I’ve suggested using traffic exchanges to introduce My Shopping Genie to new users and distributors. Sadly, most of the exchanges these days seem to be focused only on promoting one another or other Internet marketing programs. I am happy to report that I’ve found a few exchanges that encourage rather than discourage members from featuring their stores.

My newest discovery is Really Smart Deals. I truly do not know how I have missed Really Smart Deals – it’s been online for more than five years! Debbie, the owner, began on eBay and has branched out in recent years to meet a need for eBay store owners. I used to have a store on eBay. I and most other new store owners were absolutely clueless as to how to bring traffic to our stores from outside of eBay. EBay itself has done much more in recent years to help its members, particularly store owners, promote and advertise their stores and wares.

Because My Shopping Genie is a product for SHOPPERS, go where shoppers are! The folks using Really Smart Deals are selling products and I’m willing to bet that they are buying products as well. Advertising MLM opportunities is forbidden on Really Smart Deals, and I appreciate that. But offering your free Genie has been approved. You’ll need to create your own splash page that features only the Genie itself and not the business opportunity. (If you need help with that, please contact me!) Don’t put the URL of your replicated MSG website into rotation at Really Smart Deals; it likely will not be approved. You may use a landing page that offers an opt-in form if you are building a list, but make certain that emphasis is on the product (the Genie), and not on becoming a distributor.

I have enjoyed surfing Really Smart Deals because I like to look at unique products. Our Genies will discover many websites that offer lower prices or interesting or unusual gifts – much better than a simple search at Google can – but I still enjoy browsing the shops of the members of Really Smart Deals. As a member of Really Smart Deals, you will also have an opportunity to join its “sister” social networking site and interact there with members. Links will take you to Debbie’s Squidoo lenses, her Facebook and MySpace pages, and her Twitter page. Here is an excellent example for all My Shopping Genie distributors of how to become visible on the web. Give it a try!

Another traffic exchange that caters to people with products and shops is Paris Shopping Spree. Again, there is a restriction against advertising multi-level marketing programs, but you may certainly offer your Genie! And again, do use a splash page (a simple, quick-loading page that you’ve created yourself) and NOT the company replicated website. A click on the splash page link or graphic should lead to your own website or your My Shopping Genie distributor page.

You’ll enjoy seeing the variety of products offered at Paris Shopping Spree.

A more “traditional” traffic exchange that does have a wider variety of websites in rotation than others is Hit Pulse. Hit Pulse has no such restriction on advertising your business opportunity, so feel free to use your MSG links. (I would tell you, though, that most surfers do NOT like auto-play sound, so avoid using the link to the 3-minute video.)

Using splash pages and good landing pages hosted on your own domains is always preferable to simply using company replicated websites. I hope you grabbed all the information you could from the Genie Cash Club website and training webinars before they disappeared!

Since I first launched MyGenieTalk in August of 2008, I’ve been intending to add a page to the Resources section entirely devoted to the use of traffic exchanges, with my recommendations, tips, and cautions for My Shopping Genie affiliates.

Unfortunately, I’ve been too busy using traffic exchanges to do that! But soon, I promise to add that page!

Internet marketers are seldom lukewarm about the effectiveness of traffic exchange programs – they either love them or hate them, or perhaps better stated, they either believe that traffic exchanges are effective in garnering sales, leads, or sign-ups or they believe that the use of traffic exchanges is a complete waste of time. I’ll share my thoughts when I get that “dedicated page” finished.

Meantime, here’s a resource that’s recently become available that does much of what I would have done for you. Sunny Suggs not only operates one of my favorite traffic exchanges (BootScootinTraffic), but she has also published several “All About” guides that have been very helpful to me in learning the in’s and out’s of marketing on the Internet. Her newest guide is All About Traffic Exchanges, and it’s really only an introduction: there are 24 guides in all!

In All About Traffic Exchanges, Sunny introduces you to traffic exchanges in general, using her exchange, BootScootinTraffic, to illustrate. And what’s even better, these guides are FREE! Sunny has allowed me to give away her guides!

I’ve included only eight of the 24 here, the Introduction and specific guides to seven traffic exchanges that I personally use and recommend. Just click to download the guides in .PDF format (and read with Adobe Reader).

All About Traffic Exchanges

Advertising Know How Tutorial

Dragon Surf Tutorial

Five Hits Tutorial

I Love Hits Tutorial

Soaring 4 Traffic Tutorial

Traffic Bunnies Tutorial

Traffic-Splash Tutorial

My recommendation, though, would be to download the introductory guide, All About Traffic Exchanges, and if you think you’d like to take a spin at using a traffic exchange to promote your My Shopping Genie download or business, join BootScootinTraffic (the link to join is in the guide) and try it out. Be sure to use your My Shopping Genie landing pages that are provided in your GenieCashClub members area so that you will be building your list as well as advertising My Shopping Genie. Or, use the graphics there or in your My Shopping Genie / MyNet Universe online office areas to create your own splash pages. Track your results (see the GenieCashClub for suggestions on link tracking).

Avoid rushing to join too many exchanges before you fully understand just what traffic exchange programs are and are not. Believe me, it is easy to get side-tracked if you become involved in too many programs. I will tell you that all of the traffic exchanges are vying for your membership and activity (and money!) and that this year and last have seen a tremendous growth both in the number of traffic exchanges available and the amount of email correspondence you may receive from the exchanges. Because of the increased competition, there are many good incentives to join and participate, and many people make a “business” of traffic exchange membership. Now, I’m not saying that’s bad, but for My Shopping Genie affiliates, it can sideline your primary objective. Don’t let that happen!

With that caveat, I will tell you that the venue of traffic exchanges is really wide open as far as My Shopping Genie is concerned. So if your primary method of sharing your product and opportunity is the Internet, you really should consider utilizing traffic exchanges – and spending the time necessary to learn how to use them most effectively.