TRAFFIC EXCHANGES & Blogs

EXCHANGE OVERVIEW

There are a variety of traffic exchange sites online that are willing to send visitors to you in exchange for you checking out other members’ blogs. Basically, you visit someone else’s blog and earn credits that can then be “cashed in.” The site then directs other traffic exchange members to your blog, where they earn credits.
Usually, the exchange works on a two to one ratio. For every two blogs you visit, the exchange program will send one to your blog. Occasionally, you may be given random “bonus credits” that improve the ratio somewhat. Some exchange programs also allow you to use the credits you have earned to place banner advertisements for your blog on the site.
Most exchange programs are easy to use and do require that visitors spend a minimum amount of time at your blog in order to earn credits.

TRAFFIC EXCHANGE VALUE
No one will charge you a penny for participating in a traffic exchange. The programs are invariably free of charge. All that is required of you is your time surfing. Thus, the question you need to be asking is whether a minute of your time is worth a traffic exchange visitor to your blog.
If you enjoy looking at other blogs on a variety of subject, it may be a justifiable expenditure of time. After all, you would probably be doing it anyway, so you might as well get some free benefit out of it. However, if you wouldn’t be checking out others’ blogs otherwise, it may not make a great deal of sense to participate in a traffic exchange.
This is primarily because the quality of traffic you get from exchange programs is limited. Most participants are involved simply because they, like you, want to drive traffic to their blog. They are not really particularly interested in your blog or what you have to say. They may not pay much attention to what you offer on your blog. Instead, they will simply stay there for a few moments (as required to earn their credit) and will then click on to the next blog. You will get traffic. You won’t get targeted traffic.
Now, if your blog is truly spectacular, you might be able to grab the attention of some of the exchange program members. You may also encounter some members who are genuinely interested in your blog. However, the overall quality of traffic exchange visitors is not what you might be hoping for.

FINDING TRAFFIC EXCHANGES
There are numerous exchanges, each offering some slightly different twist on the same overall theme. They can be found easily. A simple Google search of “blog traffic exchange” will bring most of the major players in the field to your immediate attention.

BONUS TIPS
1. Don’t participate as a key part of your strategy! The only time participation in a traffic exchange program makes good sense is if you are going to be cruising around the blogosphere anyway. There are plenty of things you can do with the time you have set aside for blog marketing that will produce longer-lasting and more beneficial results. However, if you are going to be checking out blogs for fun anyway, a traffic exchange program is a nice way of getting something for your time.
2. Don’t let the numbers fool you! Even though participation in a traffic exchange program can get you a slew of visitors, you should realize that many of those directed to your blog probably didn’t pay a great deal of attention to it. Building large traffic numbers is wonderful, but it is only meaningful if the people who took a look did so for some reason other than building traffic exchange credits.