How to Ask for a Backlink: Email Templates That Get Replies

At a glance

• Ask for a backlink only when you can point to a reason the link helps the other site: a broken link, an outdated source, a missing resource or an unlinked mention of you.
• A good link request is short: one line of context, the exact page, the problem, the fix, and a sign-off.
• The seven templates below cover broken links, unlinked mentions, outdated sources, resource pages, guest post pitches, link reclamation and one follow-up.
• Don’t offer link swaps or payment in a cold email. Google’s spam policies list both as link spam.
• Send one follow-up after about a week, then move on.

Before you write: is there a reason to link?

Most link requests fail because there’s nothing in them for the reader. “I wrote a great article, please link to it” asks a stranger to do you a favor. “Your link to X is broken, here’s a working replacement” does them one.

Before you look for an email address, check the site:

• Is it relevant? It should cover your topic, or a topic your page clearly helps with.
• Does it have real traffic? Look it up in Ahrefs or Semrush. A site with decent authority metrics but almost no organic traffic is often a link seller.
• Is it a link seller? “Write for us” pages with a price list, sponsored-post rate cards and outbound links to casino or pharma sites are the giveaways. If you’re going to pay anyway, read paying for links first.
• Is there a specific page? You need a URL and a reason. If you can’t name both, you’re not ready to write.

Domain Authority is Moz’s metric, not Google’s, so don’t make “excellent DA” a requirement. Relevance and real traffic matter more.

Where backlink opportunities come from

Broken links. Pages that link to dead URLs are the easiest ask, because you’re reporting a problem. Ahrefs and Semrush both show broken outbound links on a site. Pick pages in your niche, check which of their links are dead, and see whether you have a page that covers the same thing.

Unlinked brand mentions. Someone mentioned your company, product or name without linking. Set up Google Alerts for your brand and check new mentions now and then. These are the warmest requests you’ll send, because the writer already chose to talk about you.

Outdated sources and dead tools. Articles that cite old figures, discontinued tools or pages that have since changed. If you have a current, better source, that’s a useful correction.

Resource pages. Many sites keep “useful links” or “resources” pages for their readers. If your page belongs on the list, ask.

Your own moved URLs. If you changed your site structure and some links to you now hit a redirect or a 404, ask those sites to update the link. Google Search Console’s Links report shows which sites link to you.

Competitors’ backlinks. The sites linking to your competitors are already willing to link to pages like yours. Look at their backlinks in Ahrefs or Semrush and work through the relevant ones with the templates below.

The anatomy of a link request that works

Keep it under about 120 words. Every good request has the same parts:

1. A subject line about their page rather than about you. “Broken link on your guide to X” gets opened.
2. One line of context saying who you are.
3. The exact page, with its URL.
4. The reason: what is broken, outdated or missing.
5. The suggested fix, with your URL and where it would fit.
6. A short sign-off with your name and role.

Use the person’s name if you can find it. Don’t open with compliments you didn’t mean. If you read the article, one specific detail from it is enough to show it.

Seven link request templates

Replace everything in square brackets. Then read the email out loud. If it sounds like a sequence tool wrote it, rewrite the line that sounds wrong.

1. Broken link replacement

Use when a page in your niche links to a URL that no longer works, and you have a page on the same subject.

Subject: Broken link on your [article topic] post

Hi [Name],

I was reading your post on [topic] ([URL]) and noticed the link to [description of dead resource] in the [section name] section goes to a page that no longer exists.

If you're looking for a replacement, our [page title] covers the same ground and is kept up to date: [your URL]

Either way, thought you'd want to know about the dead link.

[Your name]
[Role, Company]

Why it works: you lead with something useful to them, and the email still makes sense if they fix the link with someone else’s page.

2. Unlinked brand mention

Use when someone mentions you, your company or your product without a link.

Subject: Thanks for mentioning [Brand]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for including [Brand] in your article on [topic] ([URL]). Glad it was useful.

Would you be open to linking the mention to [your URL]? It would help your readers find the [product/page] you mentioned.

Thanks again,
[Your name]

Why it works: they already chose to write about you. You’re asking for a small edit to something they decided to do.

3. Outdated source or better resource

Use when a page cites old figures, a discontinued tool or a source that has changed.

Subject: Updated source for your [topic] article

Hi [Name],

Your article on [topic] ([URL]) cites [old source or figure]. That [page/tool] was [updated/discontinued] in [month and year, if you know it], so the [figure/link] is now out of date.

We published [page title], which has the current [figures/details]: [your URL]

Might be worth a swap if you're updating the post.

[Your name]

Why it works: it helps them keep the post accurate. Only state what changed if you’ve checked it.

4. Resource page inclusion

Use when a site keeps a list of resources and your page fits it.

Subject: Suggestion for your [topic] resources page

Hi [Name],

I came across your [topic] resources page ([URL]). It's a useful list.

We put together [page title], which covers [one sentence on what it does that the others on the list don't]: [your URL]

If it fits, I think it would be a good addition under [section name].

[Your name]

Why it works: resource pages exist to collect links. Say what your page adds that the existing entries don’t.

5. Guest post pitch

Use when a site accepts guest posts and you have something worth writing for its readers.

Subject: Guest post idea for [Site name]: [working title]

Hi [Name],

I've read your posts on [topic], especially [specific article], and I'd like to write something for your readers.

A few ideas:
- [Title 1]: [one line on the angle]
- [Title 2]: [one line on the angle]
- [Title 3]: [one line on the angle]

I've checked your guidelines and can deliver [word count] words by [date]. Examples of my writing: [link 1], [link 2].

[Your name]
[Role, Company]

Why it works: specific titles show you know the site. Offering two or three lets them pick, and the guidelines line shows you did the reading.

6. Link reclamation after a URL change

Use when a site links to an old URL of yours that now redirects or returns a 404.

Subject: Updated link for [page title]

Hi [Name],

You linked to our [page title] in your article on [topic] ([URL]). Thank you.

We moved that page, and the link now goes to [an old address/a missing page]. The current URL is [new URL].

Could you update it when you have a moment?

[Your name]

Why it works: you’re fixing a link they already gave you. In our experience these get a yes more often than any other request.

7. One follow-up

Send once, about a week after the first email, as a reply in the same thread.

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [Name],

Just bumping this in case it got buried. Happy to send anything that would help.

[Your name]

Why it works: it’s short and easy to answer. In our experience a second follow-up rarely changes the outcome.

Guest posting email templates and guidelines

Most sites that accept guest posts publish guidelines, usually on a “write for us” or “contribute” page. Read them before you pitch. They tell you:

• The topics they take, and which they’ve covered enough.
• How to pitch. Some want an email with ideas, some want a full draft, some want a contact form. If they ask for a form, use it and keep the pitch shorter than the email above.
• Link rules: how many links you can include, whether they allow links in the body or only in the author bio, and whether links are nofollow.
• Format: word count, headings, images, and whether they edit your draft.

When the pitch is accepted, send the draft in the format they asked for, by the date you promised. Put your link where it helps the reader, with a natural anchor. Then promote the post when it goes live, which makes the next pitch to the same site easier.

If a site’s guidelines include a fee to publish, it’s selling links. That’s a different decision, covered in paying for links.

What not to send

Link exchange offers. “I’ll link to you if you link to me” is the most common cold request, and it’s on Google’s list. Google’s spam policies (fetched 2026-10-28) name “Excessive link exchanges (“Link to me and I’ll link to you”) or partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking” as link spam. An occasional natural link between related sites is fine. A swap offered to strangers at scale isn’t.

Offers to pay. The same policy lists “Exchanging money for links, or posts that contain links” and “Exchanging goods or services for links.” Offering money in a cold email also tells the recipient their links are for sale, which is a bad signal for every link on their site.

Mass-merged emails. “Dear Webmaster, I love your site [URL]” gets deleted. If you can’t name the page and the reason, don’t send it.

Following up and tracking

Our rule of thumb is one follow-up, about a week after the first email. It catches the emails that got buried. More than one starts to feel like pressure.

Track your outreach in a simple spreadsheet:

Site	Contact	Page	Opportunity	Template	Sent	Follow-up	Result
example.com	Jane, editor	/guide-to-x	Broken link	1	Oct 2	Oct 9	Linked

It stops you emailing the same person twice and shows which templates work for your niche.

Cold outreach to strangers works less often than requests to people who already know you. Comment on their articles, share their work, or reply to their newsletter before you ask, and your name will be familiar when the email arrives. That’s our opinion, not a measured rate.

When outreach isn’t enough

Outreach earns good links, but slowly, and each link belongs to someone else, who can remove it. If you want more good backlinks without paying, our guide to free ways to build backlinks has more methods.

In competitive niches, some SEOs also build their own network of blogs to control a share of their links. If you go that way, you can host the blogs on Easy Blog Networks.