I have a simple question to ask. Why do automated linkexchange programs 1 way, 3 ways, or reciprocal, do not find a better success among webmasters? Those i've seen have very few users, but i see nothing but advantages. It's easy to handle, you just need to register into the appropriate category, put a simple php or asp code on your site that will generate the link page, and every site having the same code, within the same category are linked 1 way, 3 ways or reciprocal, depending on the method implemented by the provider. Advantages: - no need for additional management, registering and placing the code is all you have to do. no need to check if your link is available somewhere else, no need to build complicated link pages. - every new registered user in the same category as yours is automatically linked to every users belonging to that category, without you having to do anything for that.
Link exchanges are Old Hat anyway, but I wouldn't want to place a link on a site without knowing what the website is. I don't see anypoint in automatic link exchanges. I mean, it only takes minutes to manually place a link on a site.
It only take minutes to put one link on your web site. It takes hours to find and places thousands and to constantly verify if your counterparts have done their part.
I quit doing link trades a couple of years ago. Better to go for one way backlinks via article markeing, social networking, forum marketing etc. Anything to get your link point back to your website home page, inner pages, and blog.
Link Exchanges are not liked much by search engines and automated ones are literally hated by search engines, so you know, if they find any code or any link material pointing to any automated link exchange program, you will never find your resources page even indexed, with yahoo of course it might show you the backlinks, but benefit...i doubt....