What is a link exchange?
A link exchange is an agreement where two sites link to each other. A few natural ones are fine, but swapping links at scale breaks Google's rules.
A link exchange, or reciprocal linking, is when two websites agree to link to one another. Linking to a real partner, supplier or neighboring business is normal and harmless. The problem is excessive trading of links done mainly to boost rankings, such as joining swap networks or emailing strangers for "link for link" deals. Google lists excessive link exchanges as a link scheme.
Why it matters for your business: Link to partners when it helps your visitors. Skip offers to trade links with unrelated sites in bulk.
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