Content revised 20 October 2026.
Broken link building usually means suggesting a useful replacement for a dead link on another site. First understand the broken destination and fix links you control before starting outreach.
Confirm the link is actually broken
Open the linking page and inspect the destination. A typo, retired resource, server failure and temporary connection issue are different situations. Record the linking URL, destination and observed response. Do not call a resource permanently gone because one request timed out.
Repair your own links first
If your article points to a retired resource, find a genuinely relevant replacement or remove the reference when it no longer helps. If you retired your own page, consider whether a relevant replacement justifies a redirect. Sending every missing page to the homepage doesn't answer the visitor’s original request.
Evaluate an outreach opportunity
- Read the context around the broken reference.
- Check whether your resource answers the same need.
- Improve missing information before suggesting it.
- Contact the publisher through an appropriate channel with a specific, useful note.
Leave the editorial decision with the publisher
Explain the broken reference and why the replacement may help. Do not pretend to be an unrelated reader or promise a ranking benefit. A publisher can choose a different source or no replacement. Avoid mass messages and purchased placement arrangements disguised as a helpful report.
Track the useful outcome
Keep a simple log of repaired links, suggested resources and responses. The immediate value is a better route to relevant information. A new backlink is not guaranteed, and its presence alone doesn't establish a ranking increase.
Official guidance: Google’s link best practices.