traffic exchange

Ventrino Traffic Exchange Community

Small changes are taking place at Ventrino.  Our website, which was once built using an HTML editor, now uses Joomla.  Yesterday I updated the Wordpress blog to use the same template as the main Joomla website thus providing some consistency in the look and feel of the website.

I also added the Community link which allows the Ventrino community to share information, photos, videos, create groups and friend one another in a similar fashion to Facebook.  Twitter can be integrated and in time Google Plus too.

The website is built with open source and free to use code as well as commercial Joomla components.  These include:

  • Joomla 1.7 – The Content Management System
  • Wordpress – The Blog
  • Artisteer – The template creation tool (not just Wordpress and Joomla)
  • JomSocial – provides most of the community code
  • RSJoomla! – Form creation tool, Firewall, SEO
Mixed in with JomSocial and Joomla are several chunks of code developed by myself and Adam to add new features.  For example Adam has created a module that enables the Community to distribute video uploads to the major streaming sites such as Youtube and Daily motion.

Elevated Traffic – The Promo Video

Beth, Owner of Elevated Traffic receives the last free promo video. It has been great fun doing these and I want to thank everyone for their kind comments, and those not so kind as they too have been a great help!

[flashvideo file=/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/elevated-HQ.mp4 /]

You can also save the files to your disk by right-click save-as: elevated-HQ

See How to add a video to your site for instructions on how this can be added to your website.

Dangerous Comments from Twitter Support

Today a forum member posted comments from twitter support after they refused his API application:

Hello,

We apologize for the inconvenience, but we do not allow personal branding of Applications with Traffic Exchange URLs. I should also inform you that all of our external links from tweets are tagged “nofollow,” as such, tweeting from that source will not improve your search index ranking. If you are using that webpage as a landing page while you build a separate application, I recommend changing your APP URL to one that describes your application or organization appropriately, if your application is legitimate we will reconsider your suspension.

Regards,
Brian
API Support

I find these comments somewhat curious, although I do not know what question was asked by the traffic exchange owner their reply is reminiscent of the Stormpay “autosurf” fiasco a few years ago where all traffic exchanges were demonised by association.

An esoteric group of authorities have now tainted an entire industry, a popular one that has existed for a long time, because they don’t like it or perhaps see it as a threat.  Google, Twitter, Blogger and sadly even the SEC to name a few.

What is so different between twitter and traffic exchanges?  They both encourage people to share ideas and websites, albeit in different ways.  Traffic exchanges have not sprung up overnight to make twitters life difficult (not that they could) and have been serving a growing number of customers since the early 90′s.  It begs the question why twitter believe they are a legitimate application and a traffic exchange is not?

What does “legitimate” mean, does this mean a traffic exchange is illegal or are they referring to what a traffic exchange maybe used for?

A user can add a link to illegal content in a traffic exchange, but they can do the same on twitter so what’s the difference?

There is one obvious difference, for every succesful traffic exchange their is a proud owner making a profit, something the two owners of twitter have yet to achieve.  Each traffic exchange owner has an emotional connetion to their business and consequently does everything in their power to keep it legal.  I bet the ratio of passionate owners to users is a lot healthier than twitters!

Ventrino traffic exchange twitter integration

Recent dissapointment over changes to the facebook API meant that a long term development for traffic exchange scripts had to be altered.  To compensate Ventrino is going to release a number of twitter applications.  If you haven’t tried already their is a fun application at www.buytweeters.com

Ventrino owners are now beta testing a method for their members to improve their exposure and promotion efforts with a few clicks from within their tools page.  Following is a short video demonstration:

Another great design from Digital Dave (Not a shit shoveler)

snag-0015While it might look like one of his previous designs it is what the owner wanted.  It in fact uses many new images and very different template code.  Inside there are brand new icons and apparently Digital Dave’s own sister makes a guest appearance.

Dave is a drop out science student who began life in Kingston University in Surrey, UK.  He got halfway through and decided there was more science to be learned in a kitchen and his love of music and art were far more compelling than going to work for the local water company as a microbiologist (a fancy name for shit shoveler according to Dave).

snag-0020Keen to point out it’s not just traffic exchange work he does I am including something he’s working on, very much outside the reign of sales and marketing.

Dave also creates banners and icons which can be bought direct from 123rf.com which he says is a great resource for anyone developing websites.

If you like Dave’s work and want him to help you can find out more here.