Answer: "Actually there is no difference. In both cases votes are inoculation; Politicians get power by popularity, and Web businesses receive traffic, higher search engine rankings plus visitors, by link popularity." George Papazoglou, October 15 2001.  Web-site-promotion.gr 2001 Agent seminars:Thessaloniki/Greece.

The comeback is obvious. Looks like that most prevailing businesses' secret on Web, just like real world, is link popularity. 

Google also has a very specific answer on "What is Link Popularity?".

Link Exchanges - What can they do for your business! By: Martin R. Lemieux

For those of you who don't know definition: Link Exchanges are 2 links back and forth between 2 individual companies that have linked to each other.

What is purpose? To build "link popularity" within Search Engines!

How Does That Work? Well when someone types in your business within search engines, you will get 2 types of results.

1) Your optimized site & related topics listed by you into search engines. 2) All links back to you from other sites listed within search engines.

Number 2 is important one for this subject: If your site is NOT "optimized" for great search results, a popular link could do just same.

"Optimized" - Look for articles on "Optimizing your site for search engines"

Martin, PLEASE TELL ME MORE!!!

Well, let's say that 80% of your visitors come from search engines. And let's say that search engine just all of a sudden deleted you out of engine! You will still get people coming to your site and searching your site with great link popularity. All links back to you will STILL be listed in search engines!

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For more info: http://www.smartads.info/ ------------------------------------------------------- Many professionals believe that you should only link to companies that have related discussions or information as your own! They are absolutely right! Do your business a favor, link ONLY to sites that are related to your own site!

It's not only good for search engines! Huh?

That's right, many link exchanges come from privately owned businesses, probably like yours. With this into account, once a visitor is satisfied with browsing site, they may look for other resources! If you have links to your site all over net, there's more of a chance some people will see it and visit your site!