What are Text Ad Exchanges?
Text Ad Exchanges, are systems set up so that website owners can trade views of each others Text Ads. Some text ad exchanges have an exchange system displaying only one Text Ad at a time, while most offer multiple choice for the number of Text Ads shown per page. Usually text ad exchange member areas let members choose the background color and font color as well as size of the text ad they are willing to display on web pages. Some however, offer only size choices. In addition, there are placement requirements for some Text Ad exchanges, such as "above the fold". Above the fold simply means that the viewer of a webpage should not have to "scroll" to view the Text Ad, so it should appear near the top of whatever page you place the Text Ad.

How do Text Ad Exchanges work?
Text Ad Exchanges allow exchange members to text (plain words) that are automatically linked to a URL (destination web page in this case) on the exchange website in order to allow members to trade Text Ad impressions (or clicks) over multiple web sites and web pages. Each member is given their own unique Text Ad exchange code for putting (copying & pasting) into their web page HTML. This special code enables Text Ads to be shown, and link to the correct URL when clicked. It also enables the Text Ad exchange system itself to track how many Text Ad impressions have been given and received by each individual exchange member.

Why use Text Ads, do people really click them?
A long-time debate between text ad exchange believers and non-believers is if Text Ads really are effective for advertising a website (product or service). There are two main schools of thought. One being that Text Ads should be designed for the highest click-through ratios. The other is that Text Ads should be designed for the best branding results. If using Text Ads as a sole-source of traffic, especially if you have a website URL with a name that is not easily spelled, then it is crucial to have Text Ads with high click-through ratios. Whether you choose to use a Text Ad exchange for branding or click-throughs, they can be an extremely effect tool.

How come I see "credits" everywhere?
Text Ad impressions must be tracked and managed with a universal trading system. Text Ad exchanges use "credits" to keep track (count) of how many text ads (and of which sizes) were shown by which member. This is done by "credits", sometimes called "ad credits", "impression credits", "click credits" or "exchange credits". Using a credit-based system, you can easily see how many text ad impressions you have earned and used.

What are "ratios"?
Text ad exchange "Ratios", such as 2:1 or 10:9 or 1:1, etc. are used to show how the text ad exchange is balanced. For instance:

• A 2:1 ratio means that for every 2 ads shown (that belong to other people) on your web pages, your own ad will be shown 1 time on someone else's web page.
• A 10:9 ratio means that for every 10 ads shown (that belong to other people) on your web pages, your own ads will be shown 9 times on other people's web pages.
• A 1:1 ratio means that for every 1 ad shown (that belongs to someone else) on your web pages, your own ad will be shown 1 time on someone else's web page.

"Ratio" is generally shown as "exchange ratio", "impression ratio", "click ratio", etc.

What is the big deal with referrals?
Referrals "sweeten the deal" in a text ad exchange for you. "Referral Bonuses" and "Referral Ratios" are meant to help you get extra free text ad impressions for your ads! Because all text ad exchanges want to be popular, they give you a reason to tell other people about their services. This is the reason that many text ad exchanges will give members extra "credits" (extra free displays of your own ads) just for referring new members to their exchange! This can be extremely helpful to you, especially if your web pages are not receiving many visitors. If a person who uses the text exchange you referred them to is receiving many visitors, you can really use those "referral credits" for free extra displays of your own ad.

Referrals and Levels: As basic as it gets...
Example: Your web page displays 100 ads in a day, you get 50 impressions (displays of your ad) in a 2:1 exchange. Great! But... what if you referred another member whose web pages display 1000 ads in a day? With a 10% "referral ratio", that's another 100 credits for you each day!