Discover How to Find Broken Backlinks?

If you want faster SEO wins without reinventing your content, learning how to find broken backlinks is one of the most efficient strategies you can use. Broken backlinks are links on other websites that once pointed to your pages (or pages you care about) but now lead to 404s, removed pages, or redirected destinations that no longer pass value.

When high-value pages stop existing or are moved without proper redirects, you lose link equity, referral traffic, and sometimes rankings. This guide walks you through a global, step-by-step approach to locate broken backlinks, rank the strongest backlinks worth recovering, and choose the right fix so you convert lost value into real SEO gains.

What a “broken backlink” really means for your site?

A broken backlink usually takes the form of a link that points to a URL that returns an error (commonly a 404). Broken backlinks can also be links that point to pages redirected to irrelevant pages, to pages that were repurposed, or to pages that now return server errors. 

The practical consequences are clear: users get dead ends, crawlers waste crawl budget, and your site stops receiving the authority and traffic those links once delivered. In short, broken backlinks are lost opportunities—and the process of finding and repairing them is a repeatable, measurable way to regain traction.

The complete toolkit you’ll want before starting

You don’t need fancy software to begin, but having a mix of free and paid tools speeds up the work and helps you prioritize the strongest backlinks. At a minimum, have access to any one backlink provider that allows backlink exports, such as Google Search Console for your own site and a third-party backlink tool for competitor research. 

Complement these with a crawler or link checking extension, and keep the Wayback Machine handy to recover removed content. If you have paid access to tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, or Majestic the process becomes faster and more data-driven, but every step below can be executed using free tools plus a little manual work.

Step 1 — define the pages you care about and export their backlinks

Begin by making a clear list of the target URLs you want to inspect. These can be your highest-traffic pages, your best converting pages, old cornerstone content, or competitor pages you want to replicate. For your site, export all backlinks pointing to those URLs using Google Search Console, then export additional data from a backlink tool if you have one. 

If you are investigating a competitor or a third-party resource, use a backlink provider to export the referring pages and anchor text. Save those exports to a spreadsheet so you can filter, sort, and annotate them later.

Step 2 — check HTTP status codes for the target pages

With your list of referring URLs, the next step is to verify the status of the destination URLs they link to. You can do this by feeding the destination URLs into a crawler, by using a bulk URL checker, or by running a column of URLs through a script or online checker that returns HTTP status codes. 

Look specifically for 404 Not Found, 410 Gone, 5xx server errors, and unusual redirect chains. Any link that points to a 4xx or problematic 5xx should be flagged as a potential broken backlink case to investigate further.

Step 3 — identify true broken backlinks versus irrelevant changes

Not all non-200 responses are equally valuable. A destination that now issues a 301 to a relevant updated page might still pass value; a 301 to a generic homepage or unrelated content likely does not. Use a browser and inspection tools to follow each redirect chain and judge relevance. 

Also confirm whether the referring page itself still exists. A backlink from a live, authoritative page is worth pursuing; a backlink from a page that was removed or from a low-quality directory might not be worth the outreach effort.

Step 4 — prioritize the strongest backlinks to recover

Once you have a set of broken backlink opportunities, prioritize them. Focus first on the strongest backlinks—those from domains with high authority, pages that historically drove referral traffic, links from pages with topically relevant content, links embedded in editorial content (not footers or sidebars), and links where the anchor text matches your target topic. 

Use metrics like domain rating, referring domain count, page traffic estimates, and the contextual fit of the linking page. Working on a handful of top opportunities often returns far more value than trying to reclaim every single low-value link.

Step 5 — choose the right fix: redirect, recreate, or outreach

For each prioritized broken backlink, decide which repair path is best. If the broken URL was once part of your site and you control the domain, the cleanest fix is to restore the content or implement a 301 redirect from the old URL to a relevant existing page. If the original page contained unique content that’s worth reviving, recreate it and consider improving on it to make the outreach ask easier.

If the page was never yours or cannot be restored, outreach to the referring webmaster with an offer to replace the dead URL with an improved resource usually works—especially when the linking page is editorial and the replacement content is a solid fit.

Step 6 — use outreach that reduces friction and adds value

Outreach matters. A short, personalized message that explains the issue, points out the broken link, and offers a concise replacement link—ideally with a clear benefit to their readers—tends to get the best responses. When you reach out, reference the exact location of the broken link on their page, offer a short summary of the replacement resource, and make it simple for the webmaster to make the swap.

If you restored content, show the differences and explain why the updated page is better for their readers. Outreach should be helpful, not demanding; your goal is to make the edit as frictionless as possible.

Step 7 — recover content using the Wayback Machine and make it better

If the broken URL previously hosted content you controlled but the live page is gone, the Wayback Machine can be invaluable. Use it to extract the original content, then build a modernized version that’s better optimized, more current, and more linkworthy. 

When you relaunch, document the restoration for outreach—showing a snapshot from the Wayback Machine plus your improved version makes it easy to justify the link swap and shows you’ve done the work to add value.

Step 8 — track results and document changes

After implementing redirects or completing outreach, track what changed. Monitor whether the referring page actually updates, when the redirect starts passing link equity, and whether your pages see increases in referral sessions or ranking improvements.

Keep a simple log with the referring domain, the date of the outreach or redirect, the status (fixed, redirected, refused, ignored), and any follow-up actions needed. Over time this documented process becomes a repeatable system that scales across multiple sites or client accounts.

How to find broken backlinks on a large scale?

If you manage multiple sites or a very large backlink profile, automate as much as possible. Export recurring backlink reports, schedule crawls that fetch HTTP responses, and build a dashboard that highlights newly broken links and high-value opportunities. 

Use filters to surface referring pages that recently changed, pages that gained or lost traffic, and links with high anchor relevance. Automation lets you treat broken backlink recovery as an ongoing maintenance task rather than an emergency, helping you consistently reclaim lost authority and keep the backlink profile healthy.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

A frequent error is chasing every single broken link instead of prioritizing the strongest backlinks. Don’t waste outreach on low-authority or irrelevant pages. Another pitfall is using a thin outreach pitch—if you don’t show why your replacement improves the user experience, webmasters often ignore requests.

Also, avoid broad, blanket requests; personalization and a clear, quick action for the webmaster improve results drastically. Lastly, don’t forget to implement 301 redirects for your own removed pages—this is the simplest and most direct way to preserve link equity without asking anyone else to change anything.

Measuring the impact: what metrics to watch

After you repair or reclaim links, watch referral traffic from the referring domains, organic visibility of the fixed page, and any changes in ranking for the target keywords. Also monitor the redirected URL’s index status and whether the link provider reports the referrer as pointing to the new URL. 

A recovered link will often show itself in increased referral sessions or a slow uptick in rankings; tracking tools help you attribute these gains to your broken backlink recovery workflow.

Bonus tactics: using competitor broken links for link opportunities

When you find broken backlinks pointing to competitor content, treat them as outreach targets for your own content. Recreate or produce better content on the same topic and then reach out to the linking webmaster suggesting your page as an updated resource. This approach not only helps you reclaim link equity that competitors lost but also lets you capture links that fit your topical goals.

Step-by-step practical example

Start with a specific page you want to protect. Export its backlinks from Google Search Console and an external backlink tool. Combine the lists into a single spreadsheet and remove duplicates. Run the destination URLs through a bulk status checker and flag any 4xx or unexpected 3xx responses. For the flagged ones, open the referring pages to verify the link location and context.

Score each opportunity by domain authority, relevance, and estimated traffic. For the top five, draft a short outreach message, link to the Wayback snapshot if the content once existed, and offer a superior replacement. If the broken URL is within your control, implement a 301 to the most relevant page or restore the content. Track the outcome and repeat for the next batch.

Outreach messaging that works without being pushy

Effective outreach is concise, respectful, and helpful. Start by politely pointing out the broken link with an exact location reference on their page. Next, briefly introduce the replacement resource and explain the benefit to their readers. Offer the exact replacement URL and include any social proof or evidence (for example, a Wayback snapshot showing the page used to exist).

Close by making it incredibly easy for them to update the link—offer the HTML snippet if you must, and thank them for their time. This small investment in clarity dramatically increases the chance that webmasters will act.

When to use redirects and when to rebuild content?

Redirects are fast and work best when the old content’s intent overlaps strongly with an existing page. Use 301 redirects for URLs you control that had traffic or backlinks and now point to an equivalent or closely related resource.

Rebuilding content is better when the old page had unique value that’s been removed: rebuild it, improve it, and relaunch with outreach. If a URL once hosted a definitive resource, restoring an improved version not only recovers links but can attract new ones.

Legal and ethical considerations

Respect site owners’ policies and don’t spam outreach. Always avoid deceptive tactics, and be transparent when you request link updates. If a webmaster declines your request, accept it—persistence should be professional and limited. Remember that ethical link reclamation focuses on reader value: make sure every outreach adds something useful for the site’s audience.

FAQ

What exactly counts as a broken backlink and how do I spot one?

A broken backlink is a link on another website that points to a destination URL which no longer resolves correctly for users or search engines—typically a 404, 410, or an irrelevant redirect. You spot them by checking the HTTP status of the linked URL and by inspecting whether the redirect chain leads to content that matches the original intent.

Can I find broken backlinks without paid tools?

Yes. You can use Google Search Console to discover links to your own site and free bulk URL checkers or browser extensions to test status codes. The Wayback Machine helps reconstruct lost content. Paid tools speed the process and provide scale and quality metrics, but the manual approach works for smaller sites or targeted campaigns.

Which broken backlinks are worth pursuing first?

Prioritize links from authoritative, topically relevant pages; links placed within editorial content; links that historically sent traffic; and links where the anchor text aligns with your key topics. These strongest backlinks are the highest priority because they return the biggest SEO and traffic impact.

How do I handle a broken backlink that points to a page I no longer want?

If the old page no longer fits your content strategy but you still want to capture link equity, redirect the URL to the closest relevant resource or to a category page that matches intent. If neither option fits, consider creating a short, focused page that captures the original intent and redirect to that.

What if outreach fails and the webmaster ignores my request?

If the webmaster doesn’t respond, consider alternate strategies: create even better content that attracts new links, pursue links from other sites, or, if you control the domain, implement a redirect. Keep outreach polite, and do not spam—repeated unwanted messages damage reputation.

How long before I see SEO benefits after reclaiming a link?

Timing varies. Redirects can be recognized quickly, but organic ranking benefits may take weeks or months as crawlers reindex the changed URLs and authority flows. Referral traffic improvements are often noticed sooner if the link remains live and visible on the referring page.

Conclusion

Knowing how to find broken backlinks and turning those discoveries into fixes is one of the most scalable, low-risk activities you can add to your SEO playbook. By methodically exporting backlinks, checking status codes, prioritizing the strongest backlinks, and choosing the right repair action—redirect, rebuild, or outreach—you move lost authority back into your site and create lasting SEO value.

Make the process repeatable, document each outreach and result, and treat broken backlink recovery as ongoing maintenance. When done well, this strategy not only repairs damage but becomes a consistent source of links, traffic, and competitive advantage across markets worldwide.