"Wisdom is the fruit of knowledge."

-- Christina Nikolov


ChartWatchCentral - Financial Interviews







Traffic Exchanges - An Interview with 21st Century Entrepreneur Jon Olson

by
Christina Nikolov
Founder/CEO, ChartWatchCentral, Inc.

The current spate of outsourcing and economic uncertainty among investors, and the population in general, have led some to concluded that stormy weather and choppy waters have become a permanent fixture of 21st Century life. However, as has always been the case, opportunity seeks those with vision and the courage to seize it. Today we profile a true 21st Century entrepreneur, Jon Olson, who saw opportunity and introduced a burgeoning industry to the mainstream Internet marketplace.


ChartWatchCentral: How long have you been active on the Internet?

Jon Olson: I have been online for almost a decade now, but working with my online businesses for about 5 years.

ChartWatchCentral: How has eCommerce changed in your Internet career?

Jon Olson: It has opened up so many doors for me. I have really tried to embrace all the technology and while I'm not a very technical savvy person, I love learning. I think this business is great because it's something new everyday!

ChartWatchCentral: How do you see the current state of the world economy?

Jon Olson:  Interesting question. About a year ago, I was making a lot more per sale than I do today. Reason being, world economics. As a Canadian, our dollar is not worth as much as the American dollar. So about a year ago, I earned 1 Canadian dollar for every 68 cents American I earned. Now it's closer to 80 cents. So, while it's great for my country to have such a strong dollar, it hurts my bottom line. However that is the price of doing business on a global scale, which is what the Internet is.

ChartWatchCentral: You are the unquestioned leader within the Traffic Exchange Industry. Could you give our readers a brief rundown on what a traffic exchange is?

Jon Olson:  I would not consider myself the 'leader' of the industry, but a piece in the puzzle. The exchanges are basically like a huge advertising co-operative, that are being used by business professionals, website owners, affiliates, home business entrepreneurs and more recently the blogging communities. The basic idea is for every website I (the viewer) see, another viewer will visit mine. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. Pull all the fancy graphics, complicated scripts and that's essentially what a hit exchange is, people helping people.

ChartWatchCentral: Who is a typical traffic exchange user?

Jon Olson:  A hit exchange user is anyone who wants a cost effective means of advertising one's website. It can also be a casual surfer, looking for new and interesting sites. The majority of this market however, are home based business professionals, looking to promote their sites.

ChartWatchCentral: How do you see the traffic exchange industry evolving - where will the industry be in two years? Five?

Jon Olson:  There needs to be growth. Not just program to program, but industry wide. I really feel that this business will continue to grow, because of the hard working owners that are in place. Everyone benefits when these owners start promoting their programs. The surfers get new people to check out their site and the owners get more potential advertising revenue. In 2 years, I would like the hit exchange concept to be a commonly used term when discussing web site traffic. In 5 years, given the dedication of current owners and new technology, I think the hit exchange can become one of the most useful tools for finding websites online.

ChartWatchCentral: How can a traffic exchange benefit an entrepreneur?

Jon Olson:  Traffic. I mean that is what we are doing, exchanging traffic. A business person, especially an entrepreneur is always looking for new and innovative ways to promote their business. But beyond that, they want cost effective advertising and results. Hit exchanges do this on so many levels, when you use them properly. It's easy to get lost in the shuffle with the thousands of programs online today, but when you get all the right tools in place, hit exchanges can be the best friend your website can have online.

ChartWatchCentral: What sort of businesses take advantage of traffic exchanges?

Jon Olson:  All kinds of businesses enjoy hit exchange traffic. However the majority, again, are home based businesses, affiliate programs, casinos, and online MLM. As hit exchange owners, we are always trying to broaden our reach however a lot of us like and need to stay true to our core audiences.

ChartWatchCentral: What is your estimate of the number of people utilizing traffic exchanges on a daily basis?

The most active exchange online probably has close to 200,000 members. User activity is much less, I would estimate a very active exchange would have between 1,000 - 5,000 surfers a day using their system.

ChartWatchCentral: Traffic exchanges are not only utilized for commercial purposes, but by individuals for personal reasons. Do traffic exchanges interface with the current blogging phenomenon?

Jon Olson:  There are a number of blog exchanges out right now, I actually co-own Blogazoo.com and believe that the blogging community and hit exchanges are a great match. People want traffic, and hit exchanges deliver that. However if your content (in a blog) is interesting, you will get readers. if not, surfers will breeze right past your site. That is why I always say when using a hit exchange, make sure people's attention is grabbed immediately when your site loads. Get their interest first, then either get them to bookmark your site or make a sale.

ChartWatchCentral: What is the biggest hurdle facing the traffic exchange industry? The individuals who utilize traffic exchanges?

Jon Olson:  Diversity and numbers.  We need more people, more websites and more choices in the industry. It's still very early and this business has not yet developed, however growth is always taking place. Hit exchanges need more people surfing, more websites in rotation and increased awareness of the industry in general. These kind of interviews help out so much, and I thank you for helping to get the word out about the exchanges.

ChartWatchCentral: You have helped countless persons who were new to traffic exchanges and many entrepreneurs who have started their own traffic exchanges. What is your most gratifying experience along those lines?

Jon Olson:  Just seeing people achieve success online. Whether it be through owning their own business, or developing a hit exchange advertising plan. It's great to see people start to make money online. Everyone benefits when someone does good online, because if they received a sale from one of my programs, I guarantee they will let someone know where they made money. The power of word of mouth advertising. I just want to see everyone get a piece of the pie, because there is PLENTY to go around!

ChartWatchCentral: Is starting a traffic exchange a viable profit-making opportunity for an entrepreneur?

Jon Olson:  Yes and no. Yes, if you want to invest thousands of dollars in design, development and advertising a new exchange. No if you are expecting immediate wealth, income and success. A hit exchange is a slow and steady process, as long as you understand that you have to create something unique and it make take up to a year to see any kind of decent return, by all means, it's a great business to be involved with. Looking to get rich quick? Not a good decision.

ChartWatchCentral: You have almost single-handedly established traffic exchanges as a vibrant facet of the commercial and cultural landscape of the Internet, what's next?

Jon Olson:  I am only one part of this community along with tens of thousands of surfers that click each and every day. Names like Dan Moses, Bill Carr, Jeff Trumble, Michael Russell, Rich Taylor, Doug Williams, Stephen Ayer and so many others have really developed this into the industry it has become. I am just one part of the community.  There are so many exciting things I think of doing with the program and I really enjoy seeing all the great stuff those people have come up with as well. It's very exciting because again, this is still a new industry and the best is yet to come.

ChartWatchCentral: What advice do you have for an entrepreneur in today's global economy?

Jon Olson:  Find something you believe in. My 'niche' was hit exchanges. I have a passion for them. Find your passion and really explore avenues of income generation. You have to love what you do online, because this is such a wonderful business, you need to be having fun (and making money)!

ChartWatchCentral: What advice do you have for anyone starting out with a traffic exchange?

Jon Olson:  Take your time, there is no rush. Do lots of research, visit the forums that are frequented by other owners, really network and try to get your name known. The greatest thing you can do for any business, especially online, is to network with others. Forums, conferences and email are great ways to do this. But above all else, have a game plan and really set in stone what you are trying to do and have that target goal established before you even spend one dime online.

ChartWatchCentral: Any further comments for our readers?

Jon Olson:  Just to enjoy your time online. Really pay attention to the sites you view in the exchanges and remember that co-operation theory - treat everyone's website like you want yours to be treated! Again, have fun with your business.

ChartWatchCentral: How can anyone interested in traffic exchanges contact you, or obtain more information?

Jon Olson:  http://www.hitexchange101.com is my new website that I set up for an 'information portal' about the exchanges. That is now home base for all my businesses and a great starting point for anyone looking for more information about the programs. And of course, all my contact information is on that site as well. if you have any questions, please feel free to drop me a line anytime!!! =)

ChartWatchCentral: Thank you for you time Mr. Olson




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