The fundamental problem with a link exchange request

In a few hours after I posted “How to execute a link exchange” I got a few emails stating that I went overboard on this one 🙁

I respect everyone’s opinion and my goal was not to hurt anyone else’s feelings. My apologies if I inadvertantly hurt someone’s feelings. That was not the intention.

OK. Here is my fundamental problem with a link exchange request. When you send a link exchange request, you are almost saying that “I want to conditionally link to your content. And, really, it is very easy to satisfy the condition – you link back to me”

My point:

1. If you find content on some blog that your readers will find it useful, why not link freely?

2. And, if you don’t think your readers will benefit from the linked content, why link to it even when you get a reciprocal link?

My $.02 of course.