Glossary
What is broken link building?
Broken link building is finding links on other sites that point to pages that no longer exist, then offering the site owner a working replacement: your page on the same topic. It helps the site fix a bad link and gets you an editorial link. It works best with genuinely useful content.
How it works
- Find a page that used to be a popular resource and now returns 404, such as a closed tool, a dead directory or a deleted study.
- Use an SEO tool to list the sites still linking to it.
- Create or pick a page of yours that covers the same need, better.
- Email the sites: "Your link to X is broken; here's an alternative if useful."
Why it works
The site owner gets a broken link fixed with no effort, and you're offering something relevant. It's editorial and safe. Response rates are higher than cold link requests because the email starts with a favour.
Opportunities in the directory world
Directories and launch tools close often. Every dead directory leaves behind "best directories" articles linking to it. A maintained directory list or a profile page is a natural replacement.
Example
A popular launch-platform list from 2024 closed down; 180 sites still link to it. A founder with a maintained, checked list emails 40 of them and gets 9 links in a month.
FAQ
Is broken link building safe?
Yes. It's normal editorial outreach with no payment.
How do I find broken links?
SEO tools have broken backlink reports for any domain; browser extensions find dead links on a page.
What response rate should I expect?
Usually low single digits to around ten percent, depending on relevance and the quality of your page.