Yes, Matt is like the “fair” spokesperson for G and no matter what he is still employed by G so we need to only take his work as the official guideline, rather than the best way to do SEO.

I do agree with you that buying and selling of links can be done safely if done under the table, which is essentially what you’re saying, doing it safely.

I still like the automated 3+ way exchange program such as the one I’m using…seems to work well for me so far. New one way links just keeps coming in, and they do gradually all show up in the backlink search tools.

Good luck on your SEO endeavors!

At the same time those rental companies offer link exchange.
Once, you placed yours, they never reciprocate.
They rob you of time and energy and keep you wondering how unfair most PR s
in those sectors are.
Often, you also wonder if link portals that offer link exchange may own hundreds of homepages themselves which they now promote in their portal.
What a way to get valuable back links.
Strangely enough a reciprocal links exchange seems to work 3 or 4 times and then it suddenly stops.
Stops means the moment you comply by placing your link and the partner is notified he throws the email into the trash doing nothing to reciprocate not to say that he has changed his mind.
A link that isn’t reciprocated within 3 days by the utmost never will…
PR sucks most of the time is the conclusion I have come to.
There rarely is a fair recommendation.

I have been approached to place links for money for people whose sites I didn’t accept.

Who else would do that when money is an issue.

I can’t see any way to trace bought links if a little care is taken.

Gabriele