Broken Link Building
Broken link building is a Link Building technique where you find links on other websites that point to pages that no longer exist, then suggest your own relevant content as a replacement. It helps site owners fix a problem while earning you a backlink.
Why broken link building works
Every website accumulates broken links as other sites delete pages, change URLs or close down. Broken links frustrate visitors and look unprofessional, so many site owners are happy to replace them. If your content covers the same topic as the missing page, you offer a genuinely useful solution, which makes your outreach more welcome than a cold request for a link.
Step 1: Find relevant broken links
There are several approaches:
- Resource pages: search for pages listing useful links in your industry (for example, “SEO resources” or “useful links for dentists”) and check them for broken links with a browser extension or crawler.
- Competitors’ dead pages: use a backlink tool to find pages on competitor or industry sites that return 404 errors but still have many backlinks.
- Defunct websites: businesses or blogs in your niche that have closed often leave hundreds of links pointing to nothing.
- Your own broken pages: check your site for deleted pages that still have links and redirect them; this is link reclamation.
Step 2: Check the missing content
Use the Wayback Machine to see what the dead page used to contain. This tells you what kind of replacement the linking sites will accept.
Step 3: Create or match your content
If you already have a relevant page, check it is at least as useful as the original. If not, consider creating a better version, especially when the dead page had links from many sites. One strong replacement can earn dozens of links.
Step 4: Reach out
Contact the site owner or editor with a short, helpful email:
- Mention the specific page and the broken link you found.
- Offer your page as a replacement, briefly explaining why it fits.
- Keep it friendly and concise, with no pressure.
Personalised emails work far better than templates sent to hundreds of sites.
Step 5: Follow up and track
Send one polite follow-up if you do not hear back. Track your outreach, responses and links won in a spreadsheet. Check links you earn with a backlink tool or Google Search Console.
Tips for better results
- Focus on sites that are relevant to your industry or location.
- Prioritise pages with real traffic and editorial standards.
- Make your content genuinely better than the original.
- Report other broken links you notice as a goodwill gesture.
- Do not ask for exact-match commercial Anchor Text.
Broken link building takes time, but the links it earns are editorial, relevant and long-lasting, which is exactly what search engines value.
Key Takeaways
- Broken link building replaces dead links on other sites with your content.
- Resource pages and defunct competitor pages are the best sources.
- Check the original content with the Wayback Machine.
- Personalised, helpful outreach works best.
- Reclaim your own broken pages with redirects too.
Related Terms
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