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

Redline Traffic

I am Georgia Ryle, owner of Redline Traffic. I have owned Redline since December 31, 2009, but I have been an active surfer for a few years now. I absolutely love surfing. It is so much fun - promote your sites, challenge yourself with the games, make new friends/contacts to chat and connect with. Where else can you have so much fun while "working"?

Traffic exchanges are a fantastic way to advertise your business. There are MANY to choose from (thousands) and many TYPES to choose from (manual surf, auto surf, PTC, etc.). I personally prefer manual traffic exchanges because I feel the person surfing looks at the sites for at a least a few seconds before clicking or hovering to the next one.

When I first starting surfing traffic exchanges, I found them extremely confusing. Now many owners have added instructions to help you know how to use their sites. Traffic exchanges have changed a lot in a few years, becoming easier to use and more competitive in their offerings to bring more surfers to their sites.

Through this blog, I want to help educate new surfers on how to use traffic exchanges and share information I learn with everyone. I want this to be a fun and informative blog. Let me know what you'd like to see here. I will add it as we go on this adventure.

Who said promoting had to be all work?
Georgia