Traffic Exhange Socials
Lately there has been some chatter among traffic exchange people about the use and effectiveness of social sites being incorporated into traffic exchange services. Since the question has been raised, a few members of Soaring4Traffic have inquired about our service and it’s lack of adding more socializing options. When I say “few”, I mean a couple. 
Being so called “social” can be defined in many ways. The first traffic exchanges to add such options used chat as a means for members to communicate with each other while surfing. My personal tracking on traffic exchanges with chat options wasn’t very good. In fact one exchange that launched in the last couple of years started out really strong.
My new subscriptions and sign ups were very good. After a couple of months they made the decision to add a chat option for members. From that point forward my own personal results were reduced by 70%. Was that because of the chat or some other reason? Who knows? I can only speak for myself, but my tracking indicates much less effectiveness on traffic exchanges with chat options. Hence the reason we have not added a chat option to Soaring4Traffic.
That doesn’t mean it’s not effective for others, but in my experience it was a major distraction where members basically abused the option, i.e. placing their affiliate links or bragging about their program to all that would listen. In my opinion, it is already difficult enough to get your splash or squeeze page viewed with the respect you wish, without adding further distractions.
If used properly, traffic exchanges are already social sites in their own rite… the opportunity to add your name, photo, and encourage people to subscribe to your newsletters, therefore building a relationship which is of course necessary to truly build an online business. Same with offline business, which is where I am most experienced. Friends buy from you, people who don’t know or don’t like you, won’t!
Now it seems that traffic exchanges are adding more social type options like FaceBook, Twitter, and other already established social sites. Nothing wrong with that, each owner has his/her ideas and should do what they feel is right for their members. My only question would be, is it necessary to try and re-invent the wheel when these well established social sites are already available? Does it improve the results? How do you know? Does it distract from your advertising? Are you making friends to build your business or just having fun for the sake of your ego?
I only mention ego’s because sometimes I get the feeling that we forget who builds these little programs called traffic exchanges. Members of course build them. So who are the members? Grandmother’s, Grandfather’s, working Mom’s & Dad’s, new people coming online that are searching for an easy and simple solution to advertise in order to earn a little extra income as a means of paying those ever ending bills. Maybe to eventually earn enough to quit that boring job they only work because it’s necessary?
Now, do they have the amount of time to spend online that is required to participate in social sites? Traffic exchanges do take some time but they are so simple to use and frankly are the fastest way for anyone, especially a newbie to become known and make a name for themselves. Easy, simple, a quick way to advertise, and see their sites viewed by others. Whether effective or not answers what direction they should take to improve results.
Is Soaring4Traffic a social site? Adding your photo and name to your splash or squeeze pages is very social in the branding arena.
This blog is another example. Offers members the opportunity to post comments with their link, name, therefore creating a back link to their site. Notice on previous posts, very very few comments when you consider that over 30,000 members have joined Soaring4Traffic. On the other hand, an average day will create approximately 300 spam comments. Thank goodness for Askimet.
In addition Soaring4Traffic has a FaceBook fan page. Offers anyone and everyone the opportunity to join the fan page, post their comments. How many have done so after almost a year? Approximately 1% of the total membership. The link is available in every email sent out since the fan page was created. The link and facebook application is also on the main member page for all to see.
Now that percentage may seem low, but pretty sure it’s about average from what I’ve seen so far. For example the Hit Safari Fan Page and the AdKreator Fan Page have similar numbers based on membership. Actually the AdKreator fan page has a higher percentage, 1.7%, not sure about Hit Safari, just guessing.
Do you want to be social? Above are mentioned 4 options to participate. Comment on this blog with your opinion about this post. Join the Facebook fan pages linked above and post a comment. And you could also follow me on Twitter. Soaring4Traffic is involved with social sites, but not to the point of distraction while you’re surfing.
Question, would you like to see Soaring4Traffic add a conference room in order to communicate with me and other members? I’ve attended several conference rooms that other exchanges and programs provide, but frankly the number of people attending are so small it hardly seems worthwhile. In fact some are downright boring. Let me know with your comments below. If enough people are interested we can certainly make one available.
Summary: Social sites are important for you to participate in, but only if done properly. My opinion is that Traffic Exchanges and Social sites are separate entities yet both very important. Does mixing them together dilute the results?
Social sites can be very time consuming. For example I should post more often to this blog, make more comments and posts on my facebook and twitter accounts, but frankly I either forget or don’t feel I have time. Or maybe it’s just that I don’t have enough to say? lol
Now it’s your turn, let me know what YOU think!
December 8th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
As an advertiser I no longer can just buy boat loads of credits and watch people roll into my program. As a surfer all this stuff is great to distract me so I can surf longer without being bored but as an advertiser I want your attention for the 6 or seconds I’m paying for. TE owners have to keep both happy in an already super competitive business so I can respect both sides of this debate.
As with anything it works in moderation, if I’m just spending all my time surfing and socializing who’s running my business?
December 8th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Thanks for the post Ray, I love the discussions that are taking place these days about the social side of traffic exchanges.
I really appreciate what you said about how these things have always been social.
The biggest thing for me now is that it’s easier to spread your message and your ‘brand’ by using these type of sites, with your TE advertising.
I just think it’s so much more now to this then just surfing. Surfing is huge, but people want to connect. people want to share experiences and the social aspect of surfing I feel is much more fulfilling for any business person, just because it adds the personal touch.
Thanks again for the blog post, very much appreciate it!
December 8th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Hi Ray,
Great observations, I share many of your sentiments on these issues as well. At the end of the day it’s about what the client wants and I am not one to just up and thrust a new marketing method on them without discussing it with them first, oh hey, that is a social way of communicating isn’t it…
Keep up the great exchange of thoughts and ideas and Happy Holidays,
Mark
December 8th, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Hello Ray,
It seems I get invitations for another social site daily. I stick to the viable ones like Facebook and Twitter, just as I stick to the top 50 TE’s. This is where I find 70% or greater of the advertising that’s important to me. As far as socializing, the time I would spend doing much of that takes from the time I can surf (which is what I like to do anyway).
Great post, and enjoy the Holidays upcoming.
December 8th, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Excellent post Ray! (you can’t hear it, but I’m clapping right now, lol)
I agree with you 1000% on all points. And what’s interesting is that
the more people I talk to, the more they feel the same way.
The surfing distractions have got to stop. Like you said, it’s
hard enough getting people to pay attention to your sites as it is.
You’ve always been the quiet voice of reason in this industry….thank you.
December 8th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Thanks for your opinion and comments Justin, Jon, Mark, Gary and Jackie. Ever notice how it’s always the same people in this business that participate and voice their opinions? Somehow we need to get more people involved in these conversations. Not sure how? Begging doesn’t work and if ya pay them, it’s not always an honest opinion. … lol
December 9th, 2010 at 1:19 am
100% in agreement about on most of what you said. I switch off “Chat” where it’s possible. I find many online webinars to the point of basically boring in some cases and/or of little substance. There have been exceptions.
Happy Holidays
Mike
December 9th, 2010 at 5:21 am
I’m an avid surfer and I really can’t be bothered with the chat…they have the messengers for that.
I must be real strange because I do not like the social sites. Seems to me that everyone that posts there are too much into themselves, and do they really care what the other posters say?
I do belong to a few, but stay out of them. I joined out of invites so’s not to hurt feelings of my friends.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Mike, thanks for your comments. Happy Holidays to you as well.
Ray
December 9th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Thanks Kathy, appreciate your comments and we do care what you say here.
Happy Holiday to You and Yours,
Ray
December 9th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I find it distracting and most of the chats are jokes which I can find other places
December 9th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Awesome post Ray. Thanxs for sharing. I used to sit on the fence as far as social surfing issues went, but after a few TE Live sessions and hearing others points of views it soon became clear….How are they going to know you if you don’t socialize with them. The secret to promoting is people purchase through poeple not just words. So when I opened my site we decided to offer both to the members a active chat to socialize and promote yourself and a surf now without chat for members who can not or do not want to be bothered so the best of both worlds!!!! I prefer the social side of things now but have to admit it is stressful and distracting at the best of times….But social surfing is where it is at…free promoting never hurt anyone. Thanxs for letting me have my say and thanxs for the post Ray awesome job.
Tracy-HitAsylum Owner http://hitasylum.com
Happy Hoildays to all. Keep on clicking and chatting!!!!
December 9th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
I thought we were in business?
What company has all the employees sitting around at the same table, chatting, eating, smoking together the entire day?
Sure, there’s coffee breaks, and lunch… but work is work.
You might have a team, or a partner… but when it’s time to hunker down and get the job done… you can bet it’s quiet time.
I’m all for getting to know my members, and interacting with them. I have a Word of the Day competition… that has them write in to support, so they can get used to contacting us.
The people that I “socialize” with don’t hear from me very much at all… we’re really all busy working. If there’s a question or a concern, we can reach each other. Or maybe we meet once or twice a month/week to catch up.
Maybe I’ve missed the boat… I don’t know… but.. I’m making more money than I did this time last year… BootScootinTraffic is gonna be just fine without the social aspect.
December 9th, 2010 at 4:23 pm
Excellent post Ray.. as usual. I agree, you have always the quiet voice of
reason in this industry.. well said Jackie
I love socializing with other TE owners and with the members of my exchanges and I do every day on Facebook mainly although there are a couple other sites as well.. I think it does make a difference when you get to know people and chat w ith them socially.. even play games with them..
But when I’m surfing, I want to surf… I’m easily distracted and anything else that tries to get my attention, chatting, site commenting etc .. can very easily take me away from my goal of viewing sites.
Adding my picture to my pages that I advertise works to strengthen my branding on Facebook and vicaversa.. They connect very well but should each be used for their express purpose.
There’s nothing worse, imo, then getting blasted daily on facebook by a ‘friend’s’ sales pitches.. and nothing else. They often get defriended..
The same goes for surfing.. I’m working when I’m surfing.. don’t distract me with jokes or out of context comments.. . sure there is some cross over, but each resource has it’s own purpose.
Members may not comment as much as we’d like on fan pages and blogs but I think they do loud and clear by their participation in our exchanges.. our stats and their loyalty speaks volumes.
Merry Christmas!
Paula
December 9th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
The best thing about social media is the free exchange of ideas. I may not agree with everyone, but none of us knows it all.
December 9th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Well put Ray, I always value your opinion on things and thins one I will agree with you on. I really have not found better results from social te’s in fact most of the time I have worse results from a “social te” Its more distractions for that person to pay no attention to my site and take the action of joining it or becoming a member of my list.
The biggest TE’s by ranking are still the ones with hardly any social interaction besides what members put on their site. I really do not think a TE needs to get involved and add all these bells and whistles when they already exist and I have the option to add a share button on my site already.
Most people when you tweet about a site or facebook like it those people have no idea what in the world a traffic exchange is nor do they really care to. I really have yet to see the social side of TE’s changing anything for its members.
December 9th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Thanks Helen, Tracy, Sunny, Paula, Tom, and Sean… your input and thoughts are much appreciated and respected.
Ray
December 9th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Great post Ray,
I agree with everything you said.
I am all for a bit of socialization here and there but this is not a hobby for me – I am a full time internet marketer running a real business!
I am not into trying to make friends with people just so I can sell them stuff! I would rather provide excellent content and information that helps people and grow my reputation that way. Its worked pretty well for me so far!
If I get a spare minute I will pop in to different conferences here and there but more often than not the content is not useful enough to keep my interest. I would rather have a training or motivational cd on in the background as I work – and I find I get much more accomplished if I sit and focus on the days to-do list – and Im all about achieving my goals.
I cant do that if Im chatting away all day! – I can multi-task, but not that well….lol – I need to focus!
The issue of chat in TEs has been around a long time – I 100% agree with you that we do not need any further distractions whilst surfing and thats why you wont be seeing a chat function at Traffic Showdown any time soon.
I also do not have time to watch over a chat session for the relentless spamming and possible breaches of TOS that go on in most of them.
I talk with my great members every day on my blog at http://TrafficShowdown.com/dailynews and they talk with me – they have access to 24/7 support also.
I like to provide tutorials and information which will help people actually move forward in their business – I write articles that provide great information that people can use and implement into their daily routines. If they choose to take action – they will see results – simple!
On top of everything else – I make money selling advertising and upgraded memberships at my TE – thats business! In order to provide the best service possible to those that support my business financially……
I need to deliver traffic! – switched on traffic – traffic that is paying attention – traffic that is responsive – traffic that matters! I dont believe I would be able to deliver the quality responsive traffic that I do currently by inserting further distractions to my members surfing time!
and yes! 100% agree that results tracked on TEs with chat and so called social features are far less responsive than that of the non chat tes – and to me thats all that matters – results!
results for my members and results for me
nuff said …….
have a great day mate – Kym Robinson
December 9th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Thanks Kym
December 9th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Good article Ray,
Tom I disagree with you I do know everything (just ask me)
I do not like chat but it is not too bad if I can turn it off
http://www.markwieneke.net/chatorcredits.html
December 9th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Hmmm, Mark, very kewl page, but think you missed one? LOL
December 9th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Sorry Ray you were next I just ran outta room
December 9th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
This is a tough question, in my opinion. Chat does distract me from surfing (paying attention to sites). Yet, I have noticed it does seem to add a certain feeling of “family”. It’s a good feeling to “chat” & have people know who you are. I have even noticed some members get referrals to whatever they’re promoting while chatting. I have even gotten a few myself, well one, lol.
But, it is a distraction from looking at other members sites. While chatting, I barely notice the site being shown. That’s not good. But, it seems to be the “thing to do” right now.
To chat or not to chat. That is the question. I don’t really know.
December 9th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Hi Ray
Great post and I find myself agreeing with just about all the comments too.
I have never been a fan of chat in traffic exchanges as I find it too distracting and when I read some of the chat going on it is clear that some people are not looking at mine or anyone elses sites. I recall one from a few months back where someone was bragging about surfing 25 exchanges over 2 computers and there have been others saying how many pages they have surfed in a given time which made me think they must be using some kind of auto clicking.
I can see the benefit of socialising but I am not a ‘social’ type of person and with a limited amount of online time each day I am still working on the last great idea to hit this business – branding!
Keith
December 10th, 2010 at 12:25 am
I’m with you I don’t think you should combine surfing with chat. I guess I’m just not a very talkive person and I never know what to say.
Thank you
Barb