Updated On: August 27, 2024
Broken link building, often called dead link building, is an essential method in SEO that involves identifying and proposing replacements for links on external websites that lead to '404 Not Found' errors with active links to your own site.
While this tactic may not be as popular as it once was, 13.3% of surveyed experts still use it.
Being well-respected in the SEO community, this method involves more than just finding broken links. Essentially, it's about effectively communicating with website admins to convince them to swap out those non-working links with links to your site.
Apart from link fixing, this tactic enhances the user experience on the linking site and strengthens your own site's link profile, which is crucial for better search engine rankings.
Views on the impact of broken link building within SEO circles differ significantly. Some may question its value, yet I’m sure that its efficacy is rooted in meticulous implementation and profound knowledge of the strategy.
Distinguished from conventional link-request practices, this technique presents a mutually beneficial opportunity: you assist in resolving a linking issue for the website you're reaching out to.
By proposing this kind of assistance, broken link building becomes a critical component in your outreach initiatives.
Here’s an outreach email example:
This method changes the usual way of asking for links. Instead, you help by fixing their broken links, which makes it more likely they'll use your link. It’s not only about asking for a link; it's about helping them first.
Dead link building complements other link-building tactics, enhancing your backlink profile and SEO. High-quality backlinks are like votes of confidence in Google's eyes, bolstering your site's authority and search engine ranking.
Key advantages of this tactic include:
Broken link building often has a higher success rate than other methods. You're not just requesting a link; you're solving a problem, making it a mutually beneficial exchange.
Broken links can be significantly detrimental to a website:
A high number of broken links can also be an indicator of a poorly maintained or low-quality resource. To maintain user trust and search engine credibility, it's crucial to regularly monitor and fix broken links.
Broken links can arise from various circumstances, including:
Broken link building is not an easy task. At times, it can be highly effective: you might send out 50 emails and secure 20+ links. However, there are occasions when even 100 outreach attempts may only yield 1-2 links. So keep this in mind.
The advantage of this strategy lies in the potential to acquire high-quality links for your project from sources that are typically difficult to get placement on, and often, you can do this at no cost.
Here’s how you can use dead link building to get some quality backlinks.
The broken link building process involves several key steps:
When it comes to finding 404 pages, using Ahrefs Content Explorer is a recommended approach:
Note that Content Explorer may not always provide up-to-date information on “donor articles.” During the evaluation process, many potential donor articles may be eliminated because they don't meet your criteria. Therefore, articles with more donors are preferable.
💡 Tip: Additionally, Semrush’s Link Building Tool can be used to discover and reclaim lost backlinks, including those that are broken or removed.
When reaching out:
Broken link building is a powerful strategy as it directly addresses the need to fix broken links and simultaneously offers a high-quality alternative. It converts potential issues on a site into growth opportunities, providing a tactical edge in link building.
Effective broken link building involves a detailed examination of your competitors' backlink profiles, focusing on links that lead to 404 error pages.
If you’re using Ahrefs’ Content Explorer and find a large number of results, consider adding a filter to exclude content older than three years, as webmasters and editors often don't update such content:
Note that the Web Archive might experience some issues, so a greyed-out button in Content Explorer doesn't guarantee the absence of the page in the archive. Manually checking web.archive.org with the URL of interest can confirm the presence of the 404 page.
Before we get to backlinks, you should know that this process involves a few critical steps to ensure the quality and relevance of your links:
💡Tip: You can also try tools like Moz's Link Explorer or Majestic’s Site Explorer for the analysis.
Anyone who has worked with backlinks knows the importance of focusing on specific aspects. So now you need to assess the quality of these broken backlinks:
If you already have a resource with engaging content, searching for broken links directly on it can be done through Content Explorer by applying the "website" filter and entering the domain of interest.
đź’ˇTip: Tools like Moz's Link Explorer or Ahrefs' Site Explorer help filter these backlinks by domain authority, helping you identify the most beneficial opportunities.
Another effective technique involves locating broken links on resource pages specific to your industry:
đź“ť Our detailed guide: Resource Page Link Building Step-by-Step Guide 2024
Grasping the context of these broken links is vital:
This understanding helps in creating content that aligns with the original purpose of the link, thereby improving the likelihood of your link being accepted as a replacement.
Regarding content selection, avoid:
If you choose an older article because it's informative or of high quality but contains outdated data, consider updating the information and conducting outreach. For articles that lack substantial content, consider enriching them with statistical data, images, videos, etc.
Focus on quality up-to-date posts with detailed data, analysis, statistics, or comprehensive guides packed with information and headlines. These often don't require rewriting and are difficult to replace, increasing your chance to get a backlink.
To maximize the impact of your outreach efforts, look for email addresses on the sites that belong to the editor, webmaster, or the author of the article themselves and personalize your emails:
This approach enhances the likelihood of a successful link replacement and strengthens your backlink profile. After all, you're not just seeking a backlink but also contributing to improving the quality of their site’s content.
đź’ˇTip: You can also enhance your broken link building process by integrating tools like BuzzSumo for content analysis, as well as Snov.io or Hunter.io for efficient retrieval of contact information.
By the way, according to our recent survey, Hunter.io is the most popular outreach tool. At least, 37.2% of surveyed SEO experts think this way.
To excel in broken link building, prioritize assessing the SEO value of each backlink. Use tools like Moz's Link Explorer or BuzzSumo for an in-depth backlink profile analysis, focusing on domain authority and how relevant the content is to your site.
This increases the chance of your link being accepted.
When developing new content, follow these steps:
With a clear understanding of the context and a well-crafted replacement page, reach out to website owners. Your communication should:
This not only pitches your link as a relevant substitute but also as a value-add to their site.
đź’ˇTip: Consider integrating tools like Google Analytics for tracking the impact of your new backlinks. This multi-tool approach ensures a comprehensive strategy for identifying, evaluating, and capitalizing on broken link building opportunities.
In broken link building, effective outreach is crucial for persuading website owners to replace dead links with your content. The approach can be broadly categorized into the following two methods:
A hybrid approach, blending both generalized and targeted strategies, can be highly effective. Segment your prospects based on the type of broken link – general or specific – and create adapted templates for each segment.
For instance, if addressing a financial advice link, the email should directly relate to that topic, offering a relevant and valuable replacement.
Conduct thorough research to identify the most suitable contact for each website, such as content editors or staff writers. Their contact information is typically available on the website's 'Contact' or 'Team' page, or through social media profiles.
đź’ˇTip: Utilize tools like Prowly to access a comprehensive database of media contacts.
When composing your outreach email, adhere to these best practices:
After sending your emails, keep track of any responses or changes on the website. If there is no feedback within a few days, consider a polite follow-up.
Employ email tracking tools like MailChimp or HubSpot to monitor your outreach efforts, ensuring you remain updated on the status of each email.
💡Tip: In addition to tracking responses, use tools like SEMrush’s Link Building Tool or BuzzSumo for efficient outreach campaign management. These platforms can simplify the process, from prospecting to communication, enhancing your broken link building strategy.
Since I've gained substantial experience from dispatching 8k+ outreach emails, I can assure you that directing your email to the appropriate individual matters. If your message doesn't reach the correct person, it risks being ignored or marked as spam.
Effective broken link building hinges on contacting someone with the authority to update the page, typically an individual responsible for site maintenance. For instance, reaching out through a contact form might be adequate for a blog with a single author.
However, for larger websites, such as multi-author blogs or university sites with multiple departments, identifying the right contact requires more diligence.
As a content writer at Editorial.Link, I suggest looking at a site's staff or team page to identify the following key roles:
These are typically the people responsible for managing content and fixing broken links.
Remember that targeting the right contact greatly improves your chances of successfully replacing a broken link.
Broken link building is not a one-size-fits-all strategy; its effectiveness varies across different types of websites. Below is a breakdown of who should consider incorporating broken link building into their SEO strategy and why:
Apart from gaining backlinks, by targeting a relevant audience, you can increase your conversion rates, improve your online presence, attract a local customer base, showcase your expertise, and contribute to building a professional network.
All in all, even though broken link building requires finesse and precision, if executed correctly, it can significantly boost your website's authority and visibility in its niche.
Depending on your niche and business requirements, broken link building can be quite tricky and time-consuming. After all, there are various other intricate processes beyond the scope of this article, as delving into them would extend the reading length considerably.
At Editorial.Link, we don't just focus on simple link replacement; we tailor our strategies to fit your unique business needs, ensuring effective and compliant SEO practices:
Choosing Editorial.Link for your broken link-building needs offers:
To streamline your SEO growth through strategic broken link building, you can partner with us and let our expertise lead your online presence to new heights.
Broken link building starts with identifying and replacing non-functional links, requiring both thorough research and a keen eye for detail. It then expands into enhancing SEO by evaluating link opportunities and developing relevant replacement content.
Crucially, the success of broken link building also depends on the effectiveness of outreach. Both streamlining and optimizing outreach efforts are vital, involving targeted and personalized communication with website owners.
The combined efforts of identifying the right opportunities, crafting compelling replacement content, and executing strategic outreach form the backbone of successful broken link building.
While this process can be complex, it ultimately contributes to a stronger backlink profile and improved SEO performance. For those looking to leverage this tactic to its fullest potential, considering professional assistance can provide the expertise and useful resources.
The complexity of broken link building requires in-depth SEO knowledge and precise communication skills. At Editorial.Link, we have expertise in professional analysis, strategic outreach, and ongoing link monitoring, ensuring each backlink is impactful.
If you aim to enhance your online presence, partnering with us can lead to more successful link replacements and sustainable growth in your link building efforts.