Ahrefs Broken Link Building Step-By-Step Guide [2026]

Ahrefs broken link building is the best way to do broken link building, period. 

It’s quick, relatively easy, and has a high conversion rate. 

In this article, we’ll break down when ahrefs broken link building can be useful, step-by-step instructions for finding broken links in ahrefs, and how to secure broken links as your own.

Key Takeaways

• Ahrefs broken link building works best when targeting dead pages with strong backlink data and existing inbound links
• Using site explorer makes it easy to identify broken outgoing links and prioritize the most valuable opportunities
• The best results come from offering relevant replacement content that matches the original anchor text and intent
• Tools like the wayback machine help you recreate or improve on the original content behind a dead link
• Broken link building campaigns can generate high quality backlinks, but scaling them requires consistent outreach and prospecting

Link building cheat sheet

Gain access to the 3-step strategy we use to earn over 86 high-quality backlinks each month.

Download for free

Is Ahrefs Broken Link Building Worth It?

Yes, Ahrefs Broken Link Building is worth it, but there are several factors you need to consider.

First, success with broken link building largely depends on your niche and the backlink profiles of your competitors. 

Some niches might have hundreds of thousands of websites while others – only about a hundred. 

More sites = more broken backlink opportunities. 

This makes this strategy less lucrative to smaller niches. 

The reality is that Ahrefs broken link building can be very hard to scale. 

You may only end up with a dozen or so backlinks from a single campaign, but these links will be of very high quality.

One of the absolute best-case scenarios for Ahrefs broken link building is when a site within your niche goes out of business. 

Like GroupHigh recently did – and the broken link building campaign we ran for their links got us a TON of high quality links. 

In this case, the entire backlink profile of that now-defunct site becomes a prime target for your link-building efforts. 

You can swoop in and offer your content as a highly relevant replacement, making it easier to secure those high-quality, low-hanging links.

Ahrefs Broken Link Building Step-By-Step

Start by logging into your Ahrefs account. Head over to the “Site Explorer” tool.

Type in the domain of a competitor or a site relevant to your niche and click the search icon.

In the left-hand menu, find the “Outgoing Links” (broken internal links are of no use for our purposes) section and click on “Broken Links.” This report will display all the broken external links from the site you’re analyzing.

Once you have your list of broken links, click the export button. We recommend using the UTF-8 format. 

Next, you’re going to need to prepare your email outreach sequence, find your prospects’ contact information, and personalize your pitches before sending. 

Here’s a simple template to get you started:

Now, all you have to do is find all of your prospects’ contact information. For that, you’ll need either a reliable email finder or to outsource this process entirely.

A Better Way to Build Links

Broken link building is effective for a reason.

You are helping fix a broken link while earning a backlink in return. That makes it one of the more natural link building strategies.

But in practice, it is not as simple as it sounds.

You still need to find broken pages, validate them, check their backlink profile, recreate or improve the original content, and then reach out to every website owner linking to it. Even with tools like site explorer or a broken link checker, this process takes time to repeat consistently.

That is where things usually break down.

Not because the strategy stops working, but because scaling broken link building campaigns becomes difficult.

A more efficient approach is to remove the manual work entirely.

Instead of searching for every broken link opportunity and managing outreach yourself, you can place an order with Respona and define the type of links you want to build.

From there, the process is handled for you.

The team identifies relevant websites, analyzes backlink data, and secures placements on pages that already perform in search and attract backlinks.

This means you are not limited to chasing broken backlinks. You are getting placements on content that already has visibility and link equity.

You also keep full control over quality.

Every placement is reviewed before it goes live, so your backlink profile stays clean and aligned with your standards.

Respona also gives you access to campaigns that find content currently being cited for your target queries. This includes tracking visibility across AI driven search and identifying where your links can be placed to capture that demand, in addition to your performance across 6 answer engines.

So instead of rebuilding dead pages and chasing broken outbound links, you focus on earning high quality backlinks that actually improve your rankings and visibility.

Link building cheat sheet

Gain access to the 3-step strategy we use to earn over 86 high-quality backlinks each month.

Download for free

Now Over to You

Ahrefs broken link building takes time to find broken links, rebuild content, and manage outreach.

You can do it manually and move slowly… or you can speed things up.

Instead of handling everything yourself, you can place an order and let the team handle prospecting, outreach, and securing high quality backlinks on relevant websites.

You review every placement before it goes live.

If you are serious about scaling your link building, do not rely on broken link building alone.

Place an order and start building links that actually move your rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Ahrefs Broken Link Building?

Ahrefs broken link building is a technique that utilizes Ahrefs broken link checker to find dead links on other websites, then reaching out to those website owners to suggest replacing the link with one to your relevant content. 

This approach helps in gaining high-quality backlinks while assisting webmasters in maintaining functional and up-to-date links on their pages.

How Do I Find Broken Links Using Ahrefs?

To find broken backlinks using Ahrefs, navigate to the “Site Explorer” tool near the content explorer, enter the domain of a site you’d like to analyze, and then go to the “Broken Links” report under the “Outbound Link” section. This report will list all the broken external links on that domain, providing ample opportunities for outreach.

Is Ahrefs Broken Link Building Effective for SEO?

Yes, Ahrefs Broken Link Building is effective for SEO as it helps you obtain high-quality backlinks from authoritative sites, which can significantly improve your site’s ranking and visibility. 

It also ensures that the links pointing to your site are highly relevant, thereby enhancing the quality of your backlink profile.

What Types of Websites Benefit Most from Broken Link Building Using Ahrefs?

Websites with substantial content resources, such as blogs, informational sites, and educational portals, benefit the most from broken link reclamation. 

These sites often have high-quality content that can serve as valuable replacements for broken links, making them ideal candidates for this strategy.

How Can I Track the Success of My Broken Link Building Campaigns with Ahrefs?

You can track the success of your broken link building campaigns in Ahrefs by monitoring the “Backlinks” report in the “Site Explorer” tool. 

This report shows new backlinks to your site, allowing you to verify if your outreach efforts are resulting in successful link replacements and improved SEO site audit metrics.