Broken link building is an SEO strategy in which broken links on other websites are deliberately identified and replaced with a working link to your own website. The owner of the page is offered the suggestion of replacing the broken link with suitable content.
The aim of this method is to gain new backlinks while at the same time solving a technical problem on the other website.
How does broken link building work?
The process starts by finding web pages or articles that link to content which no longer exists. These links usually lead to a 404 error page.
A typical sequence:
- find broken links on topically relevant websites
- check which content was originally linked
- create or offer suitable content of your own
- contact the website owner and suggest a replacement link
Since the broken link no longer offers any value anyway, website owners are often open to a helpful alternative.
Why this method is used in SEO
Broken link building is considered a relatively natural link building strategy because it can create genuine added value. The site owner improves their website and the SEO ideally gains a new backlink.
The prerequisite, however, is that the suggested content really does match the original link thematically.