Traffic Exchanges
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Issue #1
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Don't get stung! Subscribe to The Nettle FREE and you'll never miss a single issue!
Don't Miss Information Because
of Misinformation
Dylan Campbell is sitting at his PC. Microsoft Word is open, but the text is noticeable by its absence.
Dylan likes to work quickly, especially when he's being paid by the word and not by the hour. But ten minutes later nothing is forth-coming. And it's David and Joel's fault. Two incidents have led to this frustration.
April 10th 2003 - Dylan is offered an equal share of the profits to contribute one article a fortnight to The Nettle ezine. David will provide the theme, Dylan will provide the text. The only requirement is to ensure his writing-style isn't watered down. "The more controversial, the better," says David.
These are words Dylan understands and he readily agrees.
August 15th 2003 - David calls. "We're bringing the date of issue 1 forward. We need the first article before the end of the week."
Dylan spends a few moments pretending this is going to be an inconvenience, but it's not like he has anything better to do. Unfortunately, David knows this.
"So," Dylan asks, "what's the theme?"
David responds by outlining the most banal and tepid idea for an article ever suggested. Dylan has trouble staying awake, listening to it. There is no controversy, there is no excitement and, worse, it might even be considered condescending.
David doesn't care. The first article is just an introduction. A warm-up. A synopsis of what The Nettle stands for. "After issue 1, Dylan, you can choose some topics yourself. Cut loose, have fun with it."
All of which explains why Dylan is still sitting in front of a blank screen. He is perfectly capable of writing this article. He just doesn't want to. He's sulking.
Dylan, finally bored of sulking, starts to imagine what he can do with future articles. "Going to cut me loose, are they?" he muses. "I could make them regret that." And since he can't write his second article before the first, Dylan starts to type.
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It has been said that with the wealth of information, freely available, the Internet has the ability to make you smarter, faster, than any other medium on the planet.
Of course with an equal amount of mis-information, it also has the ability to make you dumber, faster, than any other medium on the planet.
So how do you decide which sources of information to trust and which sources to avoid?
It has long been a source of debate, whether or not, any information can be 100% reliable. There is, it is said, no such thing as absolute truth (is that an absolute truth?).
Really though, there is no point in driving yourself mad with such trivial philosophies. All you have to do is decide, in your own mind, where your level of skepticism begins and ends. And skepticism is important in this day and age. That isn’t a negative viewpoint, it’s just a realistic assessment of what you need to survive.
Imagine for a moment that you're looking for a solution that will send your weekly newsletter to your eagerly awaiting mailing list. You can choose from a myriad of different software, hardware, third-party solutions. Some free, some cheap, some expensive and some unreliable. A decision has to be made. Who’s going to help you? Look at the options.
SPAM: Lots of unsolicited emails promise to have the definitive solution and at one time this might have been worth a look. Today, however, if a company is so discourteous that they ignore the generally accepted rules of spamming do you really want to do business with them?
Verdict: Dubious
WEBSITE: Ranked high on Google, plenty of glowing testimonials, even a 30 day money-back guarantee. But wait! Are those testimonials real or fictitious? Is there a clause that will prevent you from returning the product if you dislike it? Can you really believe anything you are being told?
The reality is, that many companies will say anything to make a sale. This is true both on the Internet and the High Street. Desire for profit can quickly deteriorate good intentions. I don’t need to preach about this. You know it’s true.
Accept this, then temper your paranoia by checking the facts. Legitimate companies exist on the Internet by the thousand. The ones worth buying from will happily talk to you on the phone and answer your questions in person. They will respond to your questions by email, probably on the same day. And, if they’re really worth spending money on, they will let you personally contact previous customers so you can confirm that what they’re saying is true.
Make the company work for the sale. If they can’t be bothered to reply to your emails or turn the answering machine off, don’t bother to give them your credit card number.
Verdict: Tread carefully
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RECOMMENDATIONS: The product/service is recommended by a third party, perhaps in an ezine, or on a website. Sounds great? A genuine testimonial? But wait!
What is the recommender’s motive?
- Love for fellow man?
- Appreciation of the product?
- Cash?
If you picked option number 3, you’re probably right. Joint ventures and affiliate programmes have led to many a recommendation of a product/service that hasn't been evaluated or even used. There are exceptions but there’s a good chance that the recommendation is linked to a commission.
This doesn’t, by itself, mean the testimonial is bogus. It simply means, as previously stated, that you should use some skepticism.
Look for recommendations from newsletters or websites that have been around for some time. If they have a reputation to consider, they will (should?) think twice before promoting something they haven’t fully investigated.
Verdict: Useful, be sure about the source
SEARCH ENGINES: Once you’ve found the product/service that sets you alight, look for negative feedback. Search for the product name alongside words like “hate” or “problem”.
If lots of people have used this product and had problems, then at least few will likely have posted their experiences on a forum.
If no results appear, take this as a good sign and move on.
Verdict: Essential step
FORUMS: If you're really having difficulty finding what you are looking for, forums could be the key.
Look around for about half a dozen forums that you like and have plenty of traffic. Then post a description of what you need on all of them. Check back frequently and see what comes up.
Forums are an excellent way to find uncensored information offered solely for its value. Generally speaking, what you see is what you get.
There are, of course, exceptions. Occasionally someone might recommend something, solely because they are affiliated in some way. But if the forum is busy enough, they probably won’t get away with it.
Verdict: About as safe as you can hope to find
Does the above sound obvious to you? Maybe it is, but every day hundreds or even thousands lose money on poor or useful products/services that they were convinced were perfect. If you doubt it, check through a few related forums.
If you run your own ezine/website/forum, ask yourself what you can do to help those who aren’t as experienced. Your honesty will set you apart from the rest.
If all of this seems helpful, all well and good. Your final task is to apply the above information to this article and ask yourself, with just a touch of skepticism:
“Is it information or misinformation?”
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Dylan Campbell offers an independent view which does not necessarily co-incide with that of The Nettle.
Dylan writes articles exclusively for The Nettle. Quietly making a living on the Internet since 2000, he has a unique, and often controversial, view of the industry.
Dylan has requested to be published under a pseudonym.
This article can be reproduced in your website or ezine after six weeks from the publication date. However, you must seek permission first. Please email David if you would like to use this material.
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COMING IN ISSUE #3:
"Joe Kumar vs Carlos Garcia",
the honourable Dylan Campbell presiding.
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Editors' Note
Is this article useful? Do you agree or disagree with the content? Have your say in The Nettle Forum .
Don't forget to include your affiliate/web link. If we reproduce your comment in a future issue, we will include your hyperlink as well as your signature.
Hopefully this first edition has given some indication of what The Nettle stands for. We don't claim to have all the answers, but we are willing to show you both sides of the arguement.
Next week will be the first of our program/product reviews. Hope to see you then.
Best wishes.
David Congreave & Joel Viney.
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The Nettle Forum - Highlights
Click Here to Enter The Nettle Forum |
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SUBJECT: Debate #1 - Traffic Exchanges turn-ons?
POSTER: David Congreave
Our introductory debate is simple.
Please state the one thing that is most likely to make you stop surfing and start reading.
AND
The one thing that is most likely to make you close your browser and contemplate getting a real job.
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SUBJECT: Re: Debate #1 - Traffic Exchanges turn-ons?
POSTER: agiswar
Turn-on: Complete, honest explanation of program before joining.
Turn-off: "Follow the guru!"
Agi
Check out the TV-Internet Combo of the Future!
http://www.masterytv.biz/agiswar
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SUBJECT: Re: Debate #1 - Traffic Exchanges turn-ons?
POSTER: affiliatearmy
I'm turned on by Features!
A traffic exchange with a forum or chat room turns me on. I have found them to be two of
the best free ways of getting Signups! Sitting
there clicking is a bit of a waste of time, I have
found my signups via clicking to be mostly poor.
Am I missing Something?
Boring clicking and lots of pop ups...turns me off!
But never enough to close my browser
and get a real job. I've been doing that
for over 20 years and its got me nowhere!
Happy Clicking
Peter Brown
Post your free ads to High Volume Traffic.
http://www.skyadboard.com/?pro=348
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SUBJECT: Re: Debate #1 - Traffic Exchanges turn-ons?
POSTER: frank
I can't stand those pathetic traffic exchanges that have the most obscure picture or word known to humankind, that you have to click on to pass to the next site.
Why?
No seriously WHY??
Why can't they just use a simple method like a number or a shape?
With a lot of these traffic exchanges if you're color blind or dyslexic, you're Gubbered.
I would also like to know whether people think that The Nettle will ever work. For it to work we all need to be recommending it to loads and loads of people who's opinion we think is sound (because the more people there are the better it will work) and I can't imagine that many of us are doing that, I think we all just presume others will.
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SUBJECT: Re: Debate #1 - Traffic Exchanges turn-ons?
POSTER: David Congreave
Frank, I appreciate the sentiment, and although I will always encourage readers to recommend The Nettle to others, this is really mine and Joel's responsibility.
The best thing you can do to support The Nettle, is read each issue, post on the forum and visit some of our links and sponsors.
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SUBJECT:Traffic Exchanges are a WASTE of Time
POSTER: Derek Reinhard
Doing the click, click, click thing in traffic exchanges is a WASTE of time!
Me and my little brain (and you and your most-likely bigger brain) have much more important and profitable things to do with our time and clickey finger (and, no, it doesn't involve the nose or other orifices--orifici?) than to surf and goggle at the billboards of the futile and ignorant.
This does NOT mean that traffic exchanges/start pages are worthless--they are a great place to proselytize; get the less-enlightened over to a higher state of understanding and more worthwhile marketing life.
I no longer visit traffic exchanges--except to buy traffic that will get folks to sign up to one of my lists so I can edu-ma-cate them on the Tao of Whole-Brained Marketing (which does NOT include discussing turn ons about traffic exchanges).
This is my first post in the Nettle Forum -- Am I on the right track to controversy?
Best Regards and Good Luck!
Derek "Often Outrageous, Always Helpful" Reinhard
http://www.RhinoTaskForce.com
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SUBJECT:Traffic Exchanges are a WASTE of Time
POSTER: David Congreave
Derek
Good to have you on board. You're on the right-track to controversy, but on the wrong-track to sensibility.
If I understand your post correctly, you're suggesting that it is foolish to click through TE's but wise to purchase credits from the same.
If everyone followed that path, then TE's would be useless. And this avenue of marketing would no longer exist for you to pick-up subscribers to learn from your wealth of knowledge.
You're also missing out on the possibility to extend your own education by picking up on opportunities from other successful entrepreneurs. Unless you feel you have nothing left to learn?
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SUBJECT:Traffic Exchanges are a WASTE of Time
POSTER: Derek Reinhard
Ah, so there is no chance of my view being sensible?
That would also remove my view from being controversial (because if it makes no sense, then it has no worth--and controversy is convention turned upside down without losing its merit, even though it may be unpopular).
Start pages, like safelists and FFAs are, at the root, marketers trying to sell their own marketing to other marketers. Start page people are looking for success with their own links while keeping an eye out for "better" opportunities.
Have I learned everything? No. Have I seen everything? I'm beginning to think so. But that doesn't mean I stop researching/looking--I'm just a bit quicker at it.
Do I click startpages? No. Do I buy traffic? Yes (and the startpage owners love me more than the clickey clickey folks). Do I get hits? Yes, probably more than the clickers because I can generate more traffic to my sites in a week and be off writing my autoresponders, than clickers can, clicking, and TRYING to write their autoresponders.
And, yes, for those with a low budget, we can debate in another thread what is the most effective balance of time-for-traffic efforts vis-a-vis a tight budget.
Bottom Line: I didn't say it's foolish, I simply expressed MY VIEW (I think that's what debate entails) that there are better ways to spend one's marketing time than the clickey clickey thing (unless, yes, one is doing research or just starting out with not a lot of dosh).
I don't have an interest in clicking up start pages, I have an interest in putting my sites out there for capturing the hearts and minds of those who still think clicking up start pages is a good use of marketing time.
There will always be "newbies" and searchers in the start page world, so that's not going to change and they're not going to go away--my view is not a threat to online life as we know it.
But people will not spend their time there forever--and they will either quit due to not appreciating that startpages have a typical low response or, what I hope, is they may be brought into the fold of spend-your-time-in-better-more-profitable-ways; working smarter, not harder.
Hope this particular entry generates more light than heat this time!
Derek "Often Outrageous, Always Helpful" Reinhard
http://www.RhinoTaskForce.com
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SUBJECT:Traffic Exchanges are a WASTE of Time
POSTER: David Congreave
Derek
The main goal of these debates is to show viewers both sides of the arguement. And this is an excellent start - if a little off track.
Please don't stop posting your opinions (however wrong they are ;-)), and if you want to generate some heat at the same time, that's fine with me.
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