Broken Link Building Still Works: Here’s How to Do It Right

In the fast-changing world of SEO, many tactics come and go but broken link building remains a powerful, white-hat method to earn backlinks. While some marketers still resort to outdated or risky approaches, like trying to buy links in bulk, the smart money is on strategies that offer real value. Broken link building does just that by helping webmasters fix issues on their sites and earning yourself a quality backlink in return.

What Is Broken Link Building?

Broken link building is a strategy that involves finding dead (404) links on other websites and suggesting your own relevant, working content as a replacement. It’s a win-win: you help site owners maintain a healthy website, and you gain a backlink to your content.

This method works best when you have high-quality content that fits naturally into the context of the broken link.

Why Broken Link Building Still Works in 2025

Despite algorithm changes and evolving SEO trends, broken link building continues to be effective because:

• It adds value: You’re genuinely helping another site owner improve their user experience.
• It builds trust: Unlike spammy outreach or link schemes, this approach is seen as helpful and collaborative.
• It’s scalable: Once you get the process down, you can replicate it across dozens or even hundreds of websites.
  

How to Execute a Broken Link Building Campaign (Step-by-Step)

1. Find Broken Links in Your Niche

Use tools like:

• Ahrefs (Site Explorer → Outgoing links → Broken links)
• Screaming Frog (to crawl specific websites for 404 errors)
• Check My Links (a Chrome extension that highlights broken links on any page)
  

Look for sites that publish resource lists, blogs, or curated content in your niche.

2. Create or Identify Replacement Content

You’ll need a piece of content that’s either:

• A direct match for the broken link
  
• A better, updated, or more relevant resource
  

If you don’t already have something suitable, this is a great opportunity to create a high-value blog post, guide, or infographic.

3. Reach Out with a Helpful Pitch

Send a brief, polite email to the site owner or webmaster. Keep it short, relevant, and focused on helping them.

4. Follow Up (Once)

If you don’t hear back in a week, it’s okay to send one follow-up. Any more than that and you risk being seen as spammy.

Pro Tips for Success

• Focus on resource pages and high-authority sites in your niche.
• Keep your outreach personalized — no mass templates.
• Regularly audit your own site for broken links to return the favor when others reach out to you.
  

Final Thoughts

Broken link building may not be the flashiest tactic in your SEO toolbox, but it’s proven, scalable, and ethical. Unlike risky attempts to buy links — which can backfire and lead to penalties — broken link building strengthens your authority and builds real relationships with other site owners.

If you’re serious about building high-quality backlinks, broken link building is a strategy you shouldn’t ignore.