Parts 1, 2 and 3 of this topic outlined some of the
so-called "secrets" of website traffic being offered on-line and
what you might expect for your money. If you missed any of these
three parts you will still be able to "pick up the thread" of
this subject by clicking on the links appearing in the resource
box at the end of this, Part 4.
As I stated previously, Parts 3 and 4, were not planned. They
just happened as a result of all the mistakes I have made trying
to get traffic to my website. Incidentally, these mistakes have
had a rather deleterious effect on the balance of my credit
card. Hence, my outspoken words on this subject.
If you have been following this series you will know that I am
exposing some common "web traffic" frauds. Yes, I am up to
calling most of them downright fraud and scam ideas now because
I am just plain sick of their lack of information and virtual
rubbish content.
In Part 3, I said I would reveal my experiences with the
"schemes" which promise (hah!) to deliver a
deluge-barrage-feast-battery of traffic to your site by way of
banner advertising on "start up pages." I am referring, of
course, to the opening page of your browser when you click on to
the internet. In essence it is the default page. You can set it
to whatever you want. Just be careful if you set it to a series
of banner ads promising you more traffic. Here's why:
To explain this web-traffic "idea" properly I will create a
fictitious name (not too far removed from what they actually
call themselves, by the way). Let's call it "Hit Magnet
Extraordinaire" or HME for short.
HME offers to place your banner on a start up page supposedly
viewed by "millions" of viewers. They will even do it FREE.
Fantastic, you think. Here is how it works. First, "to be fair",
you have to set your own computer browser start up page to HME.
When you do this you will be presented with six or eight or ten
nice little banner ads.
HME always takes the prime "real estate" on your page right at
the top. The HME banner is also very colorful in relation to
everybody else's dull banners appearing below. It is usually
three or four times bigger too, so it is very dominant. At this
point you get that sneaking feeling that you might have been
hijacked.
Other viewers get to see your banner (you do this by filling out
description and detail forms). In return, you get to see their
banners. Seems fair, doesn't it?
HME will even start you off with a quantity of FREE credits. Let
me explain my understanding of how this works.
Every time you click on another website's banner and view their
webpage for a minimum of thirty or sixty seconds, you earn
credits. These credits add to your "credit aggregate." Every
time somebody clicks on your banner you lose credits. Simple
enough. It's a bit like debits and credits on your bank
statement, if you want to think of an example.
I have tried some of these exchange programs. Here is what I
found:
1 - from day one of your participation, you are always in credit
points decline so you must devote precious time every day
towards building these points up,
2 - to build credits you continually have to click on other
people's banners even if you have absolutely zero interest in
them, just to increase your credits,
3 - because other "traffic" participants are doing the same it
just becomes a time consuming exercise in futility for everyone,
4 - often the banners you are basically forced to click on take
more than a minute to load and some links do not work at all,
5 - the banners you see on your start-up screen are almost
always the same with little or no variation day to day and week
to week,
6 - the banner exchange site will not allow you to collect
credits for any websites you have viewed in the last 24 hours
(you can see the difficulty point 5 represents),
7 - often your computer will jam trying to access links, giving
you that dreaded "fatal exception" message,
8 - any traffic you do receive (and believe me - it will be
minimal) will be completely unqualified and therefore worthless
(reason - see 2 & 3 above).
You may have better luck but I have tried several of these
"traffic generators" and despite their magnificent promises, no
appreciable increase in traffic eventuated. I have the
statistics to prove it. This leads me to my next point.
Statistics are something you simply must keep. I have a journal.
Into it I write all the things I try to increase my hits. If you
have a spike or a dip in your normal traffic trend you can trace
it back to a certain event or events. If you get dips, stop
doing the thing that caused it. If you have spikes, do more of
the thing that caused it. It's that easy.
Now, some marketers may deem this little idea of mine so
important they will base a whole $19.95 "special report" on it.
Hey! - don't laugh. I have other reports that are equally banal.
You can have that tip from me FREE.
I am very disillusioned with the schemes, scams and plans - call
them what you like. I prefer to call most of them complete time
and energy wasters - not to mention the money waste. If anybody
has had any success at all with any of the so-called "traffic
magnets," or "special reports" or "secret reports" or
"information guarantees," I would like to know about it.
Similarly, if you are one of the people behind these techniques
and you think I am being blatantly unfair - email me. But don't
just say: "Mr Simpson, you are wrong!" Build your case. Give me
clear proof, not rhetoric, that what you are promoting really
works like you say it does.
And please, if you take up my offer, use your real email address
and your real name. If you come at me with "Abraham Lincoln
Continental" using an email like "alias753@hotmail.com, don't
expect me to take you seriously. In fact, you will probably go
straight into that "Deleted Items" folder heading for... you
guessed it!
Perhaps I should not be so cynical. However, I am tired of
spending good money on bad junk. It annoys me that there is so
much high-priced junk for sale.
I hope I have been able to offer some useful comments to other
website owners. For my part, I might try other schemes. However,
they will all have to pass the credibility tests that I have
written about in this four part series.
Happy website building and don't forget - if you approach these
things with the wariness they deserve, your credit card will be
a lot healthier when you receive your statement.
All four parts of this topic are covered by copyright.
However, all may be freely used providing there are no changes
whatsoever to the content and the following resource box remains
intact.
PS: If you think this information might help a friend
from falling prey to these dubious practices you can send them a
copy of this article (or any related parts) or direct them to
the website URL above. Let's get the word out and put a stop to
this.
About the author:
About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight
books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem,
affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles
appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click
here to go to his
="http://www.motivationselfesteem.com">Motivation & Self Esteem
for Success website.
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