Using Traffic Exchanges to Increase Blog Traffic

[Warning: Do not use traffic exchanges if you are using Adsense.  While it is somewhat of a grey area and many using Adsense are using traffic exchanges, err on the side of caution to prevent your Adsense account from being suspended.]

Traffic exchanges (TE) are a great way to introduce you blog and gain exposure for it.  There are two types of traffic exchanges, web wide and blog specific.  A web wide traffic exchange can gain you traffic from outside of the blogosphere.  They can be tedious and time consuming but quite effective.  Owners can be super or anal.  For example I was on one TE for several months when all of a sudden and without warning the owner banned all blogspot sites.  Well now that didn't help me much.  When this happens it's best to just find another TE and move on because they aren't going to change their minds.  On the other hand aside of getting traffic to your blogs some TEs offer the opportunity to earn money and you can buy credits that can be used to gain more traffic.  Before turning your nose up at buying traffic, it can and does work with surprising low bounce rate.  It is exactly the same as buying CMF spikes to get a set amount of traffic too so it's not a new concept in the blogosphere.   All TEs offer the option to advertise your 468 x 80 banner and text ads. 

Blog specific traffic exchanges are designed for bloggers.  If you type in 'blog traffic exchange' into Google there will be several that pop up.  Two that I like for my blog without Adsense are Expose Your Blog and Blog Click.  Essentially you surf blogs in the system in return for blog traffic to your blog.  Both of these blog specific traffic exchanges allow you to buy traffic, run banner advertising and text ads.  Since these exchanges are geared towards bloggers there is a lower level of traffic but the possibility of meeting more bloggers and gaining readership.

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