Broken link building is a marketing tactic of finding broken links on other websites, contacting the webmaster about it, and recommending your own website as a replacement for the links.<\/p>\n
It provides a win-win solution for marketers and website owners. In addition, it presents a long-term strategy as, every day, millions of links become broken due to various causes. Because of the nature of the Internet, broken link building is less likely to become obsolete.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Is Broken Link Building Effective?<\/span><\/h3>\nYes, it is. As a marketing strategy, broken link building relies on the principle of reciprocity. When someone does something nice for you, your automatic response is to reciprocate the good deed.<\/p>\n
Reporting a broken link is a favor that you\u2019re extending to the website owner. Not only are you making them aware of a problem, but you\u2019re also offering a solution. So when you offer your website as a replacement link, they\u2019ll be more receptive to your recommendation.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Scaling Broken Link Building<\/span><\/h3>\nIn order to maximize the benefits of broken link building, your goal must be to scale it.<\/p>\n
It works in the same way that making a sale does. Imagine that you\u2019re a salesperson and your website is your product. Going door to door promoting your product is more tedious and less profitable compared to making a bulk sale.<\/p>\n
Similarly, doing broken link building on a large scale will reap more benefits with less effort.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step-By-Step Guide to Securing Links at Scale<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/span>Step 1: Get the right tools<\/span><\/h3>\nThe first step in broken link building is to know what tools you need. There are millions of links on the Internet, so you\u2019ll need tools to help reduce the work.<\/p>\n
Numerous tools are available, but here are some of the most effective:<\/p>\n
\n- WebCEO\u2019s Website Audit<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This tool can scan a website\u2019s pages for errors, as long as you have created a project for that website. It detects broken images, server errors and, of course, broken links. You can also set this tool to automatically scan your site and send you reports weekly or monthly.<\/p>\n
\n- Check My Links <\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It is available as a Chrome extension. It allows you to instantly check for broken links on a page. Since it\u2019s a Chrome extension, it appears beside your address bar after installation. You can simply click its icon, and it will scan all links on the page. Broken links will be highlighted in red. As an alternative, you can use Domain Hunter Plus<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n- Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This is a tool for site crawling or web indexing. It checks the web for broken links. It searches website URLs and finds broken links and server errors. You can also use Screaming Frog SEO Spider<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/span>Step 2: Find your prospects<\/span><\/h3>\nThe next step is to look for relevant dead or broken pages. There are different methods you can employ in doing this. You can choose one or combine several.<\/p>\n
\n- Keyword Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This is the most common and straightforward method in broken link building.<\/p>\n
Start by identifying a keyword that is both relevant to your site and generally broad in scope.<\/p>\n
Then, search for your target keyword in Google. Visit the top results displayed as those typically contain the most number of links.<\/p>\n
Next, plug the URLs of the top results one at a time into a link database tool. The tool will give you a list of pages linked to those top result articles.<\/p>\n
Scan all of the pages for broken links using Check My Links or Domain Hunter Plus. Alternatively, you can extract the URLs using Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth.<\/p>\n
\n- Niche Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With this method, you\u2019ll target sites in your niche. Use this if you\u2019re aiming for relevant results more than scope. You\u2019ll still use keywords, but only those specifically used in your niche. After determining niche-specific keywords, follow the steps in the keyword-based method.<\/p>\n
\n- Domain Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use this method if there\u2019s a particular site you\u2019re eyeing. A backlink from an authority website can do so much for your website. However, it\u2019s hard to get noticed by the popular sites. Broken link building may be your way in.<\/p>\n
To do this, identify the domain that you want to target. You can use WebCEO\u2019s Technical Audit<\/a> to scan the website and receive a report of dead links.<\/p>\n![\"WebCEO's](\"https:\/\/www.webceo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/technical-seo-for-ecommerce-websites.png\")
<\/p>\n
Other web crawler tools, such as the abovementioned Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth and Screaming Frog SEO Spider, can also do the trick.<\/p>\n
Of all the methods, this one is the least scalable since you\u2019re targeting a specific website. But it also holds promise because getting backlinks from authority sites can provide long-term benefits. Who knows, you may even attract loyal readers.<\/p>\n
When using this method, choose broken links that are external. There\u2019s a greater chance that a webmaster will replace a broken external link with another external link than replacing an internal one.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 3: Create content<\/span><\/h3>\nAfter you\u2019re done with the first two steps, you\u2019ll have a list of broken links and the pages that contain them. You can now create content that fits the broken link or improves upon it. Since you searched using relevant keywords, you\u2019ll have a general idea about the substance of the dead page. You can also search for it on archive.org<\/a> to know what the broken page looked like.<\/p>\nA way to be smart about this is to check the number of backlinks pointing to a broken link. That way, you can create content that targets broken pages with several backlinks and referrals.<\/p>\n
Another way to proceed is to write content before searching for broken links. This is less effective, however, because it would be harder to find broken links that will match your written content.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 4: Contact your targets<\/span><\/h3>\nOnce you\u2019re ready, contact the webmasters of the sites where you found the dead links. It\u2019s best to have an email template so that you can just edit the details. Avoid appearing generic by adding a tailored sentence or two in every email.<\/p>\n
Be sure to look for the right contact information for higher conversion rates.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 5: Monitor results<\/span><\/h3>\nAfter you\u2019ve contacted the webmasters, some will respond informing you that the dead page was replaced with your link. However, others will not, so you\u2019ll have to check them yourself. You can do it manually or use the WebCEO\u2019s Backlink Quality Check<\/a> tool segment that shows you new links.<\/p>\n![\"Once](\"https:\/\/www.webceo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/broken-link-building-new-backlinks.png\")
<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to be organized when recording the pages in a spreadsheet so that it\u2019s easier to track your results. You\u2019ll also avoid emailing the same sites repeatedly. Finally, it will give you some insight on how to improve your success rate.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\nBroken link building is a powerful marketing tactic. When used smartly, it can give you high-quality backlinks across niches. It might take a while before you achieve your desired outcome, but don’t let that stop you! Just track your results and adjust your methods until the strategy bears fruit.<\/p>\n
In order to maximize the benefits of broken link building, your goal must be to scale it.<\/p>\n
It works in the same way that making a sale does. Imagine that you\u2019re a salesperson and your website is your product. Going door to door promoting your product is more tedious and less profitable compared to making a bulk sale.<\/p>\n
Similarly, doing broken link building on a large scale will reap more benefits with less effort.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step-By-Step Guide to Securing Links at Scale<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/span>Step 1: Get the right tools<\/span><\/h3>\nThe first step in broken link building is to know what tools you need. There are millions of links on the Internet, so you\u2019ll need tools to help reduce the work.<\/p>\n
Numerous tools are available, but here are some of the most effective:<\/p>\n
\n- WebCEO\u2019s Website Audit<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This tool can scan a website\u2019s pages for errors, as long as you have created a project for that website. It detects broken images, server errors and, of course, broken links. You can also set this tool to automatically scan your site and send you reports weekly or monthly.<\/p>\n
\n- Check My Links <\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It is available as a Chrome extension. It allows you to instantly check for broken links on a page. Since it\u2019s a Chrome extension, it appears beside your address bar after installation. You can simply click its icon, and it will scan all links on the page. Broken links will be highlighted in red. As an alternative, you can use Domain Hunter Plus<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n- Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This is a tool for site crawling or web indexing. It checks the web for broken links. It searches website URLs and finds broken links and server errors. You can also use Screaming Frog SEO Spider<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/span>Step 2: Find your prospects<\/span><\/h3>\nThe next step is to look for relevant dead or broken pages. There are different methods you can employ in doing this. You can choose one or combine several.<\/p>\n
\n- Keyword Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This is the most common and straightforward method in broken link building.<\/p>\n
Start by identifying a keyword that is both relevant to your site and generally broad in scope.<\/p>\n
Then, search for your target keyword in Google. Visit the top results displayed as those typically contain the most number of links.<\/p>\n
Next, plug the URLs of the top results one at a time into a link database tool. The tool will give you a list of pages linked to those top result articles.<\/p>\n
Scan all of the pages for broken links using Check My Links or Domain Hunter Plus. Alternatively, you can extract the URLs using Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth.<\/p>\n
\n- Niche Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With this method, you\u2019ll target sites in your niche. Use this if you\u2019re aiming for relevant results more than scope. You\u2019ll still use keywords, but only those specifically used in your niche. After determining niche-specific keywords, follow the steps in the keyword-based method.<\/p>\n
\n- Domain Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use this method if there\u2019s a particular site you\u2019re eyeing. A backlink from an authority website can do so much for your website. However, it\u2019s hard to get noticed by the popular sites. Broken link building may be your way in.<\/p>\n
To do this, identify the domain that you want to target. You can use WebCEO\u2019s Technical Audit<\/a> to scan the website and receive a report of dead links.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Other web crawler tools, such as the abovementioned Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth and Screaming Frog SEO Spider, can also do the trick.<\/p>\n
Of all the methods, this one is the least scalable since you\u2019re targeting a specific website. But it also holds promise because getting backlinks from authority sites can provide long-term benefits. Who knows, you may even attract loyal readers.<\/p>\n
When using this method, choose broken links that are external. There\u2019s a greater chance that a webmaster will replace a broken external link with another external link than replacing an internal one.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 3: Create content<\/span><\/h3>\nAfter you\u2019re done with the first two steps, you\u2019ll have a list of broken links and the pages that contain them. You can now create content that fits the broken link or improves upon it. Since you searched using relevant keywords, you\u2019ll have a general idea about the substance of the dead page. You can also search for it on archive.org<\/a> to know what the broken page looked like.<\/p>\nA way to be smart about this is to check the number of backlinks pointing to a broken link. That way, you can create content that targets broken pages with several backlinks and referrals.<\/p>\n
Another way to proceed is to write content before searching for broken links. This is less effective, however, because it would be harder to find broken links that will match your written content.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 4: Contact your targets<\/span><\/h3>\nOnce you\u2019re ready, contact the webmasters of the sites where you found the dead links. It\u2019s best to have an email template so that you can just edit the details. Avoid appearing generic by adding a tailored sentence or two in every email.<\/p>\n
Be sure to look for the right contact information for higher conversion rates.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 5: Monitor results<\/span><\/h3>\nAfter you\u2019ve contacted the webmasters, some will respond informing you that the dead page was replaced with your link. However, others will not, so you\u2019ll have to check them yourself. You can do it manually or use the WebCEO\u2019s Backlink Quality Check<\/a> tool segment that shows you new links.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to be organized when recording the pages in a spreadsheet so that it\u2019s easier to track your results. You\u2019ll also avoid emailing the same sites repeatedly. Finally, it will give you some insight on how to improve your success rate.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\nBroken link building is a powerful marketing tactic. When used smartly, it can give you high-quality backlinks across niches. It might take a while before you achieve your desired outcome, but don’t let that stop you! Just track your results and adjust your methods until the strategy bears fruit.<\/p>\n
The first step in broken link building is to know what tools you need. There are millions of links on the Internet, so you\u2019ll need tools to help reduce the work.<\/p>\n
Numerous tools are available, but here are some of the most effective:<\/p>\n
- \n
- WebCEO\u2019s Website Audit<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This tool can scan a website\u2019s pages for errors, as long as you have created a project for that website. It detects broken images, server errors and, of course, broken links. You can also set this tool to automatically scan your site and send you reports weekly or monthly.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Check My Links <\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It is available as a Chrome extension. It allows you to instantly check for broken links on a page. Since it\u2019s a Chrome extension, it appears beside your address bar after installation. You can simply click its icon, and it will scan all links on the page. Broken links will be highlighted in red. As an alternative, you can use Domain Hunter Plus<\/a>.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This is a tool for site crawling or web indexing. It checks the web for broken links. It searches website URLs and finds broken links and server errors. You can also use Screaming Frog SEO Spider<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 2: Find your prospects<\/span><\/h3>\n
The next step is to look for relevant dead or broken pages. There are different methods you can employ in doing this. You can choose one or combine several.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Keyword Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This is the most common and straightforward method in broken link building.<\/p>\n
Start by identifying a keyword that is both relevant to your site and generally broad in scope.<\/p>\n
Then, search for your target keyword in Google. Visit the top results displayed as those typically contain the most number of links.<\/p>\n
Next, plug the URLs of the top results one at a time into a link database tool. The tool will give you a list of pages linked to those top result articles.<\/p>\n
Scan all of the pages for broken links using Check My Links or Domain Hunter Plus. Alternatively, you can extract the URLs using Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Niche Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With this method, you\u2019ll target sites in your niche. Use this if you\u2019re aiming for relevant results more than scope. You\u2019ll still use keywords, but only those specifically used in your niche. After determining niche-specific keywords, follow the steps in the keyword-based method.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Domain Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use this method if there\u2019s a particular site you\u2019re eyeing. A backlink from an authority website can do so much for your website. However, it\u2019s hard to get noticed by the popular sites. Broken link building may be your way in.<\/p>\n
To do this, identify the domain that you want to target. You can use WebCEO\u2019s Technical Audit<\/a> to scan the website and receive a report of dead links.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nOther web crawler tools, such as the abovementioned Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth and Screaming Frog SEO Spider, can also do the trick.<\/p>\n
Of all the methods, this one is the least scalable since you\u2019re targeting a specific website. But it also holds promise because getting backlinks from authority sites can provide long-term benefits. Who knows, you may even attract loyal readers.<\/p>\n
When using this method, choose broken links that are external. There\u2019s a greater chance that a webmaster will replace a broken external link with another external link than replacing an internal one.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 3: Create content<\/span><\/h3>\n
After you\u2019re done with the first two steps, you\u2019ll have a list of broken links and the pages that contain them. You can now create content that fits the broken link or improves upon it. Since you searched using relevant keywords, you\u2019ll have a general idea about the substance of the dead page. You can also search for it on archive.org<\/a> to know what the broken page looked like.<\/p>\n
A way to be smart about this is to check the number of backlinks pointing to a broken link. That way, you can create content that targets broken pages with several backlinks and referrals.<\/p>\n
Another way to proceed is to write content before searching for broken links. This is less effective, however, because it would be harder to find broken links that will match your written content.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 4: Contact your targets<\/span><\/h3>\n
Once you\u2019re ready, contact the webmasters of the sites where you found the dead links. It\u2019s best to have an email template so that you can just edit the details. Avoid appearing generic by adding a tailored sentence or two in every email.<\/p>\n
Be sure to look for the right contact information for higher conversion rates.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Step 5: Monitor results<\/span><\/h3>\n
After you\u2019ve contacted the webmasters, some will respond informing you that the dead page was replaced with your link. However, others will not, so you\u2019ll have to check them yourself. You can do it manually or use the WebCEO\u2019s Backlink Quality Check<\/a> tool segment that shows you new links.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nIt\u2019s important to be organized when recording the pages in a spreadsheet so that it\u2019s easier to track your results. You\u2019ll also avoid emailing the same sites repeatedly. Finally, it will give you some insight on how to improve your success rate.<\/p>\n
<\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n
Broken link building is a powerful marketing tactic. When used smartly, it can give you high-quality backlinks across niches. It might take a while before you achieve your desired outcome, but don’t let that stop you! Just track your results and adjust your methods until the strategy bears fruit.<\/p>\n
- Domain Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Niche Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Keyword Targeting<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Xenu\u2019s Link Sleuth<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Check My Links <\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Sign](\"https:\/\/www.webceo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/CTA.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"