Broken Link Building: A Smart Way to Earn Backlinks

Link building can be one of the most challenging aspects of SEO. Convincing another website to link to your content is not always easy. However, there's a clever and highly effective strategy that makes the process much smoother: broken link building.

Broken link building is the practice of finding a broken (or "dead") link on another website, creating a piece of content that would be a suitable replacement, and then reaching out to the website owner to suggest they replace the dead link with a link to your content.

Why is this strategy so effective? Because you are providing value first. You are helping the website owner fix an error on their site (a broken link, which is bad for their own user experience and SEO) while also providing them with a high-quality replacement resource. This makes them much more likely to say yes.

The Broken Link Building Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Find Relevant Pages with Lots of Outbound Links

The first step is to find pages on authoritative websites in your niche that are likely to have broken links. The best targets are resource pages. These are pages that are specifically created to be a curated list of helpful links and resources on a particular topic.

You can find these pages using specific Google search queries:

• "your keyword" + "resources"
• "your keyword" + "helpful links"
• "your keyword" + inurl:links
• "your keyword" + "recommended sites"

Replace "your keyword" with your industry or topic. For example: "content marketing" + "resources".

Step 2: Check the Page for Broken Links

Once you have a list of potential resource pages, you need to scan them for dead links. You don't have to do this manually.

• Use a Browser Extension: The easiest way is to use a free Chrome extension like Check My Links or Link Miner. Simply navigate to the resource page, click the extension's icon, and it will instantly scan all the links on the page and highlight any that are broken (usually in red).

Step 3: Analyze the Broken Link and Create Superior Content

When you find a broken link, your job is to figure out what the original, dead page was about.

• Use the Wayback Machine: Go to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine and paste in the dead URL. This will often show you a cached version of what the page used to look like.
• Analyze the Anchor Text: The anchor text of the broken link on the resource page will also give you a strong clue about its topic.

Now, you need a piece of content on your own site that would be a perfect replacement. You have two options:

1. If you already have a relevant piece of content, you're good to go.
2. If you don't, this is your opportunity to create one. Look at what the old page was about and create a new resource that is even better, more comprehensive, and more up-to-date.

Step 4: Craft Your Outreach Email

This is the most important step. Your email needs to be friendly, helpful, and non-spammy.

Here's a simple template:

Subject: Found a broken link on your [Topic] page

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Hi [Name],

I was looking for some information on [Your Topic] today and came across your excellent resource page: [Link to their resource page].

It's a fantastic list! I especially liked the [mention a specific resource you liked].

I just wanted to give you a quick heads-up that I noticed one of the links on the page seems to be broken. The link to "[Anchor Text of Broken Link]" is leading to a dead page.

I actually have a similar resource on my own site that covers [Your Topic]. It's [mention what makes your resource great, e.g., "recently updated for 2025"]. Here's the link: [Link to your content].

It might make a great replacement for the broken link.

Either way, I hope this helps, and keep up the great work!

Best,

[Your Name]

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Why this email works:

• It's personalized and shows you've actually looked at their page.
• It's genuinely helpful by pointing out the broken link.
• It politely suggests your resource without being pushy.

Keys to Success

• Be Patient and Persistent: Link building is a numbers game. You won't get a "yes" from everyone, but the links you do get will be high-quality.
• Focus on Quality: Only target reputable websites, and make sure your replacement content is truly excellent.
• Personalize Your Outreach: Never send a generic, copy-pasted email. Always personalize it to the specific site and person you are contacting.

Conclusion

Broken link building is a smart, strategic, and white-hat SEO tactic that works because it's built on a foundation of providing value. By acting as a helpful member of your online community, you can build strong relationships and earn the kind of high-quality backlinks that will have a lasting, positive impact on your website's authority and search engine rankings.