So, as many of you webmasters out there know (painfully), building backlinks is SUCH a headache. So you spend the time to find potential sites that a link exchange would be nice. You hunt for a contact information, copy and paste your generic "link begging" email, and send it off. Do that about a hundred times, and you MIGHT get 3-4 link exchanges. What about just typing up a press release and submitting it to those free press release services? They seem to come a dime a dozen, and you can always change the wording to have 'uniquie' content? And if approved (much higher success rate than link begging), you'll have a nice backlink. Comments?
A lot of the free press release sites pass along do follow links but are not anchor text friendly. I'd recommend paying the 200 fee from PRweb.com and because that service kills it for one way links. On average you should get at least 50 strong links from their service...the distribution is that much better.
It's all about diversifying... I think all approaches should compliment each other. What's even more frustrating is having to wait several months just to see which approach sticks.
Link begging just sounds like a waste of time to me, the best way to build links is to write good content and then get industry experts to see the quality of your content and hope to get some links in return.
Link begging can be frustrating, for sure, but most of the one-way, high PR links I've got have come in this way. I think Stratcolby hit the nail on the head. They're both viable sources of link building, and like all link building, should be diversified in effort.
I like the term "link begging". It made me laugh. However, if you change your perspective and think about it as "marketing your website" I think you'll be happier with your results. 3 or 4% return on a cold calling marketing program is fantastic results. You should think about link building as marketing so it should include cold calling (link begging), press releases, directory submissions, forum posts, blog posts, etc. Bottom line, you have to get your site seen by other people to get links and link begging is one of those ways.
I have rarely asked people for backlinks. I prefer getting them myself using available free / paid methods rather than spamming webmasters. I don't do it because I don't like getting those emails from others looking for link exchange and sometimes just a one way link
Writting press release rather than sending spam. Press release distribution services offer one way links instead of reciprocal schemes. Google doesn't like them.
Best use of time: Content Creation! Then market your content. Give it away for free for other websites, write a blog! You will see much greater results that way!