Traffic exchanges, Valuable?

The internet today abounds with traffic exchange programs.  Many are using the lure of it being a great avenue for free advertising.  The question remains, are traffic exchanges a valuable tool for the internet marketer? 

If you look at traffic exchange programs from the viewpoint of an outsider, it would appear to be mainly for the new marketers.  Individuals who have no capital and are just venturing into online marketing for the first time and don’t intend to draw any serious income do in fact use these traffic exchanges.  One argument is that since everyone using traffic exchanges are those new marketers with no real stability, a lot of what is on the exchanges is not valuable.

New marketers usually go for the programs with the lowest startup costs and are easily replicated.  With this being said, you do see a lot of the same programs recycled on the exchanges.  Another argument is that since all the new marketers are using the same program, the exchanges have no value because you cannot draw new business. 

I have found that the traffic exchange programs can prove to have some value.  They are a great avenue to see what types of opportunities are drawing in the new marketers.  This can help you develop a great product that can rival what is currently available.  Even if you aren’t intending to use the traffic exchange for the purpose of posting your site, you can use it as a great brainstorming session.  Keeping your options open and exploring what different ideas are available can help you improve a system or develop a new one.  This, in turn, can prove to be very profitable for you in that you create a great product.

The new marketer is very anxious when starting out.  Using the traffic exchange is not always a futile effort if you are trying to get your product out.  If you truly have a product that is largely unknown to a new marketer, their naiveté to the industry could cause them to look for help.  When your site comes through on the exchange, it could be the answer to their prayers.  Granted, the traffic exchanges may not be the best way to drive targeted traffic to your website, they do prove to have some value to the experienced internet marketer in generating new ideas and just putting your name on the “newbie” scene.  Keep in mind that when a new marketer sees the same name over and over again, it really sinks in and they in turn will see that name out.

I will say that traffic exchanges that are automatic (i.e. do not require click-through for credit), are very dangerous.  Since these programs to not require the user to acknowledge they see the site, there are no guarantees that anyone sees your site at all.  Using these sites really does not have a value in my opinion.  Try to stick to the click-for-credit traffic exchanges and your experience may be more worthwhile.