Traffic exchanges and start pages are some of the best free advertising tools online. Traffic exchange programs ensure real eyes are viewing your advertisements and, provided they are used correctly, you can generate thousands of visits to your website and effectively increase web site traffic for free.

You can also increase site targeted traffic and these visits to your website can lead to sign-ups in any program you are advertising. In the Advertopia program I was advertising recently, for example, I acquired 55 sign-ups in a couple of weeks or so all from traffic exchange surfing.

What are traffic exchanges?

Traffic exchange programs allow you to earn traffic simply by getting you to view other peoples websites for anywhere between 10-30 seconds per site. Generally a 2:1 ratio is offered, meaning that for every 2 sites you view your site will get viewed once.

The two main types of traffic exchanges are manual and auto exchanges. Real eyes are needed to view pages in manual exchanges and you have to physically click links, whereas auto pages just run automatically in the background and nobody sees your ad. Auto pages, then, should be avoided in your marketing campaigns.

A paid membership is offered in most traffic exchanges that will give you a 1:1 surfing ratio or better, but unless this upgrade costs less than $5 per month I would recommend the free membership option only.

Most traffic exchanges use anti cheat mechanisms to ensure sites are being viewed adequately before you can earn a credit. As well as perhaps clicking on a next site button on the completion of viewing an ad, various other types of clicking links will be randomly used so as to confuse any automatic device a cheater may use. Repeated failure to surf correctly could lead to suspension or termination of your membership.

Referring others to the exchanges you belong to means you can earn traffic or more credits and a percentage of your downline credits. Some people recruit thousands of others to the exchanges, thus earning many, many credits. In some instances a huge downline means a recruiter can eventually retire from surfing and simply rely on his downline credits to continue bringing him thousands of website visits.

When you start using traffic exchanges, you will notice many beautiful sites full of graphics and text. Unfortunately the main message on many of these sites will not be read simply because of the limited time available to view the sites. Its important, then, that you ensure that your ad will be read and this is done by using a splash page. This type of page displays just a few bulleted statements, which can be read quickly and well within the 10-30 seconds viewing time involved with exchanges.

Which exchanges to join? A company called Traffic Hoopla publishes a regular report showing the top 50 traffic exchanges. By studying the report statistics you will see who is performing the best and know which ones to join.

Bob Gill is an online marketer operating a new website at

http://www.resell-rights-plaza.com that sells resell rights and private label rights ebooks.