**Start of Article Part1**

The Top 10 Time Wasting Pursuits of Internet Marketers and How To Avoid Them

All of us get sucked into at least one useless marketing strategy or time wasting activity during our career. For many of us it is more than one…..and for me it was just about all of them! I have compiled a list of top 10 time wasting strategies and activities Internet marketers are guilty of and a tip on how to avoid each of them.

PART 1 Time Wasting Marketing Strategies

In today's article I focus on top 5 time wasting and ineffective marketing strategies used by Internet marketers. I expect a few people will be down right peeved I'm revealing these secrets but I want to save you from doing what I did. Read on and see how many of these you do.

1. Submitting to FFA classifieds - (A.K.A. free for all classifieds) worked once but now there are hundreds of thousands of them. The idea is you post your classified ad free to attract visitors and/or sales. Unfortunately, nobody ever reads FFAs and each receives so many submissions that your ad gets pushed to bottom and then of page very fast. And every FFA you submit to will send you at least one email. Outcome: an inbox full of junk mail with no noticeably increase in sales, down line or traffic. Solution: don't do it. If you want to post free classified, find reputable ezines that accept free advertising.

2. Owning an FFA classified - some schemes promising to get you an avalanche of free traffic and leads offer to give you your very own FFA. Only this time you've been let in on secret that no one reads FFAs but they are really just a ploy to collect email addresses of advertisers. Unfortunately, people submitting ads are told to use throw away email addresses, which means addresses you collect will be worthless anyway. Outcome: a long list of worthless email addresses. Solution: don't do it.

3. Submitting to FFA link farms - like FFA classifieds, FFA link farms worked once but not any more. The idea is they will provide a link to your site and if you link back to them or pay a fee they will give your link greater prominence. They were once a good way to increase link popularity in search engines but now search engines are wise to this strategy and will even penalize you if you link back to them. Outcome: maybe a better incoming link rating but don't reciprocate link or search engines will PUNISH you. Solution: don't do it or don't reciprocate if you do. If you really want links, contact webmasters of related sites individually and invite them to swap with you.

4. Safelists - for me these are yet another waste of time. The idea is you become a member of a website that allows you to send emails to other members. In return you agree to receive emails from them. You also have option of paying for a "pro" membership, which allows you to send but not receive. You end up with an inbox jammed packed with junk mail (if you are like I was you may read first one or two before deleting them all) and you waste your time writing and sending emails that no one ever reads. Outcome: an inbox full of junk mail. Solution: don't do it. If you want email addresses, start your own newsletter instead.

5. Auto Traffic Exchange - every new webmaster longs to see their hit counter tick over. Auto traffic exchanges give you one free hit to your website for every one or two websites, owned by someone else, that you view. Unlike regular traffic exchanges that require you to stay in front of screen and click a button to view next site, auto exchanges automatically bring next site onto your screen whether your in front of it or on toilet. Most people will turn it on and then go to bed, watch TV or do something else. Outcome: a hit counter with heaps of hits but nothing else. Solution: don't do it. Try a click traffic exchange, there are plenty of them

In part 2 I will discuss top 5 time wasting activities (not marketing strategies) of Internet marketers. Read it and save another 250 hours of your valuable time.

================================================================= Murray Hughes publishes A Millionaire In The Making Newsletter, a popular and expertly written ezine dedicated to bringing out "inner home business entrepreneur" in anyone. Learn about *best rated* home biz opportunities, tools & tips by subscribing F-R-E-E today at http://www.thefreepathagent.com

Having a website shows that you are committed to your business and being competitive. If you are local, say so on your website. You will still reach more of your local community through your website than through many other media. A website is a great addition to all your marketing materials, from business cards to television commercials.