Issue 218 - The Big T.E. vs. Little T.E. Debate
Author: The T.E. GuyIs A Weber trying to shut down their affiliation with traffic exchange owners? It sure seemed that way early this week. A few traffic exchange owners got a weird email from A Weber that asked them to stop promoting their affiliate links.
Here’s the kicker, some of these affiliate links where being promoted in a tutorial that taught new traffic exchange surfers the importance of building a mailing list. It was even more shocking to get a response from A Weber’s support staff that demanded all links be removed from said traffic exchanges because of it’s ‘un-targeted’ traffic.
Imagine that…A tutorial that taught new marketers how to build a mailing list was being called un-targeted.
Cooler heads did prevail though and A Weber is now working with some of these exchange owners to help understand the traffic exchanges and see their importance to the internet marketing community.
I have to laugh though. Over ten years, traffic exchanges have been online, hundreds of thousands of surfers, owners and internet marketers have come through their doors…But still, these things never get the respect they deserve.
C’est la vie! Be sure to check out a detailed description of the ‘issue’ at my good friend Jon Atwood’s blog.
Jon Olson
The Traffic Exchange Guy
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The News
- Do you enjoy I Love Hits or S.W.A.T. Traffic? I’m testing out a brand new ‘audio testimonial’ service and uploading members testimonials to different pages within the system and would love to hear from you. Want to leave an audio testimonial? Simply call this number (+1) 678-255-2174 and use this extension 5547. Simple huh? Thanks so much in advance for your time and feedback!
- Looks like Hover Surfing is generating much more attention. 24 7 Traffic Pro added the option to hover surf or regular surf to it’s surf bar this week. What’s even better, they gave credit to both John Guanzon and Jennifer Herold for coming up with the concept of hover surfing on a traffic exchange.
- Surf 4 The Earth released a brand new feature in their traffic exchange called the Traffic Express co-op. It’s essentially a co-operative advertising service like Doctor Traffic and TE Blaster, but it’s exclusive for members of Surf 4 The Earth. I’m a big fan of co-op’s, as they are the perfect addition to your traffic exchange advertising.
- Congratulations to ‘Paul Upp’ for winning last week’s copy of Hits, Clicks and Misses. Want to win your own copy of the best selling traffic exchange book on Amazon.com (actually, it’s the only published book about T.E.’s on the planet), simply post a comment about this week’s issue of HEN!
- Splash Page Hall of Fame - Now this is what I mean about grabbing your attention! T.E. Blaster’s classic splash page sticks out like a sore thumb. Exactly what you want to do in the traffic exchanges! Note: Why do I focus on splash pages every week? Simple, you MUST be using them in the traffic exchanges to get results. Get a custom made splash page by clicking here!
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The Famous Hit Exchange News Top 10 (Disclaimer: These are my top performing exchanges for the past week. Alexa rankings and fancy numbers have nothing to do with how I rank my list. This is based on my results and my opinion, nothing more, nothing less.)
1. Dragon Surf
2. Traffic Era
3. Traffic Swarm
4. Traffic Splash
5. Traffic At The Races
6. Hit Safari
7. Royal Surf
8. Easy Hits 4 U
9. Max Traffic Pro
10. StartXChange
Note: Analysis and Tracking by Hits Connect - The Official Link Tracking Service of Hit Exchange News! Sign up today and get your 30% Discount!
Question: Hey Jon, how come I Love Hits, SWAT Traffic and Click Crazey are never on the top 10 list? Since I own them, I feel it would be a conflict of interest to place it on any of my rankings. (But we all know how great they are anyways lol)
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Deep Thoughts - Jon’s Weekly Rambling
The Big vs. Little Debate
I’m fed up! I wrote about this topic this week at Net Marketing Forum because it’s getting very frustrating to hear the same thing over and over again.
Apparently (in the capitalist era of the internet) some of the larger traffic exchanges are ‘against’ the release of smaller programs. This is absolute hog wash in my books and here’s why.
1. The best traffic exchanges will always grow and prosper. This comes down to proper ownership. A great owner can turn a brand new traffic exchange into a thriving community in a year or less, if they have the right skills and know how. It’s not rocket science, but it can be done. Proof? Dragon Surf, Traffic Splash, Max Traffic Pro, Hit Pirate, Advertising Know How, Traffic Era…There is PLENTY of evidence to support this.
2. Every single traffic exchange starts with zero members. Unless you magically import members from one exchange to another (and I know this has happened before) every program starts on the same page. The best ones, grow! The lousy traffic exchanges seem to get a max of 1000 members and never grow.
3. I LOVE smaller traffic exchanges because you get to see what different owners do with their membership and program. How do they treat their membership, how do they grow, what tools and services do they provide to make themselves stick out from the competition. Smaller exchanges are a wonderful lesson in management…For those that can see it.
There are so many other points, but the big thing I want to stress is this. I was never and will never be against the release of new traffic exchanges. In fact, I encourage it…if it’s done properly. I’m against lousy ownership and people that treat this business like a hobby.
There are dozens of owners out there that bust their tail week in and week out to build their BUSINESS. These are the exchange I focus on. These are the traffic exchanges and owners I support!
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Things That Make You Go Hmmm…
- Traffic Era is doing another one of their massive credit giveaways. It’s a good time to have some active campaigns.
- Someone at Net Marketing Forum brought this old exchange up in a conversation…And it’s still around. Web Meld anyone?
- Did you know that I am now known as Jabba The Hutt according to a few traffic exchange owners? Ya I know I’m an extra large dude, but thank you so much for comparing me to a character in one of my favorite movies of all time.
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StartXchange Owner Tim Linden is giving away
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Woohoo - thanks Jon always nice to see the Dragons at #1
Think there is always room for more good exchanges. Problem is that there are too many piss poor ones.
Quite truthfully just posted about why smart people don’t surf but buy but most won’t get it which is good because if they did then traffic exchanges would not work because they need surfers.
SORE thumb Jon…. LOL SOAR is flying thru the air like an eagle
Man, no mention of my wonderful blog post on the Aweber issue?
Jon
Well the big exchanges are going to have more to gripe about because my exchange will be coming out soon! Hopefully I can become one of the big ones myself!
I guess the hover surfing craze is really taking off. I guess people don’t want to burn the extra 1/8th of a calorie it takes to actually click.
IF you’re Jabba the Hutt, then who’s Jango fett? LOL.
p.s. hover surfing blows.
Woo-Hoo, Made it back into the top ten, Thanks Jon. Im not sold on the Hover Surf yet, I don’t like the lack of control it gives me, its too easy to click (or hover ) the wrong link becuase you are looking at something at not paying attention to where your mouse is. I like having to click to verifiy that is what I realy want to click on.
LOL I don’t know what you are referring to Jon. LOL
I wish I could have stuck around a bit longer for that talk last night at SWAT Traffic.
Seemed to be interesting. Would have loved to put in my little ol’ thoughts.
I prefer the click - my index finger needs that 1/8 calorie burn
[...] Surfchannel - Surfing around the world. wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptIssue 218 - The Big T.E. vs. Little T.E. Debate Author: The T.E. Guy Is A Weber trying to shut down their affiliation with traffic exchange owners? It sure seemed that way early this week. A few traffic exchange owners got a weird email from A Weber that asked them to stop promoting their affiliate links. Here’s the kicker, some of these affiliate links where being promoted in a tutorial that taught new traffic exchange surfers the importance of building a mailing list. It was even more shoc [...]
Thank you for your support of smaller traffic exchanges Jon. Yes, some exchanges will grow very quickly the first year. Some may take longer before they start to grow because the owner is still in the learning stages. It’s those owners who hang in there and keep going, growing, and learning, who eventually come out on top.
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It’s good that A Weber is going to make their affiliate page break frames. That will keep them out of the rotators, which is what they want.
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Loved your comments today. I hope you don’t mind if I add a link to it from my blog.
Thank you,
ShellyJo-The Packrat Entrepreneur
[...] I was encouraged by Jon Olson’s blog as he stated his opinions on the “Big T.E. vs Little T.E. Debate.” It’s nice to [...]
Hi Jon,
I’ve always appreciated your support of Traffic Heroes. You wrote:
There are dozens of owners out there that bust their tail week in and week out to build their BUSINESS. These are the exchanges I focus on. These are the traffic exchanges and owners I support!
I fell like I am one of those owners. I know you support my exchange as a paying upgraded member, past credit purchases, we have seen Traffic Heroes in the HEN top 10 twice, splash page of the week 3 times now.
No one works harder at running their exchange as a business and busts their tail as much as I do while I concede many do so equal to me. We are a little over1 year old with 4500+ members something I am very proud of and unmatched by any of the exchanges that launched within a 30 day window either way as when Traffic Heroes Launched. Since I haven’t had the usual support of many owners I think I have done a fantastic job. I have had the support of yourself, Steve Ayling, Dan Moses, Ryan Hogan, Paul Kinder, Jen Herrold among some others and have been lucky in that respect!
I have 1 other comment but I am going to so on a different post to not confuse the issues.
Thanks Jon for another great issue and for being there for Traffic Heroes in a completely unbiased and fair owner.
Rich Morris
Traffic Heroes
You wrote: What;s even better, they gave credit to both John Guanzon and Jennifer Herold for coming up with the concept of hover surfing on a traffic exchange.
What’s not better is that as much as I respect Jennifer Herrold and she is a dear friend, her and John Guanzon did not come up with the concept of hover surfing on a traffic exchange that honor goes to Martyn Walker founder of Walker Scripts for his use, although only used briefly, around 6 months or so at their first traffic exchange, which was also the very first traffic exchange ever launched way back in 1994 Hitsnapper. Hitsnapper didn’t add the Hover Surf until Version 3 in 2002. It had buttons that would initiate the surf after the mouse when moved hovered over them.
I know your big on the person who conceived the concept get the actual credit so I wanted to make sure that the credit is given to the right person.
Rich Morris
That’s fair, if they did, I wasn’t aware of it.
Technically the first ever pro-only traffic exchange was Click Thru as it started as a paid only program and then quickly turned into a free to join.
I mean honestly, that happened so long ago, it’s so far off the radar in both cases.
Let’s say this then…The modern day hover surfing was brought forth by Jen and John. Sound a bit better?
[...] can view his Rant here and him mentioning it in Hit Exchange News here. Sorry for the video quality, it sounds like I can’t talk properly. However the version I [...]
Good Afternoon Jon & Fellow Traffic Exchange Owners.
As a small exchange just barely hanging on I want to thank Jon personally for his post here. Believe it or not it makes us small folks feel much better. Knowning that there are unbias people out here.
I must admit I was very naive when I first started two years ago.. yes I’ve been on since 2006 but I didn’t put any effort in it. I believed I just had to set it up and off it would go!
Boy was I wrong! After visiting forums and actually chatting with other exchange owners. Which I admit was hard for me to do. I swallowed my fear and pride and started asking questions. It was the best move I ever made. And to those whom I hold in very high regards, and trust what they say. I thank you so very much for helping myself and others out.
Furthermore, I’ll be the first to admit I made so many terrible errors since starting my exchange. Although desvasted about my errors, I must mention my esteemed members. I am so proud to have each of them on my site. They are nothing but considerate and fair. Never passing judgement on me. And for this I will always be grateful.
Granted I’m still a small exchange but I’m not going to give up and with the advice of all these super exchanges owners I will prevail. So look for me in the future..lol I’ll still be here with God’s help, your support and my family and member’s guidance.
Thank you kindly Jon for the special
HitExchange Topic you choose.
Hi Jon,
I agree with Toni. I am admittedly one of the smaller, newer niched TE’s out there but we are plugging and chugging right along and yes we are slowly growing. Due to some serious personal issues, some of my marketing strategies have had to be put on the backburner but that doesn’t mean that TCH is any less important or any less a business for me. I want to thank you for posts like this and for the help and information you provide in the forums. It is a tremendous asset.
God Bless,
Crystal
Hey Jon, its great to see that HEN is back up now
Crystal - If you can send me your mailing address to hitexchangenews at yahoo.com, I will ship you a copy of my book =)
Oh my, thank you so much! I’ll get that email to you right away, thanks!!!!
God Bless,
Crystal