As a website owner, you should always be looking for ways to drive more traffic to your site. You should be employing a myriad of approaches, networking with other people in your niche, working on your SEO, and taking advantage of social media platforms.
One strategy that you may want to consider is a link or traffic exchange of some kind, but many of these existing systems are flawed. The guys behind Blog Traffic Exchange ordered this review to promote a new WordPress plug-in that alleviates some of these issues.
Sharing the Link Love
Sometimes, you’ve got to give a little to get a little. That’s the philosophy behind the Related Websites plug-in from Blog Traffic Exchange.
The idea here is that you can “increase blog traffic by using blog traffic to get blog traffic.” In effect, you are trying to direct some of your blog readers to related articles posted around the Blog Traffic Exchange network. In exchange, other members of the network will do the same for you.
Like some of the other systems out there, the Blog Traffic Exchange solution is automated, so you don’t have to establish relationships with the individual webmasters in the network. Unlike other systems that rely on simple text links or small banners, however, the Blog Traffic Exchange offers a little more information.
Outbound Related Posts
With a lot of blogs in the blogosphere, like John Chow dot Com and Beyond the Rhetoric, you’ll notice that the bloggers include a list of “related posts” at the end of their posts. Using the plug-in by the same name, this generates a list of internal links to related articles.
The Related Websites plug-in from Blog Traffic Exchange works in much the same way, but the related posts come from external sites instead. Here are the related articles that show up for a post on music blogging:
The titles of the related posts are followed by brief excerpts from the articles. This helps your readers better determine the subject matter of these related websites. Blog Traffic Exchange aims to keep these articles as relevant as possible, but this would depend in part on what’s available in the network.
The selection of related articles, based on keywords, is randomly rotated with each page load and globally every 24 hours. There is a “proprietary traffic balancing algorithm” that “rewards blogs that send diverse traffic into the exchange more frequent placement.” In other words, the more traffic you send out, the more you will receive in return.
Options and Preferences
The installation and activation of this WordPress plug-in is just like any other plug-in. You’ll download the zip file, extract it, upload it to your WordPress plug-ins folder, and activate it. That’s simple enough. From there, you can access its relatively straightforward options panel.
From here, you can configure how the related websites are displayed. As I mentioned, each link comes with an excerpt from the associated article. I personally think that the 50-word excerpt for five links makes for too much bulk, so it’s good to see that you can shorten the length of those excerpts. You can also select the number of related links to display, ranging from two to ten at a time.
How Much Does It Cost?
If you’re looking for a frugal solution, I’ve got some good news for you. The Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites plug-in is completely free in a monetary sense. In order for it to work, however, you need to email Kevin at Blog Traffic Exchange to get a private key for your blog. This can take up to 48 hours, since Kevin screens for warez, pornograhy, illegal activity, scrapers, and so on.
Since this plug-in is free, you’ve got to wonder how it will ever make any money. As part of its description, it says that advertising will never be included as part of the traffic exchange. If I were to fathom a guess, I’d say that they may start selling impressions in the future for “premium” members in the Blog Traffic Exchange. I’ll let Kevin clarify when he sees this review.
CLICK HERE TO GET BLOG TRAFFIC EXCHANGE RELATED WEBSITES PLUG-IN
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{ 59 comments }
Thanx for the great plugin.. Downloading Now!!
Mahesh’s last blog post: AT&T will sell Unlocked iPhone 3Gs
Me as well… downloading it
Thanks John…. btw, relatively your posts while in China are bit more interesting than when you’re home, no offense just a comment 
Firas Steitiyeh’s last blog post: Weblist Is Back After A One Month Stop
Seems like a useful plugin. I will have to email Kevin
Jeep Owner Website’s last blog post: Puno: Replica gun incident ‘a bad joke’ (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
I wonder how diverse their network is right now, for the related posts to work..well, I’m sure it’ll get a lot more diverse after this post
Melody’s last blog post: New Twitter Background
A lot of personal finance sites, niche ebay sites, active lifestyle sites, and blogging sites.
and I think that you are right.
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
Will be cool to see this network of sites grow. Great to hear of what’s available thus far.
Smart Boy Designs’s last blog post: How Bloggers Can Help The Planet On Earth Day
In the future premium members will exist. Relevancy will never be compromised.
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
Traffic exchanges will always have that entry level market. I bet I would benefit from this plug in, but I’ll pass. Good thing that you appreciate the relevancy very highly, but if the service will prove to be popular you will face growing number of people wanting to game the system.
Jake Stone’s last blog post: Price awareness
nice plugin if will effect of are visitors. thanks for sharing this awesome plugin.
Youngistaan Blog’s last blog post: Yeigo Mobile Chat client
Great plugin John, thank you
And here is some unsolicated feedback from my beta users… http://forums.moneyblognetwork.com/viewtopic.php?t=3772
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
This works like those manual traffic were you are required to visit otehr sites.
Paul U’s last blog post: My dream TV
NO! This is not auto surfing. These are real readers visiting your site becasue they liked what they read on another site enough to want more info.
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
Guess ur right .
I am runing a test with the plugin, and I can see people are staying more than 3-4 minutes on one of my blogs.
Alexandru’s last blog post: Make Money Online with your blog through PayU2Blog
This wordpress plug ins is great tools for bloggers.
It seems a usefull plugin to have arround.
I wonder, besides of the trafic, you should get some backlinks as well, right ?
Alexandru’s last blog post: Make Money Online with your blog through PayU2Blog
Nice plugin! This looks to be a good one worth downloading! Going to give it a try right now!
Aman@BullsBattleBears’s last blog post: Wednesday Summary
I’m definitely going to check this out. I may not have the volume of visits, but hopefully this will help get the name out.
Matt @ StupidCents’s last blog post: So You Really Want a 30 Year Mortgage? Think Extra Payments
Sounds like an interesting plugin, may have to give it a try!
Are the links for other websites nofollow?
Harry’s last blog post: eBay To Provide Data Feeds
Very good plugin, Thanx John
BlogAngry’s last blog post: $100 CASH & BLOGANGRY T-SHIRT CONTEST
This would definitely be a great service if they could start doing paid placement for related links.
Zac Johnson’s last blog post: Tracking 202 Pro Version Released
This might be a decent idea after scale has been reached. Members could opt in and share the revenue… For now this is a pure exchange…
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
Is this like pluck? Seems a similar way to performe. I would like to try that out. There is never enough traffic.
Marketing Business Review’s last blog post: SezWho Will Shut Down The Site
this is goog site and very informatic and i got some good tipsas well.
I wonder what is their motivation for offering this free tool, and on top of that, pay johnchow.com hundreds of dollars for a review…
Pete’s last blog post: 155 mm Gun M1
To get the word out to bloggers and grow the service to the point were a premium membership has tremdeous value and makes sense.
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
Basically the principle, you gotta spend money to make money. This should help grow the service by leaps and bounds.
Hi Ricardo, better way to express this old fable is to say – you gotta make money to get money.
Jake Stone’s last blog post: Price awareness
How does this work with traffic exchange? What is the formula used? If I display 5 links per post, how many of my links will show up on someone elses blog?
Mubin’s last blog post: 99 Cent domains at Godaddy again
Another viral marketing that offering great tools for free.You know this pays.p)
Thanks for the plugin! I’m downloading it. I believe there are tonnes of people download it since it’s FREE!
Thanks again!
Regards,
Lee
Lee Ka Hoong’s last blog post: Make Money Online with Cash Crate
Thanks for the great advice, would try the plugin.
Don’t Click My Adsense’s last blog post: 6 Things That I Have Learnt From Farmer About Making Money Online
I think I will give this a try. More traffic is always good!
Scott Ford’s last blog post: What to expect real soon
Would have been good to know for sure how they plan to make money. It would turn people off if down the road the service changes and money is required to use it.
Michael@TheBloggerSource’s last blog post: Why Writing Unique Content Is So Important
No money will ever be required to use the plugin.
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
And I intend to monetize after reaching scale by offering premium memberships.
Blog Traffic Exchange’s last blog post: Related Websites
I think he explained it in the comments. If the service changes and you don’t like it, why not just uninstall the plugin? Seems like a simply solution.
Lazy Man and Money’s last blog post: Money’s 7 New Rules of Financial Security (Part 2)
One of the main reasons for having “Related Post” was to keep people on the site. I understand the logic from a traffic point of view. Why would I want to send someone to another site never to be heard from again?
Maybe I’m over thinking it?
Rick Vaughn’s last blog post: Money Does Not Equal Security
I think it’s good for readers and that reflects well on your site.
I get that people may leave your site, but if they didn’t like the related posts options you gave them, they were probably going to anyway. Better to send them to a site that’s going to send them to you. At least that’s my thought.
Lazy Man and Money’s last blog post: Money’s 7 New Rules of Financial Security (Part 2)
I think that it’s a great idea especially for a new blog starting out…I’ll be downloading and emailing shortly!
it doesnt sound that great, can some one else give there review on this
Edgar’s last blog post: Interview with Chavez Jr.
http://www.jackhumphrey.com/fridaytrafficreport/new-link-building-plugin-for-bloggers/
Guess I have seen this used on other blogs. Didn’t know it existed in such a formality.
Ben Pei’s last blog post: A Day In Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Thanks John,
I’ll be sure to use it once i get my blog finished and going.
Sounds like a great plugin, In particular as long as the sites are checked well for quality like it says, thats the key.
What I wonder, is it javascript or nofollow links?
Keen to check it out either way.
Timon Weller’s last blog post: Make Money Online with Twitter and Tweets
You should come up with a TRADING TRAFFIC script for bloggers. Look at the arcade sites, they track it 1:1 ratio
-Mike
Interesting plug-in. I’m wondering how much server resources it uses, and if pulling in those articles from other sites slows down load time much.
I guess I’ll have to try it to find out.
Leisa Watkins’s last blog post: What’s The Purpose of Education?
I think this plugin is pretty awesome and I’ll definitely be installing it on my blog but I’ll have to see how relevant these related posts are. It’s definitely worth spending some time on it to see if I really like it.
Peter Lee
Work At Home Blog’s last blog post: 10 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid
Once again, a Wordpress plug-in and I have Blogger.
Blogger is owned by Google and sooo far behind.
VlogHog’s last blog post: Teen Sues DA Over Sexting Case
I’ve seen something like this on some big news sites, but I can’t remember the name of the company they’re with. Seems like a cool tool though.
TYCP Entertainment Magazine’s last blog post: Courtney Van Dusen Interview
Good idea. I’ll have to check it out!
Patrick’s last blog post: Millennium Bank $68 Mill Ponzi Scheme Uncovered
i would love to see some more blogger options as i don’t have wordpress…. the information is great, now it’s just a matter of google catching up to this.
jason’s last blog post: Screenwriting Lesson By Paul Haggis
Nice plug in. Also nice to see comment luv finally on here.
Kenric’s last blog post: New Products: Fenix and NiteCore Tactical Flashlights 20% OFF
Thanks for the plugin, working for more!
Make Money Online’s last blog post: How to get 1000’s of Followers on Twitter in Three days.
I like how it plugs into wordpress.
Well this was oldest trick to get the traffic from other blogs. Commentators is also one of them.
But this one is really nice to see that now we have plugin for this as well.
ZK@WebTrafficROI.com’s last blog post: Why website hosting location is important for search engine position
Great Plugin, cant wait to test it out. Cheers
BlogTipsForBeginners’s last blog post: Why YOU Should Start A Blog – The Top 10 Reasons And 26 More
Thanks John for the great info. I had never considered a blog traffic exchange. What a great twist to the traffic exchange ideas. Much better than the classic traffic exchanges that really don’t work anymore
Wayne Sharer’s last blog post: Web Site Promotion – Increased Targeted Traffic and Keywords