Sunday, May 22, 2005
Traffic exchange update
Looking for more traffic to your blog? Who isn’t, right? Two relatively new blog exchanges are up and running. Blog Soldiers and BlogXchange are pretty straightforward blog and blog-related only traffic exchanges. Both have all the usual features you’d expect, but with a bonus credit system structured more like the traditional non-blog traffic exchanges. In other words, more free bonus credits than you’re probably used to seeing in your current blog exchanges. I’ve tried both out over a short period, and they’re worth a look. Both are free to join, of course, with upgrade options.
Also, I’m continuing to get really good results, in terms of multi-page views and return visits, from both TrafficAxiom and Webcentresurf. I blogged these sites a while back, and added buttons in my sidebar, and wondered at the time if the results I was seeing on Sitemeter were for real. Well, I’m convinced now that other bloggers are seeing good results too, because there are several blogs other than mine now displaying regularly on these sites. I know they’re honest about referrals, too, because I tested it by having a friend join under my referral code. Both of these offer bonus credit systems that you will simply not see in the blog exchanges. I’ve corresponded with the owners of both exchanges, and they really like having blogs mixed in to add another dimension and keep the exchange more interesting to users. I also think I’m getting the results I get because after looking at thirty “Make Money Now” pages, up comes my blog with something different to offer.
If you don’t consider “traditional” exchanges like these, you are really limiting the exposure of your blog. Why would you assume that only other bloggers would be interested in what you have to say?
When you join an exchange, try to use the buddy system. If you join, and your “buddy” joins through your referral link, you’ll find out how honest the exchange is pretty quick. And they’re not all honest! The referrer usually gets some kind of bonus credits out of the referral, so alternate who joins first and who joins second. The other advantage of using the buddy system is that you’ll see each other’s page come up in the rotation, so you’ll know if your page is taking too long to load, coming up five times consecutively to the same surfer, or never showing up in the rotation at all.
You can waste a ton of time “clicking for credits”, but if you’re smart about it, you can really find new readers that way. If all you want is to see your counter spin, join the “short-timer” autosurf exchanges. But the truth is, most autosurf programs will not get you readers. In fact, if your blog is real top-heavy with pictures and graphics, most autosurfers will never actually see it. By the time it loads, the timer will move on. Or it will freeze the viewer’s browser, interrupt his surfing, and probably just piss him off. Not the best way to earn new readers.
If you are just looking to pad your stats, try Autohits.dk and Surfhornet. Autohits.dk is a straight up autosurfer, .8 credits per page viewed. It runs very smoothly for an autosurfer, and delivers return hits like right now…if you surf 50 pages, by a few minutes after the time you finish, you’ll have gotten your return visits. When I was testing autosurfers, this was the one that actually delivered a few multi-page view visits. Surfhornet is a ten-second autosurfer with a liberal bonus program – a thousand bonus credits when you sign up, and ten bonus credits on the surfbar every ten or fifteen sites after you surf thirty five or so in a session. You can pile up credits effortlessly on this one. Return visits don’t register as visits on Sitemeter, they register as page views. So you might get a one-hour, 40 page view visit. You’re NOT going to get new readers from a ten-second autosurfer, but you can pad your length of visit and page view stats, if that’s what you’re into.
One other thing I've learned while researching traffic exchanges: you'd be surprised at some of the blogs that use traffic exchanges and paid traffic services to drive their readership numbers. And no, I'm not going to name any names.
Also, I’m continuing to get really good results, in terms of multi-page views and return visits, from both TrafficAxiom and Webcentresurf. I blogged these sites a while back, and added buttons in my sidebar, and wondered at the time if the results I was seeing on Sitemeter were for real. Well, I’m convinced now that other bloggers are seeing good results too, because there are several blogs other than mine now displaying regularly on these sites. I know they’re honest about referrals, too, because I tested it by having a friend join under my referral code. Both of these offer bonus credit systems that you will simply not see in the blog exchanges. I’ve corresponded with the owners of both exchanges, and they really like having blogs mixed in to add another dimension and keep the exchange more interesting to users. I also think I’m getting the results I get because after looking at thirty “Make Money Now” pages, up comes my blog with something different to offer.
If you don’t consider “traditional” exchanges like these, you are really limiting the exposure of your blog. Why would you assume that only other bloggers would be interested in what you have to say?
When you join an exchange, try to use the buddy system. If you join, and your “buddy” joins through your referral link, you’ll find out how honest the exchange is pretty quick. And they’re not all honest! The referrer usually gets some kind of bonus credits out of the referral, so alternate who joins first and who joins second. The other advantage of using the buddy system is that you’ll see each other’s page come up in the rotation, so you’ll know if your page is taking too long to load, coming up five times consecutively to the same surfer, or never showing up in the rotation at all.
You can waste a ton of time “clicking for credits”, but if you’re smart about it, you can really find new readers that way. If all you want is to see your counter spin, join the “short-timer” autosurf exchanges. But the truth is, most autosurf programs will not get you readers. In fact, if your blog is real top-heavy with pictures and graphics, most autosurfers will never actually see it. By the time it loads, the timer will move on. Or it will freeze the viewer’s browser, interrupt his surfing, and probably just piss him off. Not the best way to earn new readers.
If you are just looking to pad your stats, try Autohits.dk and Surfhornet. Autohits.dk is a straight up autosurfer, .8 credits per page viewed. It runs very smoothly for an autosurfer, and delivers return hits like right now…if you surf 50 pages, by a few minutes after the time you finish, you’ll have gotten your return visits. When I was testing autosurfers, this was the one that actually delivered a few multi-page view visits. Surfhornet is a ten-second autosurfer with a liberal bonus program – a thousand bonus credits when you sign up, and ten bonus credits on the surfbar every ten or fifteen sites after you surf thirty five or so in a session. You can pile up credits effortlessly on this one. Return visits don’t register as visits on Sitemeter, they register as page views. So you might get a one-hour, 40 page view visit. You’re NOT going to get new readers from a ten-second autosurfer, but you can pad your length of visit and page view stats, if that’s what you’re into.
One other thing I've learned while researching traffic exchanges: you'd be surprised at some of the blogs that use traffic exchanges and paid traffic services to drive their readership numbers. And no, I'm not going to name any names.
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