The Do’s and Don’ts of Broken Link Building: Best Practices Revealed
Broken link building is one of the oldest and most reliable SEO strategies. Start by using a tool like Semrush to find potential opportunities. Focus on finding relevant pages to your niche, but use search operators like “page AS” and “AS” to sort and evaluate the results more effectively.
Do Your Research
The internet is bursting with tips, guides, and more training videos than you could watch in your lifetime. The problem is that most of them are complete and utter bullshit.
One of the biggest reasons broken link building is a less effective strategy than once is because too many people use it. If you do it correctly, you’ll waste time and not get the desired results.
First, you must ensure you’re targeting the right person in the company. Emailing the CEO will probably result in no response, so you must find someone who works with marketing or content. Typically, this will be the person who manages the publishing process for their website or blog. You can find their name on the About Us or Team page for the company’s website, but if not, you can try searching for them on LinkedIn or contacting the company directly.
Don’t Be Afraid to Reach Out
When it comes to broken link building, it is essential not to be afraid to reach out to others. It is a great way to get your content noticed and increase organic traffic over time.
For example, if you find a dead link on another website, contact them and offer to provide a replacement. This is a great way to demonstrate your value and establish yourself as a thought leader in your niche.
Also, make sure to follow up on any emails you send. This can increase your response rate and ensure that your emails are not forgotten or marked as spam. Just be sure not to overdo it – two or three follow-ups are usually good. You do not want to seem pestering someone, or they will be less likely to reply. A simple subject line like “I noticed you had a broken link on your site” can work wonders.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
As a marketer, asking questions when you reach out for broken link-building opportunities is essential. In doing so, you can identify potential benefits for yourself and the web admin who may have a broken link on their site.
For example, you might find their current content needs to be updated, and you have a great piece of relevant content that could be a replacement. This will provide value to their readers, and if they link to it, this can also help improve their SEO.
In addition to identifying potential benefits for both parties, asking questions can help you avoid any mistakes in reaching out. For instance, you should always ask for a response to your email before sending a follow-up. You should send only a few, however. Doing so can get your emails flagged as spam. Generally, 2-3 follow-up emails are acceptable. This is a good rule of thumb for all outreach forms.
Don’t Be Afraid to Follow Up
The internet marketing space is flooded with tips, guides, and more training videos than you could watch in a lifetime. While many of these resources are helpful, not all are created equal.
Following up is essential if you’re lucky enough to find a broken link on a still active website. A well-written email requesting that they replace the dead link with your content can be very compelling to web admins and editors.
When you point out a dead link on their webpage and offer your page as a replacement, it’s an opportunity for them to improve the quality of their website while making it easier for visitors to access their content. In most cases, this is a win-win situation. However, some webmasters may be more hesitant to seek help than others. This is why it is essential to build trust with your potential targets. Be persistent but polite.