Exchange of visitors
Visitor exchange systems are systems that are used to make websites known. In principle, they work somewhat like mail exchangers .
Functions
Visitor exchange systems are mostly used to promote websites for free and to make them popular , but are also popular "tools" for players in a thief or begging game. You get points by looking at the Internet pages of other members in a so-called "surfbar" and you can use the points to display your own pages to other users in their surfbar. Some exchange systems also pay out money.
species
There are automatic and manual visitor exchange systems. With both systems, the user is shown a so-called surfbar in the upper part of his web browser . This is a static area in which z. B. the status of his account is displayed; advertising banners are also often displayed there . In the lower part one or more websites of one of the other participants are displayed.
- With manual systems, the user / surfer has to click a link or button after a fixed, predetermined time (often 15, 20 or 30 seconds, depending on the provider) so that the next website is displayed. This requires that the user sit in front of the PC, and so if perhaps not always wanted, but then forced to see one side or the other.
- With automatic visitor exchange systems, the user does not have to click anything. The next website is automatically displayed after the specified time has elapsed. This automatic system tempts you to leave the surfbar unattended for hours (often at night). After all, with every website that is displayed (but which you don't necessarily have to view yourself) you get a point that you can exchange for your own advertising.
The obvious disadvantage of the automatic visitor exchange is that the other users only rarely look at the pages. So the quota: 'WebSite displayed' - to - 'WebSite also seen by a real user' is far lower than with manual systems. This disadvantage applies equally to all participants. Modern visitor exchanges have solved the problem by requiring a confirmation every 20–90 minutes. This prevents the surfbar from walking unseen overnight.
'Marketing experts' generally dismiss visitor exchange systems as a 'gimmick' or as an ineffective instrument that only ensures increased traffic , but not real visitors. In the case of visitor swap users, on the other hand, the manual systems are considered to be an acceptable variant, because they cause one or the other visitor to get stuck on the advertised site; on the other hand, the automatic visitor exchange systems are considered 'ineffective' due to the above-mentioned disadvantage, which has now been remedied by the large providers. Some smaller providers have now also installed both versions, the manual and the automatic surfbar. Thus it is possible for users to receive traffic or real visitors in just one system.
In some larger systems such as " eBesucher ", a fixed, virtual currency has now been established instead of the points that can be exchanged for other currencies. Thus it is possible to earn indirectly through eBesucher and similar systems. The function of transferring points to other users, which is also offered by smaller systems, allows you to be paid for with the currency for smaller services etc. Thanks to the external interfaces on the larger pages, the points can also be transferred to other pages and exchanged in so-called exchange offices.