Finding broken links with Ahrefs is one of the fastest ways to uncover link-building opportunities. Use the tool to surface pages that return 404s and the sites that still point to them, then reach out with a replacement resource.
Quick steps
- Open Site Explorer: Enter the domain or specific URL you want to scan.
- Locate broken pages: In the left menu, check reports like “Best by links” or the pages report and filter for HTTP 404 (broken) pages.
- Export referring domains: For each broken page, open its backlinks or referring domains report and export the list of sites linking to that 404.
- Prioritize targets: Sort by domain rating, traffic, and relevance to focus outreach on high-value, relevant sites.
- Prepare outreach: Offer your replacement content or a relevant page and explain the value of updating the broken link.
Best practices for link building
- Choose relevant replacements: Provide the closest match to the original content to increase success rates.
- Keep outreach short: Mention the broken link, the page URL, and your suggested URL in one concise message.
- Track results: Log outreach, responses, and changed links so you can refine your targeting.
If you’d like a hands-on approach, Thinkit Media uses this exact process to reclaim high-value links and scale broken-link outreach for clients.
