Broken Link Building: A Quick Overview
Broken link building is the process of spotting dead links on other sites and offering your fresh, relevant page as a replacement. Site owners keep visitors away from error pages, and you earn a valuable backlink. If you need help creating link-worthy assets, our content marketing team is ready to help.
Why Fixing Broken Links Helps Your Site
Better Visitor Experience
Live links keep readers moving through a site instead of landing on a 404. That extra time on page can lower bounce rate and send positive signals to search engines. Our web design specialists can keep every page running smoothly.
More Backlink Opportunities
Every dead link you spot is a chance to gain a reference from a respected site. A stronger link profile still drives rankings in 2025, so this tactic pays off quickly.
Higher Search Visibility
When trusted domains point to your content, crawlers index it faster and show it to more searchers. That means steadier traffic growth without paid ads.
How to Find Dead Links
Use SEO Tools
Platforms such as Ahrefs, SEMrush and Moz can crawl an entire domain and list every broken outbound link. Export the list, sort by authority, and you have a ready-made outreach target sheet.
Quick Manual Check
Browser add-ons like Check My Links highlight 404 responses while you read a page. It takes seconds to scan a post in your niche and note any broken references.
Your Four-Step Plan
1. Spot the Problem Link
Start with a tool report or a manual scan. Note the page URL, anchor text and topic.
2. Publish a Matching Resource
Create a page that answers the same need as the lost content. Our blog content writing service can handle the drafting if you are short on time.
3. Reach Out to the Site Owner
Send a brief, polite email that points out the error and shares your replacement link. Make it easy for the editor to update the page—include the exact anchor text and URL you suggest.
4. Track Results and Follow Up
Use a spreadsheet or CRM to note replies. If you hear nothing after a week, send one friendly reminder.
Real Examples
Tech Blog Win
A mid-size tech blog fixed dozens of hardware-related 404s on industry sites. After six months, organic traffic climbed by 35 percent. See the full story in our detailed broken link building guide.
Health Site Success
A wellness publisher replaced outdated medical citations with up-to-date research summaries. Backlinks from reputable journals followed, lifting several target pages into the top three search spots.
Smart Outreach Tips
- Write a subject line that mentions the exact page title—editors notice it faster.
- Compliment one recent article to show you read their work.
- Keep the email under 120 words. Editors skim.
- Add the replacement HTML so they can copy-paste the fix.
Tools That Make the Job Easier
- Ahrefs: Site Explorer > Outgoing links > Broken links.
- SEMrush: Backlink Analytics > Broken links.
- Moz: Link Explorer > Top pages > 4XX status filter.
Pro Tips for Success
- Offer only high-quality content that matches the original topic.
- Personalise every email—generic blasts rarely work.
- Keep a simple tracking sheet so you can measure new links and traffic changes.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Pitching content that is only loosely related to the dead link.
- Sending more than two follow-up emails—after that, move on.
- Using low-value pages as replacements. Quality matters more than quantity.
Key Takeaways
Broken link building is a practical way to earn authority links while helping site owners tidy up their pages. Spot the error, publish a matching resource, reach out politely, and track your wins.
Ready to grow your backlink profile even faster? AI SEO Services offers a full range of solutions—from technical SEO and off-page SEO to advanced keyword research and site debugging—so you can focus on running your business.
What is the main goal of broken link building?
The aim is to replace a dead link on another site with your live, relevant page, earning a quality backlink in the process.
How do I find broken links on other websites?
You can scan a domain with tools like Ahrefs or use browser add-ons that flag 404 responses while you read a page.
Does broken link building still help SEO in 2025?
Yes. Quality backlinks remain a strong ranking signal, and fixing a dead link provides value to both users and site owners.
What type of content works best as a replacement?
Pages that match the original topic and offer clear, updated information tend to be accepted most often.
How many follow-up emails should I send?
One polite follow-up after a week is enough. If you receive no response, move on to the next opportunity.
