidth either since only interested people will click the link.

[etechsupport]

I think traffic exchange is one way of your technique hence it is suggested don't waste much time every day clicking on traffic exchanges.