Traffic exchanges can and do work! The 100+ subscribers added to A Step On The Path Newsletter from them this last week is proof that this free method of promotion can pay dividends. If you want to benefit from this type of free advertising, see if some of the below tips can help you increase your conversions.

First, and most important if you surf while you are doing other things, do not run your surfing pages in Internet Explorer (IE). There are several free browsers you can use, but I personally like Crazy Browser. It doesn't bog down when several sites are open at the same time like IE likes to do. It is simple and free to use and I've never had any problems with spyware from it. It also comes with its own popup blocker.

Once you have Crazy Browser downloaded and installed, you are ready to start surfing. I always make this the first program I open so my traffic surfing is always on my mind. Then you just go to favorites, open one, two or three of your favorite surfing sites and start clicking.

I have heard of people having 15 or 20 traffic exchanges going at once with this browser, but that alone would make me crazy! I myself have three windows open. I can surf these three sites without affecting my computers resources for doing other work in IE. As I go about reading my mail, I click on the Crazy Browser tab and surf to the next page on the three sites I have open. Do this all day and your hits will add up.

Second, to get the best results with traffic exchanges do not try and sell people. Everyone surfing is out for the same thing you are. They want to earn credits to get their site shown. The number of people that will take the time to read a long sales letter or presentation on traffic exchanges are few and far between.

Instead, create a teaser page where you can get their information and contact them later via autoresponder. If you want subscribers for your ezine, create a simple, fast loading page that offers a free bonus for joining your ezine. All surfers have to do is enter their name and email address and they can go on to the next site, knowing they are going to get something interesting for free, with little loss of time on their part.

Use the same approach if you are promoting a business, e-book or software. Create a teaser page with a great headline and make surfers opt-in on the page to get more details. You create a list you can then sell to at a later time.

Third, spend a lot of your surfing time on sites that have longevity. I have racked up 1000's of credits on new traffic exchanges only to have them disappear along with all my credits. Sites that have been around for awhile have lasted because they tend to be more responsive. Members like them and keep coming back.

If you want hits delivered to your new teaser page fast, check out WebBizInsider at http://webbizinsider.com/Home.asp?RID=15952. Once your site is approved, you will start receiving hits as fast as you can earn credits. They also offer daily free credits for 25, 50, 100, 250 and 500 pages surfed.

If you want a slower stream of traffic, consider Traffic Roundup at http://www.trafficroundup.com/newuser.php?ref=tallen. This is one of the only traffic exchanges I am an upgraded member in, simply because of the low $5 a month cost. For this I earn double credits and get bonus downloads every month. They also have a game screen that comes up every so often when you can win free credits.

Don't be afraid to join a new traffic exchange it you find one appealing. Just beware of how many credits you let build up until you know they are here to stay. One new site that I recently joined is 10kHits4UNow at http://www.10khits4unow.com/index.php?affid=11959. I joined and then forgot about it as we so often tend to. Until the owner contacted me!

He offered me free credits for responding to his email with my business information. Then he offered me more free credits when I actually entered a site to start receiving hits. He followed this up with an offer of additional credits if I joined them for a conference.

This is a great strategy to get people involved in the site. Once people start visiting a traffic exchange site regularly, they tend to keep coming back. The fact that the owner knows this tells me this site may last longer then many new traffic exchanges.

Traffic exchanges can work for you as a free advertising resource. By integrating your surfing into your daily online activities, using lead capture pages to build a list to sell to, and not wasting time on sites that might not be around tomorrow, you will get the most bang for your time.