Traffic Hoopla Review
Periodically people ask me what I think about Traffic Hoopla and their ranking system. I’m also asked all the time why my exchange isn’t ranked. Well it’s not a simple explaination, so here’s what I think about Traffic Hoopla..
Basically the way their ranking works is they have a group of people that track their stats. Well, so they claim. They then do some statistics on the traffic delivered, and base their reports off that. Most recently they started including some result factors.
I say they claim to have a group of people because I personally beleive they don’t have quite the group they claim. Maybe two people? I’ve discussed this with other owners and we’ve discovered that the traffic on the reports pretty much matches up exactly with a certain user.
Of course Traffic Hoopla denied that, so I did a test.. I added some credits to the account, and watched. Sure enough it boosted our rankings. So I mentioned it inside a thread on NMF, and since then am no longer listed by them (along with another exchange who also tested our hypothesis).
So why does this matter? Well a couple reasons. The first is that it means the reports are biased. That’s because the people in this “group” decide which exchanges they’ll use. The second is that it is easy to influence. They didn’t seem to notice until we posted in the forum that we added credits to their account. So either they did notice and didn’t mind the treat, or they didn’t notice and it could be happening to any on their top list.
So that is my run in with Traffic Hoopla, what are your thoughts on it?
May 31st, 2008 at 1:42 pm
[...] I was reading one of my favorite blogs today by traffic exchange owner whiz Tim Linden and I came across this article about Traffic Hoopla. [...]
May 31st, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Great questions Tim.
It’s always interesting to me to see this brought up because I track all my own stats (as any traffic exchange surfer should) and my numbers never seem to go along with Hoopla’s rankings. Some of the exchanges ranked in their top lists are the most cheatable programs on the net but continue to rank so high, week in and week out.
Why is that?
Why do programs with horrible customer service and horrible management get ranked so high, when programs that have owners who bust their tail week in and week out get left in the dust?
Un-biased? I don’t agree with that. I think they have an agenda, and that’s FINE! We all al lhave an agenda.
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May 31st, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I have questioned their Safelist rankings as of late. There are new safelists that are in their top 5 now that I know for a fact AdTactics out delivers on. AdTactics sends 5 times as many emails and hits than these new safelists yet I’m steadily falling towards the bottom of the Top 10. Hmm…
Yeah Jon, we all do have an agenda but at least most of us don’t hide it or even resort to telling lies
Jon
Jon Atwoods lastest blog post..Butterfly Marketing Manuscript for FREE?
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May 31st, 2008 at 2:20 pm
[...] this is interesting to say the least. Tim Linden reviewed Traffic Hoopla and everyone seems to be linking to it. Pretty interesting read, you should definately check it [...]
May 31st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
[...] competition in the past where you got to decide who won. Now I’m asking what you think about Traffic Hoopla. Is it unbiased? Is it accurate? What do you think. What about other ranking services? This is for [...]
May 31st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Tim, I have been questioning their “scientific” stats for years!
Great job!
DA
DA Rileys lastest blog post..Is Traffic Hoopla Biased?
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May 31st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
You know, when I heard about hoopla removing you from their system, I was dying to know why. I’ve always questioned their “stats”, never seemed to add up for me. Hopefully your post will encourage some of your more motivated readers to start tracking their own stats.
Thanks for sharing your experience with them. I really enjoyed this post.
Jamison Raymonds lastest blog post..Traffic Hoopla
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May 31st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Tim, think it is rather obvious that many have these same concerns. It only matters because so many unsuspecting traffic exchange members listen and follow these recommendations faithfully. Hey, once I did, but then started doing my own tracking. :)
Ray Whites lastest blog post..Traffic Hoopla Rankings?
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June 1st, 2008 at 11:05 am
Interesting that you would post about this, I have issues with exchanges that are in the top 10 because they just DO NOT PRODUCE results! I have not wasted my time even looking at traffic hoopla anymore, I have my own top 10, and top 5. I get consistant results week in and week out. Most of the exchanges I am in have never even mentioned Traffic Hoopla, there are other sites that rate as well.
Great Job! Love test marketing a program, gives you a real sense of the integrity of the service that is being provided.
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June 1st, 2008 at 12:48 pm
What’s that saying -’Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’?
Since I started to use TE’s more I soon became aware that there are hundreds out there and surely the ranking sites such as Hoopla cannot assess each and everyone - they had to be selective.
That is why I started to look at the results from the various ranking sites - realising that they had their own criteria for ranking and started my own tracking of the TE’s I use.
Looking at the results it is interesting to note that some TE’s feature regularly in the ‘Top Ten’ of more than one ranking site - so I use that as a basis for joining TE then, of course, track my own results.
Anyway I think the point I’m trying to make is not to join or use just one ranking service but use the information provided along with other resources to come to a decision as to which TE to use.
Keiths lastest blog post..Thursday 29th May
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June 1st, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Whew! It’s finally coming to light that the Traffic Hoopla “team” is not that big, nor do they test all the traffic exchanges in an unbiased fashion. I’ve known this for a very long time. I am glad to see that others are finally realizing it, too.
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June 1st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
[...] Tim Linden was able to “game” their results a while back by adding more credits to the Hoopla account on StartXchange.
June 5th, 2008 at 7:11 am
[...] for my pages - not yours!