I gather that google (amongst other) can be pretty fickle in the way they view back links and, as such, I'm hesitant to get involved in such exchanges - perhaps a little too reluctant for my own good, at times. I'm still rather inexperienced with site building and SEO, so I tend to think it's better to be safe than sorry. Those that I have placed on my site point to other sites related by subject matter (if only due to them being former clients).<br /><br />Still, I can't help wondering if their are any well established rules (or at least techniques and strategies) for link exchanges to avoid being penalised. If so, it would be most useful to hear about them.