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anonmissus's Profile About me ... |
Member since: 10/5/2009 Last login: 2/23/2010 |
Hey, I'm Amanda. I'm a 24-year-old writer for a private company who does sites like IM Report Card on the side. My husband and I also run a couples' video game site, Co-oples.com, where we review the video games on the Xbox 360, Wii, PS3, and PC that we play together.
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Location: USA Interests: Video games, board games, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, movies, theme parks, travel, animals My site: http://www.co-oples.com/ My blog: N/A Twitter: N/A |
anonmissus has posted 51 comments with an overall 92.5% helpful rating...
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anonmissus's comment on Craigslist Traffic ...
Nothing Less Than a 'B+' for Craigslist Traffic
I was aware that one could earn money with Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks, but it never crossed my mind to consider Craigslist! The ad site is one that I use regularly, so when I saw this eBook on how to earn money/drive traffic using Craigslist, I was curious. I found the price to be right for all of the valuable information it contained, like where to post the right classifieds, how to word them, what links to include, how often you should post, etc. It's information that "the average Joe" would be hard-pressed to come up with themselves.
Something that put me at ease in trusting this product before I even bought it was recognizing the validity of the traffic screenshot that's posted. It looks just like the StatCounter tool *I* use, so I knew the Craigslist traffic it's talking about was real.
I also appreciated the free gifts (complete with re-sell rights) and money-make guarantee this eBook offers. Considering Craigslist Traffic is just $7, these are surprising and honest features.
anonmissus's comment on Traffic Syndicate 25 ...
Traffic Syndicate Review
I think Traffic Syndicate 25 is a professional-looking traffic exchange with an unusual program for the elite. I found it very hard to get anywhere close to the top "25" it talks about, but with almost 200k members, this is to be expected.
The surfing experience is very clean; I like how the sites show for 15 seconds instead of the usual 10 (or less) with other exchanges. The jumbled number confirmation is not the easiest on the eyes to confirm, though.
I like how I can see if my referrals are online or not and message them. Being able to add a generous 25 URLs as a free member is the top thing Traffic Syndicate has going for it, in my opinion. It's also nice that I have the option to pause or remove my sites at my leisure while maintaining my surf credits if they're under construction.
Other than these things, I found Traffic Syndicate to have the same risks and rewards as any other TE. If you use TEs heavily, though, Traffic Syndicate's Jackpot program could be of value to you.
anonmissus's comment on John Chow ...
John Chow Has Taken His Success and Run With It
I downloaded John Chow's free eBook on how he went from zero to what is most people's yearly salary per month by blogging. I must say, I really wasn't that impressed. I appreciated the humor on how "he didn't scam you with a $97 eBook" by downloading this and that it was a "compilation" of tools to be successful blogging online. However, most of his tools were nothing new; nothing I hadn't seen before for free online.
John's tips, like actually sitting down to work on your blog/website, only blogging what you are passionate about, and connecting with your readers, seem like common sense in my opinion. Buying your own domain (because it looks more professional) and posting often also seem like they would be pretty easy to figure out on one's own. He also sneaked in a lot of references to himself encouraging you to keep reading HIS blog, which seemed tacky.
The descriptions of companies he uses to make money online were helpful, but can be found directly on his website, so there's no need to download the eBook. Speaking of his site, I found it mostly to be a shrine to paid blogging, and found it kind of outrageous how he charges $500 to do a spotlight on somebody's product/website.
That's good for John Chow to be a self-made success, but I personally will be sticking to less cluttered resources for my own tips on how to be successful online.
anonmissus's comment on 20 Ways To Make $100 Per Day Online ...
Tries to Trick You By Providing Links to Testimonials, Etc
I purchased this e-Book about a year ago when I was first trying to supplement my earnings online. I was very disappointed with the tips I received, as many of them were things I had heard before -- for example, opening a webshop through a reputable company like Amazon and using AdSense programs. As for the other ideas listed, they required way too much time to be realistic and will only give you a migraine, unless you are desperate for money.
I think it's pretty sad how the program plays off of people's hopes of working from home by saying that many people want to quit their jobs, but don't because they need the security, and "you can get some security" by purchasing this e-Book. It duped me by quoting that $100 number because that sounded attainable compared to say, $5000 like other scams promise. In reality, you will only be down a third of your $100 daily if you buy this program. The information is out there for free!
anonmissus's comment on Hits2u ...
Hits2u is a waste of time
Hits2u would be great if it actually worked. It takes all of two minutes to submit your URL and website description, but then it's like, now what? Am I really to believe that my site will receive potentially "tens of thousands" of hits without doing any work on my part?
Hits2u provides no real explanation on how it works, just a vague bit on how it posts your text ads on a lot of high traffic sites. Okay, so where's the proof? I find it hard to believe they are being honest when I received ZERO hits as a free member, despite submitting my sites 3 times after the free membership expired (you'd think I'd at least get some). I really think it's just a dupe on their part to get your money to upgrade for some "real results". But the fact they can't even deliver traffic as a free member makes me doubt that upgraded people are having much success.
I removed my site after my failed attempts of getting a little traffic. I did not want my site associated with them, as who knows what they're actually doing with your information. This is not Pingler!
anonmissus's comment on My Traffic Zone ...
My Traffic Zone Gets a Green Light
I like My Traffic Zone because it provides a very clean surfing experience. Unlike other TE's I have used, My Traffic Zone surf sites never fail to load for me and are presented without a delay in the timer. The click-to-verify icons are all clever traffic signs, and I'm happy to report that unlike Dragon Surf and other graphic-based verifiers, these ones are actually big enough for me to click and see!
I love that I have the option to open a link I like in a new window while I'm surfing. I haven't seen this before in TE's and think it's a pretty crucial aspect to include. I've had to list my site name directly on my page with other TE's so users will remember the address and come back!
I like how I can message my downline and that there are referral contests for some major credits! On downside, however, is that the FAQ section is sometimes broken and wasn't running when I joined.
All in all, My Traffic Zone is your typical home-run TE with the same cookie cutter script as most of the others. I personally keep experimenting with the ones that deliver the most results, and My Traffic Zone has done decent for me so far.
anonmissus's comment on 1800Banners ...
Should Be Called 1900Banners
I joined 1800Banners because I thought it was an unique idea and that I might have more success than a traditional traffic exchange. Banners are more catchy than text links or people being "forced" to go to your page, right? Well the problem with this program is that I could not find reputable partners. My banners were not placed in ideal locations, nor did I receive much quality traffic. I was also a victim of having my banners removed without notification on a few of the sites. This is clearly against what the program promises.
In my opinion, it is not worth the average person's time, and you're better off trading links/banners with people you know/meet who have websites or blogs. 1800Banners is a headache!
anonmissus's comment on YouTube Revolution ...
Join the Revolution!
I always kind of guessed that setting up a YouTube to promote a webpage was a good idea, but I had no clue that it could actually be passively profitable as well. I found YouTube Revolution to contain dozens of truly useful tips and tricks to be successful on YouTube that I haven't seen anywhere else yet. It's kind of like SEO for your YouTube!
The best part was information on how you can join lead campaigns to add advertisements to your videos, and combined with the traffic tips, this will help you earn extra money with your clips. I hadn't heard this before and am very excited about it. The two bonus books I received on how to do automatic E-mails and marketing strategies were appreciated as well.
anonmissus's comment on Celebrity Blogging ...
Obviously Didn't Have Staying Power
I thought this site was a good idea and tool when I first stumbled across it. I'm pretty interested in people like Avril Lavigne and thought it would be fun to set up a blog about her that could be monetized. A couple of the videos and articles on Celebrity Blogging were helpful to me; however, not worth the money I invested because much of the information was either common sense or easily found online for free. I'd say the most valuable thing Celebrity Blogging offered was information on where the best sources of star gossip could be found (specific magazines, t.v. programs, online feeds, etc.).
I say offered in past tense because this site is now a squatter search site! That goes to show that this was just another overnight system...
anonmissus's comment on Daily Cash Jobs ...
Save your $10 for gas money!
Daily Cash Jobs didn't assault my eyes with the usual cheap graphics and blaring adverts, and a one-time fee of only $10 duped me into thinking it was legit (or at least worth a try). The download book I got was very sparse and contained companies I've never heard of. Upon researching the listed programs, I discovered that most were scams no longer in existence, involved more cash, and/or were not worth the effort. I found Daily Cash Jobs to be useless compared to the traditional ways to make money on the Internet, which is ironic because Daily Cash Jobs praises itself on not needing to do those. I will be sticking to IMRC and other reputable sources for ideas on where I can get "daily cash jobs".
anonmissus's comment on Ken Evoy ...
Ken Evoy is Honest and Honorable
I have experienced Ken Evoy through Site Build It!, and let me just say that I think he should be considered one of the most respected marketers on the Internet today. For those of you who have visited the SBI site and doubted what Mr. Evoy writes about, I can tell you personally that his programs are worth every penny and are almost *overwhelmingly* helpful.
Ken Evoy provides dozens of multi-page PDFs and articles on how you can be successful with your Internet site/business. He has really opened my eyes to the do's and don'ts of the online marketing game, and I've even E-mailed him from time to time with a question and have gotten a fast, useful, personalized response. The forums he runs are also a joy to frequent.
Ken Evoy gets two keyboard-clicking thumbs up from me!
anonmissus's comment on Ezycashgifts ...
Ezycashgifts: not a decent enough profit
Ezycashgifts reminds me of those chain letters I used to get in the mail promising the same money matrix system, except now it's available on the Internet! I decided to try it out, not expecting thousands, but hopefully hundreds.
I described how the program worked in real words rather than a typical spammy webpage style on a blog and also in a personal E-mail to family and friends. This helped me get a few sign-ups by being straight with people rather than throwing them at the site with little explanation.
I enjoyed how the buy-in fees for Ezycashgifts were small; that it's a simple concept and surprisingly, there were no hidden charges. This made it safe for me to use, but unfortunately, not very profitable. I scored just $25 from my time with Ezycashgifts within 3 months. Better than nothing, but not worth my time in the long run. I guess I should commend people for being cautious, even though this is a legit site (it even states that you will need to fill out tax info for big winnings!).
anonmissus's comment on Homestead ...
Home Stead Home
I first used Homestead when it was sponsored by AOL about 10 years ago. Back then, the free site I could receive wasn't much, but it was easy to use and fun to play around with nonetheless. Now Homestead has really grown up, just like I have in the last 10 years.
I think the biggest thing Homestead has going for it is that literally anyone can now create a professional webpage - no technical know-how needed. It's a lifesaver if you don't have a lot of time to mess around with HTML.
I love how they now have over 2,000 site templates to choose from; this wasn't the case 10 years ago. They all look really nice and clean, and I can still make the site my "own" by personalizing the layout, text, and graphics. They have a large, free picture gallery, so no one will be short on images and turning to Flickr. I can also set up an online store with them, which is handy and new.
Homestead also features a killer affiliate program: $80-$100 per referral! Overall, I think Homestead is a solid choice if you're looking for a free website host.
anonmissus's comment on Dragon Surf ...
Why are most TE's all the same?
I like how Dragon Surf flat-out says that they are only an advertising service and not a money-making program. This may not be enough for those like me who are looking to make a little cash, however.
I like Dragon Surf's awesome, fiery graphics; the ability to send and receive private messages, and the blog and forum. The credit mini-games it offers while surfing are also very cute and fun.
Other than these few things, I found Dragon Surf to work just like any other TE. The credits given to me as a free member were the lowest of any exchange ever - only 0.3! The little dragon icons you have to click to credit your surfs are also too small.
I like how DS has a huge membership base, but this hasn't shown results on the site I submitted to be surfed. Perhaps I'm just not clicking enough to build up my credits.
anonmissus's comment on ILoveHits ...
Nothing Special
I do love hits... but not from this exchange. When it comes to finding a traffic exchange that I can settle down with, the program in question needs to offer something special, and ILoveHits doesn't.
I think the boxing theme is cute, and being able to have a member profile is nice. ILoveHits' referral banners are clever, the ability to bookmark and rate sites is present, but the train stops there in terms of the positives of this site. My biggest complaints are that you earn much less per site viewed than other exchanges as a free user (only . 34 to start). Also, the boxing icons you need to hit to verify are hard to read, and thus it takes longer to confirm your surfs. I will say that the countdown timer is very fast, but this isn't a good thing when you realize others won't be viewing your site for very long.
ILoveHits is not a knockout compared to the competition.
anonmissus's comment on Traffic Era ...
Traffic Era is different, but doesn't offer much
In my opinion, Traffic Era is just another bland, run-of-the-mill exchange service. Their website is surprisingly lacking in information for looking so professional.
I did like some things with Traffic Era. The ability to bookmark the pages I was surfing, for instance, is a crucial feature I've wondered why other TE's haven't included it. I enjoy the user-run groups I can join, and I like the rank resource for up to 500 member's profiles.
Traffic Era awards tokens which can translate into more surf time for your site, but it appears that one isn't likely to win anything unless they devote their life to surfing with this site, as prizes only get redeemed by the top members.
In closing, I found Traffic Era to be too bland and confusing for my personal use.
anonmissus's comment on Traffic Witch ...
Traffic Witch Has a Few Good Things Going For It
I joined Traffic Witch. The Halloween theme of Traffic Witch is superficial, as the text/set up looks exactly like other TE's I have used, leading me to believe they are all owned by the same person. Perhaps this is why Traffic Witch offers a Surf Club amongst several different exchanges where they will award you bonus credits for participating in all sites. I think this is a neat idea and something I would consider doing if I had the extra time.
Traffic Witch provides 2 free splash pages to promote your referral link, which is awesome. Many of the areas on the site are empty, however, which I found odd.
In terms of surfing, Traffic Witch is your usual "click to confirm" service. The icons are things like black cats, cauldrons, and witches on broomsticks, which is really cute.
What I like best about this service is that there is no automatic surfing, meaning I am getting true page views to my site. Traffic Witch also awards you a higher credit ratio based on how much you use the site, which is unique and good.
anonmissus's comment on Clicksor ...
Don't Click-sor
I tried Clicksor out a few months back on a Site Build It website I worked with. I was impressed by how professional the program looked, the 6 different types of ads offered, and the large database of businesses to choose from. Because I have a lot of pages connected to my main Site Build It page, there was plenty of room to implement Clicksor ads, but unfortunately they didn't net much result. I liked how the payment was at $50 compared to Google's $100; however, I came nowhere close to meeting this over the months that the ads were set up.
I don't like how strict Clicksor is for the everyday user; it's very exclusive. You can't use a free web host or have less than 5k visitors to your page every day. Also, you're not allowed to mail out anything from your site that could be confused with spam when you have Clicksor implemented.
The 10% referral commission is good, but with restrictions like those above, who are you going to get to sign up under you to profit from it?
anonmissus's comment on Megaclick ...
Megaclick is mega-stagnant
I joined Megaclick to fill in some more space on my site not covered by Google AdSense. The banners offered through this service fit neatly, but did not relate to the content of my page and were therefore unsuccessful. I appreciate that I had the opportunity to be listed on the marketplace, but again, this really does no good if your visitors aren't clicking and aren't interested. Megaclick's sister sites, Megaupload and Megavideo, were more useful to me personally than Megaclick was.
I believe it could be a good forum for those who run an in-demand site, but not a service that will work out for any average Joe. It's good that they are international and don't hog all of the profits, but there may not be that much profit in it for you. I removed the pointless advertising after 2 months with no result.
anonmissus's comment on TrafficTaxis ...
Go for a ride at TrafficTaxis
Traffic Taxis caught my eye while surfing on another TE because it had a cute name, so I thought I'd try it out.
It's pretty much like any other TE when it comes to the surf bar; view the presented page and wait for 6 seconds to pass, then click one of the adorable taxis. I will say that the school-bus yellow background is kind of distracting and hard on the eyes, though. I get less credits than other free surf sites per page - only . 39.
Traffic Taxis doesn't offer monetary rewards for surfing, which is always kind of disappointing. They do have a lot of other good things going for them to make up for this, however. They offer a free book that is a guide to TE's, active surfing bonuses, the ability to purchase splash pages, jackpots, kudos from other TE owners, and - what I like best - a blog directory. It's fun to visit and vote for interesting blogs, and have the chance to get my own site visited and voted on.
All in all, Traffic Taxis is a better-than-average site.
anonmissus's comment on Hit2Hit ...
Hit2Hit wasn't a "hit" for me
I wasn't impressed with this one. While it did seem that I got a few quality visitors out of it, overall Hit2Hit does not offer enough benefits compared to other TE's to be worth it to me.
The things I *like* about Hit2Hit are the basic, easy layout of the site and the 6 second counter. The admin also seems friendly.
In terms of surfing, the navigational bar looks EXACTLY like Smiley Traffic's... with the same symbols to click and everything. But unlike Smiley Traffic, Hit2Hit does not reward you monetarily for surfing, which is why I don't like it. A few pennies per 100 pages surfed isn't a lot, but it's better than nothing.
Now this isn't to say I wouldn't ever use a TE with no cash rewards, because I'm active on TrafficSwarm on the weekends. But Hit2Hit does not do things that TS does like randomize different numbers of free credits with every go or let you decide the pages you want to surf; you're stuck at . 5 credits and no choice at what you're viewing as a free member. This is why I've stopped using it.
anonmissus's comment on Pingler ...
Once you Ping, you just can't stop!
Pingler is one of the last "search engine type" sites that I submitted my links to, but it was surprisingly one of the easiest. Going to the main page put me right at the site submission tool, bam! All I had to do was enter my site name, URL, category, and a CAPTCHA and I was good to go.
I like how I didn't have to wait days (or months!) for my sites to approve, unlike many other services of this type. At first I was confused by what they meant with the extensive list of Ping Services, but after I entered a site and gleefully saw my page submitted to dozens of sources, I understood. I also like how I could go back and enter more sites I use, no limit.
It's good how they list the latest pings by group and on the main page; however, it seems that you would have to enter your site a lot to get it seen. When I did a search for my site on Pingler, it was the first one to turn up for the time being, which made me happy.
They also keep track of bad ping programs, which is good.
anonmissus's comment on Rolex-Mails ...
TIME to drop this one
About a year ago, I was on a quest to sign up for paid E-mail programs because I figured they were a pretty effortless way to earn some extra cash. Rolex Mails is one of the companies I signed up with. At $10 a hit, I didn't expect to receive too many E-mails, but the ones I got did add up for the time being. The experience with the site wasn't that intrusive, and I appreciated the prospect of $5 a referral that's why I didn't think it was a scam. They also had this lottery where you could win their namesake, a Rolex watch, which I thought was cute. Not something I would personally wear as a female, but I figured I could give it to my husband or grandfather if I ever won.
I was up to around $300 in my account balance (the equivalent to 30 paid E-mails) after a few months. The E-mails always seemed to credit properly and they claim to use Paypal, which also mislead me to believe this was a legit site. Upon encountering scams with some of the other online programs I had been using at that time, I started researching each program I belonged to, and I found out Rolex Mails was a scam. I quickly changed all of my account info to fake information and then deleted my membership with the site. I'll stick to paid-to-reads like InboxDollars where I have actually gotten a check.
anonmissus's comment on QualityBux ...
QualityBux is Not Quality!
If I had a bux for every bux website I've joined, I'd be rich! lol QualityBux is just another scam rip-off of Neobux. They say copying is the sincerest form of flattery; well, that would be true if QualityBux actually paid. Their site is a hastily thrown-together attempt to con you.
QualityBux's FAQ section is hard to locate and quite lacking. I had to go to an entirely different section of the site just to find what the minimum payout was ($5). When I found that, I didn't think that was too bad and so proceeded to click every day for 2 months to get there. When I reached the $5 threshold however, they wouldn't pay me; I got a curt notification that I was expected to upgrade (pay!) just to get my cashout. This wasn't stated anywhere that I saw when I signed up, and so I feel I was very mislead. What PTC *requires* you to upgrade? A scam one, usually!
Also, I thought it was really misleading how they had many ads to preview when I initially signed up, but the actual amount I got was a lot less (surprisingly, some of them were actually kind of interesting though, so I guess that's a plus!). Their Proof of Payment section and Forum have both mysteriously gone on "be right back" status. Stay away!
anonmissus's comment on Upbux ...
UpBux Gets a Thumbs Up For Now
I'm always on the lookout for *legit* paid-to-clicks, so I was happy to stumble across UpBux. I don't join PTCs that offer less than 1 cent per click - even if they're legit - and UpBux satisfies this.
UpBux works just like Neobux when it comes to clicking the ads; however, I personally feel the account area on UpBux looks a lot nicer and is more extensive than Neobux's. The 4 ads I get per day credit fine and fast.
I think it's very good of UpBux to feature a forum with many areas for international members. Even though I'm personally from the United States, this makes UpBux a good site to recommend on my blog for the international visitors I get.
I know there are concerns that UpBux may turn scam, but I'm hoping it will stay legit to join the small list of "bux" sites that are. I love how they have games like Blackjack and Hi-Low that I can play and bet on to win more money!
anonmissus's comment on Traffic Splash ...
Traffic Splash Similar to Smiley Traffic, But More Rewarding
Traffic Splash is like a refreshing stream of water after using other traffic exchanges! I really like how their support team is listed right on the main page, along with all of the awards they've won. That was one of the clues to go ahead and trust/try this service.
I appreciated the 50 free surf credits for signing up; however, I was kind of deterred by the onslaught of advertisements and messages encouraging me to pay and go pro.
I like how I can upload a banner for free; I might try that out in the future. It's also nice how there are "surfing rewards"; for example, navigate through 500 pages in a day and you'll get 7,000 text ads for your site, which is *a lot* more than other TE's!
As far as the surfing goes, it's really cute how they used colored dolphins to verify your page loads. At first I was thrown a little off on how to verify, but I quickly discovered you are to hit the SECOND dolphin of the same color. I don't like how there's not a clear-cut timer, though.
anonmissus's comment on Get Ref ...
I didn't like it
I joined Get Ref kind of out of desperation to get some much-needed referrals. I think it's a genius idea in theory, but not one that really pans out in practice. It reminded me of how traffic exchanges work in that a lot of people are only doing it for themselves and will ignore your good info!
It wasn't too hard to work the program; however, the sites I signed up through people weren't very quality, and all but one of the 10 referrals I got ended up being useless. It seems like the best bet is to maintain your own website for referrals or contact your friends and family to help you out with your programs, because then at least you're not consistently wasting your time like with Get Ref!
anonmissus's comment on Hit Safari ...
Hit Safari is Not Quite a "Hit" for Mammals, But it's Decent
I joined Hit Safari because it seemed like one of the few traffic exchanges that wasn't shady. It has a cute and friendly layout, and the whole experience on the site makes me feel safe there, unlike other exchanges I've frequented recently. I like knowing that users have to see my page in full to work the program, and the 2:1 surf ratio isn't bad, especially when compared to the 5:2 that I have been using!
I've definitely been able to verify an increase in traffic to my site. It hasn't produced much noted interaction with my site however, meaning the visitors are just flying through the surfing experience rather than paying attention to the sites that are actually good. I personally find it amusing how many of the sites I surf are for *other* traffic exchanges!
anonmissus's comment on Site Build It (SBI!) ...
SBI is a good platform for a website
I work with a site that uses SBI, and the experience has been good so far. I really like how it makes our website look professional, but still maintains elements that make it basic to use. For example, SBI gives us forms where users can write and instantly submit their own board game reviews. SBI makes it so that visitors can preview and edit their work and be automatically notified when their review is published, someone comments on their review, or more people contribute to the site. This is an invaluable feature that SBI provides when our whole website's meat is user game reviews.
SBI's hub for editing the site is easy to use, and we get very detailed statistics on the hits to the site. The downside is that we still struggle to get enough traffic like any other website, and SBI is supposed to have aided in this!
anonmissus's comment on ResponsiveHits4You ...
UNresponsiveHits4You - unless you pay!
I've been trying out several free traffic exchanges lately, trying to find the best one for my site. What I can say about this site so far is that it doesn't seem like the greatest. First of all, I was very perturbed by the fact that they did not accept my Yahoo E-mail address, I was forced to use Gmail. If Yahoo doesn't think they are legit, obviously that raises a little bit of concern.
Upon frequenting the site, I found the surfing to be easy to use, but it took almost a week just to get a measly 5 hits to my website. 5! I noticed they currently have less than 4,000 members, so this could be part of the reason; but I don't know if I will stick around and wait for them to grow in popularity when there are better exchanges like TrafficSwarm out there that are already well-established.
anonmissus's comment on Smiley Traffic ...
Not Smiley, But Not Frowny
I wasn't going to bother joining more than one traffic exchange simply because I don't have the time it requires, but Smiley Traffic changed my stance by offering monetary credits. My reasoning for joining was if I'm using a traffic exchange in the first place, it's nice to be able to be paid for it, no matter how small an amount (I also highly appreciate the paid-to-click!). I'm happy knowing that I'm getting a few new visitors to my site, and even if they're not "targeted" at least I'm getting paid for it.
I recommend Smiley Traffic if you need to increase the overall traffic to your site purely for statistics. It's unfortunate that most of the sites I see listed on that network are obvious scams, leading me to believe I'm getting very few useful people coming to my page but the opportunity is better than not doing it I suppose.
The layout isn't the best on the Smiley Traffic site, but it works okay.
anonmissus's comment on Bloggerwave ...
Wave Goodbye to Bloggerwave
I signed up for this site as an extra side way to "monetize" an old blog I had. I wasn't expecting to earn tons of money with it, it was more of the attitude that "every little bit helps". When I would log on to look for tasks, it reminded me of Microworkers and other paid mini-job sites, just with a LOT less opportunities. There were usually less than 10 assignments available whenever I checked!
Not wanting to get discouraged, I dutifully accepted a few of these blog tasks, but was only approved for one of them! It seems like it's hard to get approved if you don't have a high, high-traffic blog that's almost entirely devoted to the business of promoting others' sites, so I gave up on Bloggerwave.
anonmissus's comment on Freebie Force ...
Freebie Force is not free but may pay you back; it just all depends
I tried Freebie Force for a month because I was enticed by the original idea and wanted to see what it was about. I quickly discovered this site has a ton of initial resources and is kind of like that Entertainment Book you can buy that has coupons, except the deals are much bigger. I was able to print out 3 redemptions for Chili's and Olive Garden where I basically got $10 off for free. I also got an online deal of 30% off my order at drugstore.com.
I only did this site for a month, however, because while it does have a lot of upfront offers including air deals, it didn't get updated enough during those 30 days to be worth a monthly membership fee. It was also very difficult for me to get any referrals. I would recommend sticking to FREE freebie sites and rebate resources, unless you are financially set and know you are going to get big use out of Freebie Force.
anonmissus's comment on BuxifY ...
Buxify is safe for now
This is the first PTC of it's kind that I've tried where you have to invest money to make a little profit. I was very skeptical at first considering the company has the name "bux" it, so I made sure to research forums beforehand to see what others were saying in terms of it being a scam or not. I personally was not held up by the fact that I had to spend a little money upfront, so long as I knew it would gain a return. I opted to only do the Copper level, however, because anything more than that would be more than I can afford and therefore too risky. I ended up paying $20, but made a $8.10 profit so far.
Some things you need to be aware of on this site is that you really need to click daily, as your upgrade expires after only 30 days. If you're not the type of person who can commit to that, you may wind up losing money!
This site is also open to international members, which I think is nice.
anonmissus's comment on Royal Surf ...
Royal Surf is cute and easy!
I'm pretty new to traffic exchanges, and so I opted only for the free membership with this site for now.
Visually, I really like the whole medieval feel, and the couple of games I tested out were pretty fun (I met some nice people while I jousted!) I'm able to visit some interesting sites through my daily clicks on Royal Surf, and I'm happy to report that traffic on my end has increased as well.
I think it's a fun and easy site to use; however, "forcing" people to visit your site might not be the best strategy if you're trying to make a living from your website.
anonmissus's comment on Pureprofile ...
Pureprofile is hit or miss
I was very excited for the chance to add a new site to the list of ones that I use that are actually legit; however, my experience on Pureprofile quickly disappointed. I had to fill out a painstakingly long profile on myself - literally pages upon pages of questions on every subject imaginable. I trudged through it though, assuming that I would be rewarded with at least a *few* opportunities to earn, but I was offered none when checking the "NextButton" portion of the site, and my E-mail. Three weeks later I still have received zero offers.
It looks like a very professional site, I just must not meet anyone's criteria.
anonmissus's comment on GreenBackStreet ...
GreenBackStreet is purely a rebate site
I joined this website about two months ago after reading about it on someone's make-money blog. I abandoned GreenBackStreet however, when I realized the only thing they offer is cash back from online stores, and I was expecting other ways to actually earn - not spend - money.
It does appear to be a good site to bookmark and remember to visit when planning to make a purchase online. But for me personally, Memolink, InboxDollars, etc. already offers the same thing. The site is organized fairly well with a "green" tint and everything in alphabetical order, but I feel they should give you examples of what the money-back percentages can translate to in real-world dollars (can you calculate 13.2% off the top of your head?).
GreenBackStreet has a nice forum and a fun "Spin the Prize Wheel" game, so if you don't use other sites that offer cash-back shopping, it could be worth it for you to check out.
anonmissus's comment on Nominimumbux ...
Nominimumbux = Misleading Name, Misleading Site
Nominimumbux, visually tries to look like a clone of the reputable PTC site Neobux, but don't be fooled! They even put a link to a forum on there to trick you, but I found that was no good.
Before I knew better, I signed up for a ton of PTC sites that offered at least 1 cent per click like Nominimumbux does. I liked how there were 6 stable ads per day, and thought the site layout was decent enough compared to less professional-looking PTCs. That's why I thought this one might be reputable!
It only took about a month for me to reach the $3 payout on my own, no referrals. However, I am still awaiting payment to this day and have gotten no admin response from support!
They really need to start coming up with more creative names than "bux" if they want to trick us, because now I know to automatically assume such sites are scams without a second glance!
anonmissus's comment on Adsense Click Protector ...
A good idea
I think Adsense Click Protector is a good idea for anyone who runs a small to medium website, as those seem to be the ones that are accused of conning the system the most often. I've purchased it as "insurance" for the money I make with Google Adsense, because I would be horrified if something ever happened to my website, especially when it wasn't the result of any wrongdoing on my part! I think the program is extremely easy to implement, and the great thing is it only has a one-time fee, then you're set to have the money you make with Adsense protected for life.
anonmissus's comment on Bux Service ...
Bux doesn't grow on trees!
This was one of many PTCs with the name "bux" in it that I tried just a month ago at the height of my PTC high. Everything seemed to be working fine until I realized the clicks weren't adding up to what they were supposed to, and when I checked the forum I was shocked to read numerous complaints of non-payment and the admin being MIA. Thinking that there was something fishy, I researched on the Web what some of the scam PTC sites were, and lo and behold, Bux Service was on the list. :( It's good that I got out of there quick, because the program has already packed up and left with everyone's money. It is now a cheap search site!
anonmissus's comment on LinkBucks ...
LinkBucks: A Good Idea That Needs Work
LinkBucks is hit or miss in terms of if you'll want to use it or not. I've tried it as a free forum to drive traffic to a page with some (but not much) results. In order to really benefit from this program it seems like you would need to be extremely active in it, which I don't have the time to do. You also need to consider the competition you're up against when placing your links at this site, and that people can be pretty perturbed by having to go through a bunch of ads. If you need some free traffic and slight extra cash though, try it out. For me the time involved isn't worth the net result.
anonmissus's comment on Blogsvertise ...
Blogsvertise - Worth Checking Out
I think Blogsvertise is a great idea so long as you don't mind crafting parts of your precious blog to sound like a commercial; however, for the average Joe or Joanna, don't expect to make any kind of income to write home about. I joined five months ago, and the sign-up and set-up process was easy to follow. I have received 2 - count 'em, 2 - paid assignments for $5 each to include in my blog, and was paid promptly.
One tip or advice I have for you that I do for my readers is to not make the product I'm writing about sound overly spammy or annoying. I integrate it into a situation that one could actually WANT to use the product or service in real life.
I am thrilled at the rare times I have gotten assignments; to me it's worth it to be enrolled in this program for the occasional bit of cash I can get. I like how I only have to write 100 words with the advertisers to be credited.
anonmissus's comment on Commission Junction ...
CJ isn't what it used to be
I first used Commission Junction around the time it first came out as a way of putting banners on my hobby site to earn a small amount of affiliate income. I liked how the clicks on my banners were always accurate, the site was easy to navigate, and that I got a clear profile of statistics on everything. However, it is almost a completely different company in terms of the way it works now compared to back then. It's a lot more complicated and hard to comprehend now; I would say it's only worth your time if you have a major, successful Internet business. From my experience, Commission Junction seems to expect you to sacrifice a fair portion of your website to heavily promote the sponsors; you can't just let the ad links go passive on your site and expect to have much success. I stopped using this company because I know there are much easier programs to work with out there that will net me better success.
anonmissus's comment on LuckySurf ...
LuckySurf is a Passive Way to Earn Some Prizes
I should know about LuckySurf, since I'm the one who suggested it!
I joined this site through Memolink, but it is actually a separate site all on it's own. I go there every day and do my ten lotto grids; it doesn't take too much time for me to hit "random numbers" and then click on an ad. I get the results E-mailed to me daily, and I usually score an average of 120 points from the numbers I picked. I'm up to 19,120 points to date, so they really do add up. One suggestion is to click on the 1-2 bonus offers they regularly sponsor before of after you play the lotto to pick up an additional free set of 10 points.
My complaints about this site are when I first joined, they had Target gift cards (something I would actually use) for 20,000 points, so that's why I continued to click there everyday. Lately there's been times when there's nothing in the "LuckyShop", or they are all out of stock of the few old DVDs they do have. And who wants a 2009 calendar, seriously? It's October, people!
I do appreciate how they don't seem to spam me, and that they occasionally offer special draws for additional points or other prizes. I haven't won anything yet after at least a year of playing there, but I am holding out for the time (if ever) that they offer Target or Amazon gift cards again.
anonmissus's comment on Constant Content ...
No Guarantees at Constant Content
I stumbled across this website after reading about it on a blog that urged writers to try and sell their own works rather than selling them to a big company like Associated Content for a fraction of what they're worth. While I agree with that notion on the surface and that Constant Content does seem like a good idea, in reality the site won't provide success for most people unless you are a highly dedicated professional who is aware of the few things to write about that would actually sell. I submitted 5 decent articles to this website with absolutely zero success.
I do like how each author gets their own profile (complete with selling stats) and how a potential buyer cannot read the full article. However, so much quality writing will be going to waste if you rely solely on this website to sell it.
anonmissus's comment on Cashlagoon ...
No GPT site is an island
Cashlagoon is an "okay" site if you haven't already joined a site that pays you to complete offers. For me, however, I really wish they had more solid ways to earn like with a PTC section or daily trivia, because a lot of the offers are the same as any other website, and so I personally cannot make a lot of money with them. I do like the quick, no-limit payout, but I do not like the number of E-mails I receive from them. Cashlagoon has taught me not join other GPT sites that rely heavily on completing offers, because the offers listed are not unique at all.
anonmissus's comment on Surf Junky ...
Take Surf Junky Out With the Trash!
I joined Surf Junky awhile ago when I was more naive about ways to earn money online. 45 cents an hour, if it were legit, would be just awesome to simply surf the Internet. Unfortunately this is yet another case of something being too good to be true. Their site LOOKS fairly decent, which is what got me when I first signed up, before I knew never to trust a site that doesn't have a forum or more member input going for it. I - like every other person who will use the site - never got paid for participating in the program, which was simple to install and follow, but in the end a complete waste of time. I'm just glad I never got a virus or spyware from using the software.
anonmissus's comment on PrizeLive ...
An interesting and useful site, if only for the PTC section
I'm always on the lookout for easy and *legit* ways to earn a little extra money, so I decided to try PrizeLive after reading about it online. The homepage looks like an ad that's too good to be true and doesn't offer as much information about the program as I would have liked, but I'm happy to report that after I signed up, it looks like this site will be a good one overall.
I think graphically, PrizeLive looks nice, but I was a little overwhelmed and confused by the information overload at first. I quickly discovered it has a nice Paid-to-Click section, offering what translates to 1 cent per click of their good selection of sites. I found it interesting how PrizeLive does not have a countdown timer in place for their PTC like other sites; you simply have to click the link and look around on the sponsor site. My account was credited as soon as I refreshed the PTC page, which is a huge plus.
PrizeLive currently only has four games to play where you can win more points, but you have to spend some of your earnings to play for points and so I don't think I will ever do that. You can play the games for free I saw, and I like how you can choose the theme or setting for all of them.
I appreciate how for every PrizeLive point I earn, I am automatically entered into a monthly jackpot for some bigger bucks. I also like how there is only $1 minimum payout for Instant Paypal.
anonmissus's comment on PollDaddy ...
My Poll on PollDaddy
For someone who is personally involved in their blog or website like me, having polls and surveys on it is a fun and informing extra that allows my site to be more interactive for all. I don't use the paid membership on PollDaddy because I can't afford that, and my blog is still in it's starting days where the polls offered by PD are sufficient. I love how I can customize the slick polls PD gives me to include pictures and video, and the loads of statistics I am offered for each poll. It's a bit unfortunate that there's a limit to the number of answers I can receive, but due to the fact that my polls are more for fun than research on my site, this isn't that big of a deal. PollDaddy is very easy to use overall, and I think it's cute how they have test polls to show users what it's all about.
anonmissus's comment on PyraBang ...
Getting Heard on PyraBang
I found out about PyraBang through another review site, and being a person who has enjoyed writing since a child, I am really attracted to the concept of this website. I think it's great to have a platform to express my unconventional views and actually be supported for them monetarily. I also enjoy reading quality pieces from fellow writers.
I don't think $5.95 is too bad of a monthly membership fee for what has become a great hobby for me. I'm fairly new to the site and thus haven't earned much so far, however I look forward to a future where I could potentially earn a decent amount more.
anonmissus's comment on ReviewMe ...
Me Reviewing ReviewMe
I tried this service recently, but it did not really pan out for me. I signed up because I was really enticed by the minimum $20 payout for posting a review. But after writing several reviews, I found I could not get approved despite having quality writing, nor did the traffic to my website really increase. It seems like a really complicated process unless you are already working from home and writing your blog. I appreciate that the service has no hidden fees, so at least I did not lose any money in the process, I just lost some time.