For me, it depends on what I am trying to market. Hits are not a problem. Getting signups
for free or low cost programs is fairly easy if it's a half-way decent program. Reeling in
referrals for the higher priced MLMs can be quite a challenge though. Word of mouth seems to
work well for these types of programs.
Experimenting with just the right text ad, banner, or splash page, I have had success with traffic
exchanges, PTRs, safelists, classifieds, forum signatures, and PTCs. Generic affiliate sites do not do
well for long, since thousands of others are using the same site. I usually try to create a unique splash
page and banner to stand out from the crowd.
When I find an ad program that works, like ClixSense, Hits4pay, and a few choice traffic exchanges,
I concentrate on building a strong downline early on so I can benefit from my referral's efforts in addition
to my own. The few dollars I earn from downline upgrades and ad purchases helps cover the cost of my
paid advertising campaigns.
One of these days I would like to get into blogging...