Broken link building is a way to earn a backlink by helping a site owner replace a dead link with a working, relevant resource. You find a page in your niche that links to a missing resource, check what the original link was meant to help readers do, then suggest a page of yours that serves the same purpose. The site owner decides whether to update the link.

I like this approach because the first thing you bring to the conversation is a useful fix. The catch? Your replacement has to earn its spot. A working URL alone is not enough.

How broken link building works

Find a relevant article or resource page, verify that one of its outbound links no longer leads to useful content, and contact the person responsible for the page. Tell them exactly where the link appears and offer a suitable replacement. If your page answers a different question, keep looking or improve the page before you pitch.

A broken link can appear in an older blog post, a resource list, or a page linking to a retired or expired site. Check the destination yourself before contacting anyone. A temporary error, a redirect, or a page that still works for other visitors does not make a strong outreach opportunity.

Choose a page worth recommending

Start with one article on your site that gives a clear, useful answer to a specific question. Write down two or three terms someone might use when linking to that kind of resource. Then search for pages that discuss the topic and link out to supporting material.

For each candidate, ask:

• Is the linking page relevant? Would its readers reasonably want your resource?

• What did the dead link promise? Look at the surrounding sentence and link text. If you can establish what the old page covered, compare it with yours.

• Does your page deliver? It should be current, accessible, and close enough in scope to make the substitution useful.

• Can you identify the right contact? Try the author or site editor rather than sending an unrelated team member a generic note.

If you cannot tell what the original link was intended to provide, do not assume your article is a match.

Find and check opportunities with Just Reach Out

Just Reach Out’s broken link building tool helps you search by keyword, find broken links on relevant blog pages, and reach out from the platform. Here is a practical workflow:

1. Pick the article you want to recommend and enter two or three related keywords.

2. Review the pages and broken links the tool surfaces. Prioritize pages whose audience and context fit your article.

3. Open each prospect page and test the reported link. Note its anchor text, the sentence around it, and the page URL.

4. Check the suggested contact before writing. If the author is not the person who maintains the page, look for an editor or site contact.

5. Send a short, personalized pitch. If you connect Gmail to Just Reach Out, you can send through your connected account; check your account settings before launching a campaign.

6. Record the page, contact, date sent, reply, and whether the link was updated. Review what worked before your next round.

The tool can speed up discovery and sending. You still need to judge the fit and verify the broken URL yourself.

Broken link outreach email template

Keep the email easy to verify. Give the recipient the page URL, identify the dead link, and explain why your replacement helps their reader. Only mention a newsletter, audience size, or publishing credentials if they are real and relevant.

Subject: Broken link on your [page topic] article

Hi [first name],

I was reading your article on [specific topic]: [page URL]. The link in the section about [location on page] pointing to [broken URL] appears to be broken.

I thought you might want to know. If you are updating that section, this guide on [specific topic] could be a useful replacement: [your URL]. It covers [one concrete point that matches the original link’s purpose].

Either way, thanks for putting the article together.

[Your name]

Personalize the reference to their page and the reason your content fits. If you have not confirmed the link is broken, do that before hitting send. One polite follow-up can be reasonable; if there is no reply, move on.

The original 2023 article reported roughly a 30% open rate and an 8% response rate for its tested template. Those are historical internal results, not a forecast for your campaign. Track replies and actual link updates to judge whether your outreach is working.

Common questions

Do I need to create a new article for every broken link?

No. Use an existing page when it genuinely covers what the dead resource was meant to cover. If the gap is important and you can add something useful, update your page before pitching. Avoid rewriting a page solely to squeeze your link into an unrelated article.

Does finding a broken link guarantee a backlink?

No. The site owner may remove the link, choose another resource, or leave the page unchanged. Your best shot is a verified issue, a relevant replacement, and a brief email that respects their time.

Ready to try it? Pick one strong article on your site, find a few relevant pages, and use Just Reach Out’s broken link building tool to start your research. Verify each opportunity before sending your pitch.