Short answer: Broken link building means finding links on other websites that point to pages which no longer exist, then suggesting your own relevant page as a replacement. Find relevant resource pages or articles, check them for dead links with a free browser extension or crawler, make sure you have content that fits, and send a short, helpful email to the site owner.
Broken link building is one of the few link building methods where everyone wins. The site owner fixes an error on their page, their readers get a working resource, and you earn a relevant backlink. It takes some patience, but it is safe, beginner-friendly and works well for local businesses and institutes.
This guide is part of our series on the types of backlinks in SEO.
Why Broken Link Building Works
Websites change all the time. Pages are deleted, businesses close, and sites move to new addresses. Every link to those pages becomes a dead end that frustrates readers and makes the linking page look neglected. Most site owners appreciate a polite note about a broken link, especially when you offer a ready replacement.
Step 1: Find Relevant Pages With Many Outgoing Links
Resource pages and long guides link out the most, so they contain the most broken links. Search Google for:
your topic + "useful resources"your topic + "helpful links"your topic + inurl:resourcesyour topic + "further reading"
For a digital marketing institute, topics might be “SEO resources for students” or “small business marketing resources”. Keep only pages that are genuinely related to what you offer.
Step 2: Check Those Pages for Broken Links
- Browser extensions: free link checker extensions for Chrome highlight dead links on any page in seconds.
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider: the free version crawls up to 500 URLs and reports 404 errors on outgoing links.
- Backlink tools: Ahrefs and Semrush can show broken pages on competitors’ sites that still have backlinks, which is a fast way to find opportunities in bulk. Our guide on how to check backlinks explains the free options.
Step 3: Find Out What the Dead Page Used to Say
Paste the broken URL into the Wayback Machine at archive.org to see the old content. This tells you exactly what kind of replacement the site owner needs.
Step 4: Match It With Your Content, or Create It
- If you already have a page that covers the same topic as well or better, use it.
- If not, and the opportunity is strong (the dead page had many backlinks), consider creating a better version.
- Never suggest an unrelated page. It wastes the owner’s time and rarely works.
Step 5: Send a Short, Helpful Email
Find the right contact, usually the author or site owner, and keep it brief:
Subject: Broken link on your SEO resources page
“Hi Amit, I was reading your page on SEO resources for beginners and noticed the link to the keyword research guide in the third section no longer works. It now shows a ‘page not found’ error. If you are looking for a replacement, we published a practical keyword research guide that covers the same steps. Either way, thought you would want to know. Thanks for the useful list.”
- Lead with the help, not the request.
- Tell them exactly where the broken link is.
- Offer your page as one option, without pressure.
- Follow up once after about a week, then move on.
Step 6: Track Your Outreach
Use a simple sheet with the page, the broken link, your replacement, the contact, date sent, follow-up date and result. Response rates vary, so judge the method over a few dozen emails, not three.
Broken Link Building on Your Own Site
The same idea works in reverse. If other sites link to pages on your site that no longer exist, those links are wasted. Find them in Search Console or a backlink tool and redirect the old URLs to the most relevant live pages with a 301 redirect.
Common Mistakes
- Pitching pages that are not related to your business.
- Sending the same template to hundreds of sites without checking the page.
- Offering a weaker page than the one that disappeared.
- Asking for payment or offering money for the link.
Learn It in the SEO Course
In the SEO course in Faridabad at AdifySkills, students practise broken link building on real websites, from finding dead links to writing outreach emails.
Key takeaways on Broken Link Building
- Websites change all the time. Pages are deleted, businesses close, and sites move to new addresses.
- Resource pages and long guides link out the most, so they contain the most broken links.
- Browser extensions: free link checker extensions for Chrome highlight dead links on any page in seconds.
- Paste the broken URL into the Wayback Machine at archive.org to see the old content.
- If you already have a page that covers the same topic as well or better, use it.
- Find the right contact, usually the author or site owner, and keep it brief:
Subject: Broken link on your SEO resources page
"Hi Amit, I was reading your page o
Further reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Is broken link building safe?
Yes. You are helping site owners fix errors and suggesting a relevant resource. No payment or manipulation is involved.
What tools do I need for broken link building?
A free link checker browser extension, the free version of Screaming Frog, the Wayback Machine, and optionally a backlink tool like Ahrefs or Semrush.
What is a good response rate?
It varies a lot by niche and how relevant your page is. Personal, specific emails get far better results than templates.
Do I need to create new content for broken link building?
Not always. Start with pages you already have. Create new content only when a dead page had many valuable backlinks.
Can I fix broken backlinks pointing to my own site?
Yes. Redirect the old, deleted URLs to the most relevant live pages so that the links count again.
Related Reading
- Guest Posting for Backlinks: A Safe, Practical Guide
- Safe Link Building for Small Businesses
- What Is a Content Marketing Strategy? A Simple Framework
Want to learn this with live campaigns and a trainer beside you? See the full digital marketing course in Faridabad, or check admission and batch dates.