Backlink exchange within the guidelines
How the opt-in partner network works, the rules it enforces and what value to expect.
- Lesson
- 6/6
- Reading time
- 8 min
- Sections
- 5
- Through the course
- 100%
Backlink exchange is an opt-in, reciprocal partner network. Each member site shows a visible block labelled Partners with links to 5–10 relevant member sites and receives the same number of links back.
Rules that can't be switched off
- Links are visible to every visitor, and the HTML is identical for people and crawlers.
- Links sit inside a block labelled Partners.
- Every link has rel="sponsored noopener" by default, or rel="nofollow noopener". There is no followed-link option.
- Anchor text is the brand name or domain only, never a keyword.
Check your understanding
Which anchor text can a Backlink exchange link use?
Joining and presence checks
Install the snippet (or the server-side HTML), then press Check install and join. The block is checked daily; if it's missing or hidden on two checks in a row, your links on other sites pause until it's back.
Matching
Partners are matched within your language, preferring the same category and country. Your own organisation's sites, excluded categories and domains and blocked partners are never matched. About a third of partners rotate every 30 days.
Setting expectations
Sponsored and nofollow links are hints to search engines, so the value is visibility and referral visits from relevant sites rather than a direct ranking boost. Say this plainly to clients.
Lesson 6 of 6
Backlink exchange within the guidelines