Link Swap requests

Swapping links with related / relevant websites that you work with is a recognised SEO strategy that will enhance your website’s ranking, but should you swap with everyone that asks? We got asked this today
[Client] I have been getting loads of people asking if we can Exchange links. Do you think this is a good idea, if so would we need a new page?
[Delicious] We also get about 5 emails every day requesting the same thing. Link building is a great strategy for your site BUT…. we suggest link swaps (otherwise known as reciprocal linking) should be done only from relevant sites that you know and trust, perhaps you work with them sometimes on joint projects. In general don’t bother swapping links with a company you don’t know that simply emails you out the blue, they are normally unrelated, they will put your link on a page with hundreds of other links and this will be little value to you.
In general you should get quality links that are relevant to your website over multiple links from unrelated websites. Think you know, and have worked, with (another client of ours) they have a website now, I can create a new page on your website for ‘Essex Businesses’ and then swap links between both your sites, I will ask his permission also. Once the page is created and you want us to add a link to another company then I can do that quickly and easily.