Link Exchange still Worth it?

[LD]

A link from them will not bring you any traffic and Google might consider it as a link from a bad neighborhood which could end up in a zero Page Rank for your blog.

That is quite an assumption that a reciprocal link won't bring any traffic and be determine by G it's from a bad neighborhood. This is just bad information.

[donovanjames786]

Link exchange is one of the most effective method for SEO. But its beneficial only when you exchange link with relevant sites. Else it may, even, effect your site's present reputation too.

[LD]

Link exchange is one of the most effective method for SEO.

Hmmm. It would have been better to say it is one method that has less to do with passing authority, and more to do with being a "value added" feature and/or delivering traffic.

[mjtaylor]

Usually sites that agree to give you a backlink are those sites with zero or close to zero traffic and similar page ranks. A link from them will not bring you any traffic and Google might consider it as a link from a bad neighborhood which could end up in a zero Page Rank for your blog.

That is quite an assumption that a reciprocal link won't bring any traffic and be determine by G it's from a bad neighborhood. This is just bad information.

I have to agree with LD. You can't make generalizations like this. My local clients get a lot of "reciprocal" links from sites in their area. For example, my fishing captains quite naturally receive links from their friends who run guesthouses or restaurants, and we give links back to them because it makes sense to point anglers to places where we think they will find the creature comforts and sustenance they want after a day of deep sea fishing.

I don't think reciprocal exchanges are a great way to do SEO, but they are a natural way to get some of your links.

If the only sites that will give you a link are those with zero traffic then you obviously are offering a low quality site, as well. So, perhaps reciprocal links are not the way to start a link campaign since you don't have anything to offer. But these sorts of links can be part of a healthy link profile.

[deepsand]

Specifically google has suggested not to make more use of reciprocal links or three way links for getting site results.

Incorrect.

To quote Matt Cutts "Reciprocal links by themselves aren’t automatically bad, but we’ve communicated before that there is such a thing as excessive reciprocal linking."

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Google clearly told that excessive reciprocal links or excessive link exchanging ("Link to me and I'll link to you.") will be treated as Link scheme.

@Sujan: A link might help shore up your point. If one quotes or references something 'clearly told,' then it behooves one to provide something of a citation.

From Matt Cutts: Google Hell?

Reciprocal links by themselves aren’t automatically bad, but we’ve communicated before that there is such a thing as excessive reciprocal linking.

[deepsand]

But its beneficial only when you exchange link with relevant sites.

Relevant as determined on what basis and by who? Something that may be obviously relevant to your visitors may, to an indexing engine, be of no contextual relevance at all.

Else it may, even, effect your site's present reputation too.

Just how would that happen?

[Sanket Patel]

Does Link Exchange still an effective method in building one way link and improve your website's ranking after the latest Google Panda update..?

Link wheel is definitely an effective method to improve the ranking of the website. It has played a major role to bring a great number of enthusiastic visitors to the website and to get stable backlinks. It also help to generate traffic through pay per click advertising.

[deepsand]

Link wheel is definitely an effective method to improve the ranking of the website. It has played a major role to bring a great number of enthusiastic visitors to the website and to get stable backlinks.

Utter nonsense.

I cannot believe that there are people still repeating that tired old myth. I myself have demonstrated how both it and a pyramid are mathematically inferior to a star topology countless times here.

It also help to generate traffic through pay per click advertising.

Maybe; maybe not. The only thing certain is that is will not work for all.

[WAHM]

I think guest blogging is much more effective in these post panda days for most niche sites. But you have to be a good writer to fully take advantage of this method.

Re what mjtaylor said about a natural link profile, I agree. Sometimes you just have to do what makes sense without overanalyzing. In the context of local sites reciprocal linking to other local sites, it makes a lot of sense. People visiting an area need to eat, drink, shop, and find lodging, and will also be interested in other things the region has to offer. Make it easy for your visitors! This is a pretty obvious example of a good reason for reciprocal linking. I am sure there are others. Just use some common sense about it.

[LD]

Since the OP has not returned, it will be assumed this topic has been covered. Thread closed.