Traffic Exchanges Aren’t Sexy…And It’s My Own Fault
I am about to admit something I never thought I would…Traffic exchanges aren’t all they are cracked up to be. And it’s not that they don’t work, in fact for list building and personal branding you would be hard pressed to find any more effective form of advertising.
But the time has come for me to sit back and really take a good look at this industry.
Sure, traffic exchanges have become even more active then ever before. Yes we have THOUSANDS of new surfers joining the programs ever week. But what is gone, in my opinion, is the ‘community’ that once was. It was a vibrant community with things to write about, debate about and surf about every single day.
Trust me, I know. I write Hit Exchange News every week since 2003 and a few years ago I had to decide what to write about because there was new exchanges popping up, brand new features being released and creativity around ever corner of the industry.
Nowadays it’s silly surf promos and useless jargon about Member Billybob winning 250 credits for surfing the day before. And the worst part about that, it’s not just one traffic exchange boring me to death with this, it’s the majority of them. We have nothing to write about it seems, we just exist and keep the credits flowing. No creativity at all, and when something new comes up, it’s rarely supported by the entire industry.
I dunno, maybe that’s all we are supposed to be but I have seen the glory of past. I remember sitting in front of hundreds of internet marketers at offline events and having a TEAM of owners right beside me as we praised the industry. Those days are long gone, it’s dog eat dog today. Heck even people I have worked with for years, I rarely talk to anymore.
Maybe it’s me. Heck it’s more than likely me. LOL Maybe I smell, I dunno. I think it’s the simple fact that some folks want more from the internet marketing life, and all I want is traffic exchanges. That’s all I have ever wanted but *gulp* it’s not very sexy.
What’s the point of this post? Just venting some frustrations. Kind of thinking of days gone by when we all used to get pumped up to surf a few sites and chuckle about the silly ‘opportunities’ we see in rotation. I miss it…
So off I go, to surf a few sites. I am a traffic exchange surfer first, traffic exchange enthusiast forever and while that may not be enough for some folks, I still wake up everyday and thank God I found these crazy programs over a decade ago…
I really hope you can join me today in Traffic Exchange Live and share some of your thoughts on this. Not sure what ‘this’ is, but I know something is missing…What is that thing?
Lynn McCutcheon
Aw, you don’t smell. Word on the street is that you smell good you know. LOL.
I think TEs are definitely an industry where it’s difficult to come up with anything innovative and where most everything’s been done before (as far as TEs themselves). Not just in how TEs operate but contests/promos etc too. When I took on TPX and started thinking about what promos I could do, at first I was concerned about copying some other TEs’ presentation in general regarding promos, and then I realized there’s really only so much you can do with what we have to work with in TEs anyway.
Something like Bracket Surfing comes along once in a blue moon and that’s big news and really new and neat, but I feel like it’s just kind of the lay of TE land that things just generally don’t change all that much.
It’s not sexy and it’s kinda boring I suppose but because traffic exchange advertising done effectively does work, I’m happy enough with that. I guess that’s why we in TEs are a fairly small part of the IM world at large, because (much as you said) TE Land is probably too boring for some people and is basically the same thing day in and day out. But those of us who use it know that the persistency and consistency of that day in, day out works.
Conversely, though, I think the smaller world of the TE industry part of IM keeps me somewhat motivated because I like the community of “TE Land”. I could probably do what the “bigtime” Internet marketing guys do and do all right, but the community and atmosphere and environment of the TE industry just suits me better and tends to keep me more motivated, if that makes sense.
I know one thing that was missing from TE Live today and that was moi who overslept, LOL. See you guys tomorrow.
Martin Webster
Hey Jon, I think TE’s are a victim of their own success and have attracted the lets make $1 squillion this week crowd with all their silly offers and chase for sign ups to their dud programs + lots of ppl starting their own exchanges as they think its a money printing factory. Thats typical of any industry going through a growing cycle. When they realize this doesn’t work long term a majority of them will leave. Give the TE industry another 12 months and I think you will find that a lot of these cowboys will have disappeared and what is left will have much more of a community about it. TE Teams and TE Live certainly show there is a TE community out there. I wouldn’t worry to much Jon, the TE model when used right WORKS and over time the industry will balance itself out with the right players
Cheers
Martin