Frequently Asked Questions

It sounds like this is all auto-surf, and I run a manual-only exchange...

We have multiple interface "tracks", including one specifically for manual-only exchanges.  We have a category specifically for manual only exchanges.  Note: the achievable volume of traffic will be lower, until we bring more manual sites online.  Also, if your site has both manual and auto surf components (hybrid exchange), you are in the right place each can use a separate interface, to keep the types of hits separate. 

Will I have to modify my traffic exchange script to work with the network?

No.  That's the beauty of this system: We provide an 'interface file' that will work WITH your script.  NWT will call that script on your server to decide what page to show next.  After you have signed up, you will need to go to our 'Interfaces' page in the traffic exchange owners section (to visit now click here you need to be logged in) and download the inter-face file required for the type of traffic exchange script you are using.  If you need assistance with your set up you should contact our  Interface Admin by submitting a contact here.

What about popups?

We have an optional flag for popups permitted/provided in your in site record .  Realize that no system is perfect... if it was, no one would need a reporting mechanism.  If you flag your site as popups permitted, your site will only be seen by other exchanges that permit popups.

What about banners and/or text ads?  Is this site-view exchange only?

We are currently offering on-site-only text ads and banners.

How much does this cost?

Basic membership and network tokens are free. There are upgrades available if you want more ad space, more traffic, and so on. See our pricing page for more details.

What's so different about this compared to, say, trading visit credits with another exchange, and/or using a simple rotator?

The NWT Traffic Network was designed to give you significant ease of use and control over your inter-exchange traffic:

1. When you exchange credits the old-fashioned way, you have to manually enter all the sites to cross visits over, which is tiresome to say the least.  If you're very, very lucky (and skilled), you might do a partial database transfer, but that still requires maintenance in the long term.

With NWT Network, you never need to know the other exchanges' sites, and they never need to know yours.  We do the discovery and exchange process for you!  We treat each exchange as a supplier of site data that goes into our rotator, which is colored to your sites' preference.

2. If you're in a 'credit boom' period, the last thing you want to do is give out more credits; you need to increase your burn rate, not the credit totals.

With NWT Network, you can control inbound and outbound rates of exchange separately, to get the balance you need.  During a credit boom, you can shut off the outbound network pages, and add more inbound pages, so that other network members can surf down your credit overload.

This gives you the added benefit of increasing the unique viewers that are seeing your customers' sites.

3. Whatever you've done, it is either only with one traffic exchange, or only with one script, and not very automatic or replicable.

NWT Network, by design, is a place where many exchanges of different types will come and do business.

4. Your error reporting is going to get fouled up, since you'll get site violation complaints without knowing what site they were viewing.  To your customers, that looks like bad service on your end.

NWT Network provides a separate error reporting system in the network page being displayed, so that compliance violations can get reported to the appropriate webmaster. 

We also keep a record of the violations, so that we keep the network clean. 

These reports include the site's local UserID and Page ID, and the actual URL being surfed, plus the IP and reverse-DNS lookup of the person doing the reporting.

5. We also offer a centralized blacklist to help all the webmasters avoid sites that are causing trouble through popups, downloads, phantom rotations, ad explosions, et cetera.

Access to this list can also be automated, giving you a "backend filter" to check sites against.

How Does the Volume Page Work?...Work in Progress

The volume page is such a helpful tool when utilized properly. It can help you monitor the hits to your site or the hits your site delivers to other sites. When you first look at the volume page you may feel slightly overwhelmed, but rest assured, we are here to help you.

Ok, let’s get started. When you look at the volume page you will see some tables with multiple sites listed. The first table has the sites that have auto/regular surf. The second table has sites that have auto/regular surf and allow pop-ups. The third table is the sites with manual surf. If you own a hybrid site, meaning both auto/regular and manual surfs, you can get benefits from the network too.

Now, on with the details on the table contents. The 1^st column is the user who owns the site being promoted. The 2^nd column is the name of the site. The rest of the table is a little more detailed. At the 3^rd and 4^th column you’ll see it says, “RCVD” and “SENT”, these are the numbers you will generally be looking at when you come to the volume page. The pink column of numbers is the number of times a site from your exchange has been SEEN on a site across the network. The blue column of numbers is the number of times your site has SHOWN a site from another network member’s site. The next column is the difference between the pink and blue columns. This helps you keep track of how you are using/earning credits on the network.

When you show a site across the network, pink column, this will cost you 1 credit from your network account. When you show a site from the network on your site, blue column, this will earn you .8 credits on your network account.

I will be adding more details about the network soon.