Broken link building is one of the more durable, white-hat link tactics: you find dead links on relevant pages, and offer your own relevant content as the replacement. You are genuinely helping — which is why it works.
Why it works
Site owners do not want broken links on their pages (bad for users and their own SEO). When you point one out and offer a fitting replacement, you make their job easier — and earn a relevant, editorial link in the process.
The process
- Find relevant pages in your niche likely to link out — resource pages, roundups, guides.
- Scan for broken outbound links with a crawler or broken-link checker.
- Check what the dead link used to be (the Wayback Machine helps) so you can match the intent.
- Have (or create) a genuine replacement — your content must actually fit.
- Reach out helpfully: flag the broken link, then mention your relevant resource as an option.
- Track responses and links earned.
Make it scale without becoming spam
Personalize outreach, only suggest genuinely relevant replacements, and never mass-blast. Quality of fit is what converts — and keeps it white-hat.
Related: Link building fundamentals · Link Building FAQ
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