- Broken link building means finding dead links on relevant pages and offering your page as the replacement.
- It works because you are helping the site owner fix a real problem, so the link is genuinely useful.
- The steps: find broken links on relevant sites, make sure you have a matching resource, then reach out.
- Relevance is everything. A fixed link only helps if your page truly fits the context.
Broken link building is one of the most win-win tactics there is: you find a link that no longer works and offer something that does. The site improves, and you earn a relevant link. It pairs well with the other methods in how to get backlinks.
What broken link building is
Pages link out, and over time some of those destinations disappear. Those dead links hurt the linking page. Broken link building is the practice of spotting them on relevant sites and suggesting your page as the fix.
The step-by-step process
1. Find relevant pages in your niche that link out to resources. 2. Check those outbound links for ones that are broken. 3. Make sure you have a page that genuinely matches what the dead link pointed to, or create one. 4. Email the owner, point out the broken link, and offer yours as a replacement. A backlink audit of competitors can surface pages worth targeting.
Why it works
It works because you lead with help, not a favour. You are fixing a real problem on their page, and your link earns its place because it fits. That is the same standard as any quality link, covered in what makes a high-quality backlink. Response rates rise when your replacement is clearly relevant and genuinely better.
Send us your site and we will reply with a free audit of your backlink profile and the first opportunities we would go after.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find broken links?
Look at resource and reference pages in your niche, then check their outbound links with a crawler or browser extension that flags dead links.
Does broken link building still work?
Yes. Site owners always want to fix dead links, and a relevant replacement is an easy yes.
What if I do not have a matching page?
Create one that genuinely covers the topic the dead link pointed to. The replacement only works if it truly fits.
