Satelo / Link exchange

Link exchange for small sites: how it works, what's allowed, where to start

"Link exchange" covers several very different things: a footer swap between two friends, a three-way scheme run by a link broker, and an honest article exchange between sites in the same niche. Search engines treat them differently, so it pays to know which one you are actually doing.

What people mean by link exchange

Reciprocal links (A↔B). Two sites link to each other. One-off, relevant mentions between partners are normal on the web. Swapping links at scale, purely to cross-link, is not.
Three-way exchange (A→B→C→A). Each site links to the next one in a circle, so no two sites link to each other directly. The shape hides the swap from a casual look, but it does not change the intent behind it. Our article on three-way link exchange goes through how it works and where it goes wrong.
Article or guest post exchange. Sites publish useful articles about each other for their readers. The link is a side effect of the article, not the point of it. This is closer to guest posting than to a link swap.
Paid placements. Money or another benefit changes hands for the placement. That is allowed for advertising, as long as the link is labelled.

What Google and Yandex actually say

Google's spam policies list "excessive link exchanges" and partner pages made only for cross-linking among the examples of link spam, together with buying or selling links that pass ranking credit. The same policy says what is fine: links that are bought for advertising or exchanged for some benefit should be qualified. Google's page on qualifying outbound links explains the attributes: rel="sponsored" for paid or compensated links, rel="ugc" for user content and rel="nofollow" for everything else you don't want to vouch for.

Yandex's webmaster help on links covers paid links and link exchanges too: they make it harder for Yandex to judge how much a site can be trusted, and the page recommends marking such links with rel="sponsored".

The short version: the problem is not that two sites mention each other. The problem is links arranged in order to manipulate rankings, especially when they are hidden as editorial links. The shape of the arrangement (two-way, three-way, ten-way) does not change that. Our guide to link exchange and Google's rules covers the details, and nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc explains which attribute to use where.

What a safe exchange looks like

The article is written for the host's readers. If you would not publish it without the link, it is not worth publishing with one.
The partner is relevant and real. Similar topic, real visitors, a site that has existed for a while. Learn how to spot PBN sites before you agree to anything.
The link is labelled. Exchanged and paid links carry rel="sponsored", and the article is marked as partner content.
Volume stays natural. A few relevant mentions a month from sites of your level look like what they are: partnerships. Hundreds of identical placements look like a scheme.
You measure readers, not "link juice". Visits, brand searches and mentions in your niche are the result you can check. Nobody can honestly promise you positions.

How the Satelo exchange works

Satelo is built around the safe version of the idea. Sites of a similar level and topic publish partner articles about each other in circles (A→B→C→A), never directly A↔B. Hosting an article earns you satellites (◉), the internal currency; you spend them on articles about your own site on other sites in the network. Links in exchange articles are published with rel="sponsored", and every site gets an open Quality Score so partners can see who they are dealing with.

Satelo is in public beta and the network is still small, so matching takes time in some niches. If you'd rather compare options, see how Satelo stacks up against established guest post marketplaces.

When link exchange is a bad idea

Skip it if the partner's site has no real traffic, covers everything from casinos to recipes, sells "dofollow" placements in bulk, or asks you to hide the link from labelling. Skip it too if your own site has nothing worth recommending yet: link building for new websites starts with one genuinely useful page, not with swaps.

Join the article exchange

Free tools: Sponsored link checker

How link exchange works

ArticleThree-Way Link Exchange (ABC Linking): How It Works and What Google SaysHow a three-way (ABC) link exchange works, what Google's link spam policy actually says about it, red flags in ABC offers, and how to do an honest version.ArticleIs link exchange bad for SEO?Is link exchange bad for SEO? What Google’s spam policies actually say, which swaps are risky, which are normal, warning signs and safer ways to get mentions.ArticleGuest posting vs link exchangeGuest posting vs link exchange compared: how each works, what Google’s spam policies say, risks, costs and effort, and when an article exchange network fits.GuideLink exchanges and sponsored posts: what Google allowsWhat Google's spam policies say about link exchanges, paid links and guest posts, how rel="sponsored" and nofollow work, and how to promote a site without risking a penalty.ArticleSatellite Sites in SEO (PBNs) vs Satelo Satellites: Two Different ThingsWhat satellite sites and PBNs are in SEO, why Google and Yandex treat them as link manipulation, and why Satelo's satellites are a credit unit, not sites.

Building links safely

ArticleLink building for new websitesLink building for new websites without risk: what to fix first, easiest first links and mentions, a 90-day plan, and the shortcuts that can hurt a new domain.ArticleFree link building strategies for small sitesFree link building strategies that work for small sites: linkable assets, unlinked mentions, broken links, partners, communities, expert quotes and exchanges.ArticleHow many backlinks do I need to rank?How many backlinks do I need? There is no magic number. Here is how to estimate it from the pages that already rank, and why quality and relevance matter more.ArticleResource Page Link Building: How to Find, Vet and Pitch Curated PagesResource page link building step by step: search operators that find real curated pages, a checklist to vet them, an outreach template and a tracking sheet.ArticleHow to Do Broken Link Building With Free Tools (Small-Site Edition)How to do broken link building with free tools: find dead links, confirm them, build a better page, vet the site and send a short, helpful outreach email.ArticleHow to Find Unlinked Brand Mentions (and Reclaim Lost Links) for FreeFind unlinked brand mentions for free with Google search operators, Google Alerts and Search Console, then reclaim lost links and ask politely for credit.ArticleBrand mentions vs backlinks: which one should you build?Brand mentions vs backlinks: what each does for search and AI visibility, what is documented versus assumed, and how to plan a mix that suits a small site.ArticleDigital PR vs Link Building: A Practical Guide for Small SitesDigital PR vs link building for small sites: how the goals differ, which tactics fit a tiny budget, why press release links don't help, and how to measure it.ArticleHARO Alternatives in 2026: Where Journalists Find Expert Sources NowHARO alternatives for 2026: what happened to HARO and Connectively, how Source of Sources, Qwoted, Featured and SourceBottle compare, and how to pitch well.ArticleLink Building Outreach Email Templates (With Follow-Ups)Link building outreach email templates for broken links, resource pages, unlinked mentions and corrections, plus two follow-ups and the rules for cold email.

Link attributes, anchors and risks

ArticleNofollow vs sponsored vs UGC: which rel attribute to useNofollow vs sponsored vs UGC explained: what each rel attribute means, when Google expects it, how to combine them and how to set them up in WordPress.ArticleAnchor text for SEO: types, official rules, and how to pick itAnchor text SEO without myths: anchor types, what Google and Yandex actually say, why exact-match anchors look like link schemes, and how to check your own.ArticleHow to Spot PBN Sites Before You Buy a LinkHow to spot PBN sites before you pay for a guest post: 15 practical signs, free tools to check them, and a 10-minute workflow for vetting any link seller.

Platforms and exchanges

ArticleBacklink Exchange Platforms in 2026: How They Work and Which Rules They BreakBacklink exchange platforms compared: how swap, credit and ring models work, what each tool publicly says, where Google's link spam policy draws the line.ComparisonSatelo vs Collaborator10% on the buyer's deposit + 15% on the publisher's withdrawal ComparisonSatelo vs AdsyAbout 30% markup for buyers (Adsy's own reply on Trustpilot, 2023) + 7.9% on publisher withdrawals ComparisonSatelo vs Miralinks5–12% on the buyer's deposit (non-refundable) + 18% for the webmaster (2014 notice)ComparisonSatelo vs SapeCommission is built into the catalog price (rate not published); 5% on deposits for companies ComparisonSatelo vs GoGetLinks30% of the link price (the publisher gets 70%); extra fees on bank-transfer deposits

FAQ

Is link exchange against Google's rules?

Excessive link exchanges made only for cross-linking are listed as link spam in Google's spam policies. Occasional relevant mentions between partners are normal, and exchanged or paid links should be marked with rel="sponsored".

Is a three-way link exchange safer than a direct swap?

Not by itself. A circle A→B→C→A only changes the shape. What matters is intent, relevance, volume and labelling: useful articles on relevant sites with rel="sponsored" links are the safer pattern.

Which rel attribute should exchanged links use?

rel="sponsored". Google asks to use it for links that are paid or given in exchange for a benefit, and Yandex recommends the same for paid links.

How many exchange links per month is too many?

There is no published safe number. Keep volume in line with the real partnerships you have, and stop if placements start to look identical or come from unrelated sites.

How is Satelo different from a link exchange network?

Satelo exchanges labelled partner articles in circles between sites of a similar level and topic, never direct swaps. You earn satellites for hosting and spend them on articles about your site. It does not sell dofollow links or promise rankings.

Is Satelo free?

The article exchange is free: you pay with satellites earned by hosting articles. Satellites can also be bought, and Satelo takes a 10% fee on exchanges and marketplace orders. Satelo is in public beta.

Check your site's Quality Score

Free, no sign-up: a 0–100 score from mostly open data. Then add your site to Satelo and get partner articles from sites of your level.

Add my site