For anyone seeking to increase the amount of traffic coming into their website a useful tool to use is a Banner Ad.

A banner ad is an image file that displays an online advertisement, (typically measuring 468 pixels wide and 60 pixels tall, sized for placement at the top or bottom of a Web page and linked to another page.

Exchanging banner ads is where you approach a web site, usually of a similar theme to yours, and ask them if they would like to exchange links or in this case a banner ad.

A vital ingredient to this process is of course the banner ad. 

You can either pay a company to "design" your banner ad, or like me you can do it yourself and not pay! The not paying option suited me and my marketing budget!

Then search around for web sites that you would like to exchange with. Criteria for this can differ, but if you can get a web site that.......

a) appeals to you

b) is related in theme to yours

c) IS HIGHLY RANKED ON THE SEARCH ENGINES

then this will be beneficial. Go ahead and post something of theirs on your site, in the form of a text link or usually there will be HTML code on their site which you can copy and paste straight on to your site. The HTML code will relate to a link or banner ad.

Then email your new link partner notifying them of the web page address (URL) where they can find their link and then outline what you would like posted on their site.

Info to provide usually takes the form of the following (I am using the info which relates to my site) :

Title : Nature by Dezign

URL : your web site address

Description : Unique fashion accessories boutique and gifts. Unique real flower handbags, bamboo design pocketbooks & handcrafted, sterling silver 925 shell jewelry. Free chain with purchase of certain sets and pendants!

And that is more or less it.

You will hear from someone either telling you politely that they are not interested, or saying hey! sure exchange buddy, lets do some exchanging!

Not everyone you approach will want to exchange links or banners for whatever reason. But from those where you do get a listing you will benefit two-fold by : 

a) getting your name out there somewhere else, and

b) increasing the number of linkbacks to your site, which in turn will move you on up in the search engine rankings!

To view the banner ad that i created you can check it out at my web site (Nature by Dezign.com) just go to the links page to see it and read further advice on this subject.