Getting the Maximum Credits

Now you have joined a traffic exchange, activated your account, surfed some, added your websites, text ads, banners, and downline building programs.  That's a great start.  Now, you ask, "How do I get the maximum credits to show my promotions?"  Well, I'll tell you.

Joining
When you first joined the exchange, you were probably given some credits to start your promotions.  If you took  advantage of those credits, your site was seen by several sets of eyes.  By now they're gone IF you haven't done anything else at the exchange since my last blog.  :-)   There are several ways to get credits now, so let's talk about that.

Login Rewards
Some exchanges have a Login Reward.  That means when you login the first time, you will receive a reward of a few credits, banner impressions, or text ad impressions.  Pretty cool!  A reward just for logging into your account!


Surfing
The first way you can get credits is by surfing.  As a free member, exchanges usually give you a  2:1 (read 2 to 1) or 3:1 surfing ratio.  What does that mean?  For every 2 or 3 sites you surf, you are given 1 credit.  If you decided to upgrade, your surfing ratio is higher.  The other bonus of the upgrade?  You will be GIVEN credits every month.  Hint:  If you can afford it, take advantage of the OTO (one time offer) when you join or log into the exchange.

Games/Prizes/Verification Pages
While you are surfing, you need to watch out for other ways you can earn credits, including banner impressions and text ad impressions.Some exchanges have pages that you will see while surfing.  Somewhere on the page, it will instruct you to click on an image or a word or phrase to earn your reward.

Be aware that some of these pages are verification pages.  What does that mean?  It means it wants to see if you are paying attention, are really human, and can interact with the site.  If you miss this page too often (say 5 times) in a row, your account could be suspended.  What's the purpose of this page?  It's part of the anti-cheat system at the exchange.  Why not look for it and earn your rewards instead?  Much more fun.

Prize links/Letter Hunt
Some exchanges have prize links or letter hunts.  A prize look looks like a text ad, but is in another location, usually around the surf bar or image.  At some exchanges, it is a link that appears.  At others, it can be a link that is shown all the time that counts down to the next time you can click it.  When it is time to click it, it might change colors or have a line under it to make it more apparent that it is time to click on it.

Letter hunts are fun too.  Some exchanges give you a letter after so many pages of surfing.  Usually it tells you when you get a letter, but not in a way that you may even see if when it happens because you are so busy surfing looking at the sites.  When you have "found" all the letters to the word or phrase, you could be rewarded credits, banner impressions, or text ad impressions.

Clicking Banners

You can earn credits by clicking banners.  So take the time to click those too.

Clicking Text Ads

You can earn credits by clicking text ads.  So take the time to click those too.

Referring
Another free way to get credits is by referring other to the traffic exchange.  When they surf, you are given credits for referring the new member.  So when you are told you have a new member, send an email to encourage them to activate their account and surf.  The more they surf, the more credits you will receive.


Surfing Competitions or Promos
Traffic Exchanges like to have surfing competitions to encourage their members to be active.  They will reward you with bonus credits for surfing a set number of sites that day or those days.  They usually send a newsletter letting all the members when it will take place and how to claim the rewards.

Surfing Promos are when 2 or more exchanges get together for one or more days and encourage all their combined members to surf for a set number of sites for rewards.  This is to encourage their members to be active AND to gain new members to the other exchanges.

To get into this competition, you will need to be a member of all the exchanges that are taking part in the promo and surf the pages that they require when they require it.  If you aren't a member of one or more of the exchanges, you will need to join it/them and surf there too.

For example, 3 exchanges have decided to have a surfing promo this weekend.  They will send a newsletter to their members to let them know they are part of the surf promo, the day(s) the promo will take place, the other exchanges that are taking part in the promo, and how many sites must be viewed at each to enter the competition.  They should also include links for you to join the other exchanges if you aren't already a member.  Usually, you will be required to send in a support ticket to each exchange to be entered into the competition or ticket drawing.  This is a great way to try out new exchanges to surf.


So far, we have discussed free ways to gain credits.  Now let's mention a few paid ways to gain credits.


Upgrading
If you can afford it, a great way to gain credits every month is by upgrading your membership.  Usually there are several membership levels to choose from, so choose the one that best suits your needs, especially if you don't have time to surf as much as you need to.

Buying Credit Packages
You can buy credit packages when you don't have time to surf.  These packages can be credits only, banner impressions only, text ad impressions only, solo ads only, daily start (first site in rotation) pages only, or any combination of these.

There are a few other ways to gain or buy credits, but these are the ones that are most common to all exchanges.  I hope this helped you learn more about how to use traffic exchanges and make them less confusing.

Adding Your Promotions to a Traffic Exchange, Part 2

In my last post, I told you how to add your website to the site rotations, banner ads, and text ads for promotions.   Most traffic exchanges have at least these 3 ways to promote your website.  Now let's see what else is possible.


There are additional ways to promote your website on many traffic exchanges. You can buy a solo ad, a link to be included in the newsletter, a daily sponsor ad (first site member sees when they start surfing), and paid-to-click ads.  One other thing that most exchanges include and is highly neglected for the most part is the downline builder.  So how do you use these?


A solo ad on a traffic exchange is the same as a solo ad on a text ad exchange or safelist.  It goes to all the members of the exchange.  When they open the solo ad and click the link, they will receive credits for their account.  When members know they will receive credits for opening a solo, they are more likely to open it.  This also gives them a chance to review your site for fifteen to thirty seconds. 


After you purchase the solo ad, you will follow the exchanges instructions on what to do.  Each exchange may have slightly different ways to handle solo ads.  Basically, when you buy the solo ad, you will be given a number of credits (1000 to 3000) to be used for the solo.  you choose how many credits will be given to each member who clicks on the credit link in the ad and which link you want to promote.  (NOTE:  the link must be a link you have in rotation at the exchange.)  Then you will write the solo ad and submit it.  Once the exchange administrator has accepted the ad, he or she will send it to all the members of the exchange.


Some exchanges offer an advertising spot (also called paid email) in their newsletters.  Once you purchase the paid email, you add the title of the ad, a brief description, and the link you want to add.  This ad will then appear either at the top or the bottom of their next newsletter.


A daily sponsor ad is also know as the first page ad.  It is the first site seen when a member begins surfing the exchange.  This guarantees that your site will be seen AT LEAST one time by each member that surfs that day.  You can usually purchase this type ad with credits or money.  (Some sites bid on this spot.)  When you purchase this spot, you will tell the administrator what link to show and what day(s) to show the link.  On that day, your site should be the first one seen by everyone surfing.


 A paid to click ad (PTC ad) is an ad that members will click to receive cash, usually a very small amount.  PTC ads are clicked because members want to earn the money, but it also exposes them to your advertising.  Great trade-off.  You would go to Campaign Manager to purchase your PTC ad.  From there, would add your link and description.


One place of advertising that I highly recommend you do is in the downline builder.  When you go to the downline builder, you add your own programs in there.  You enter the link you want others to join, enter a banner link, and a description of the program.  As you refer others to this traffic exchange, they will see your promotions.  They just might join one or all of them!


I believe I have covered most of the ways you can promote your websites on traffic exchanges.  There are a few other ingenious ways that exchange administrators do to help you promote your website, but that's for another day.  

Adding Your Promotions to a Traffic Exchange

Now that you have joined a traffic exchange, verified your email account, and surfed to activate your account, let's add your promotions to rotation (get them seen).  Most traffic exchanges have many ways to promote - website rotation, banner ads, text ads, solo emails, PTC ads, downline builders, or personalized splash pages.  I will go over the first 3 in this blog.

To add a website
On the Tools or Members Area Page, there usually is a button that says Sites or Websites.  Click on that button.  There you will see a place to add your site to rotation.  You will either see an Add New button or an empty place to add your site address.  If the Add New button is there, click it.  You will see the empty place to add your site address(link) there.  Add the full site address including http:// or https://.  If this is an affiliate or referral link you are adding, it is best to cloak it for safety reasons (to ensure the credit for the referral goes to you and not someone else!).  Better yet, create your own splash page at Instant Splash.  This will allow the viewer to get a quick tease of your promotion before they go to the sales page or whatever you are promoting.  Much better!

Side note:  Some free sites to cloak your link are Bit.ly or Trakim.

Once you have typed in your link, click on Save.  The traffic exchange will do a check on the link to make sure it works and a few other things.  Depending on what other kind of site checker the traffic exchange has, you may need to click on "Click here to verify" so that your site is checked and goes into rotation to be seen by others.

To add a banner
Now let's add banners.  You will need your link and your banner image for this.  The banners are 468 x 60.  You can either make them yourself at places like AdKreator or Instant Banner Creator or go to your affiliate business or promotion site to see if they have any available.  To add banners, go back to the Tools or Members Area Page and click on the Banners button.  You will either see an Add New button or an empty place to add your site address.  If the Add New button is there, click it.  You will see the empty place to add your site address(link) there.

There will usually be 3 boxes that you fill in:  Description, Image URL, and Destination or Target URL. (URL=site address)  The Description is whatever you want to name the banner so you will know what it is.  The Image URL is the banner image  itself.  The Destination or Target URL is where the link will take it when the banner is clicked. Type in the description or name of the banner (whatever you choose).  Copy the entire banner link and paste it into the Image URL box.  Copy either your affiliate link or shortened/cloaked link into the Destination/Target URL box.  Click Add or Save.  Your banner should appear when you have clicked Add or Save.  If it doesn't, you need to make sure you have added the correct image URL.  If it is correct, then make sure the site you are linking to is up and working.  If it is, then try another image URL.  Once you are satisfied with the banner, you can add another one or move onto entering a text link.

To add a text link
To add a text link,  go back to the Tools or Members Area Page and click on the Text Ads button.  You will either see an Add New button or an empty place to add your site address.  If the Add New button is there, click it.  You will see the empty place to add your site address(link) there.  You will need your affiliate/promotion link or your cloaked link for this one.

There are usually 3 boxes for this:  Advert Title, Advert Body, Destination or Target URL.  The Advert Title is what you want to name the Text Ad.  The Advert Body is the ad part or what you want viewers to see.  The Destination or Target URL is where the link will take it when the text ad is clicked.  In the Advert Title box, type in the description or name of the text ad (whatever you choose).  In the Advert Body, type in your ad (just like a classified ad).  In the Destination or Target URl, copy either your affiliate link or shortened/cloaked link into the Destination/Target URL box.  Click Add or Save.

Rinse and repeat to add as many websites, banners, or text ads as you wish or as you are allowed.

Now you have added your websites, banners, and text ads to the traffic exchange.  Be sure to assign credits to them so they are seen by other viewers.  Some sites allow you to assign your own credits while others automatically assign them for you.  Either way, your promotions get seen.  :-)

Until next time,
Georgia