Link Building Outreach Email Templates That Get Replies

A good link building outreach email is short, specific to the person receiving it, and gives them a clear reason to say yes that has nothing to do with your SEO. The templates below follow that rule, and each one is a starting point to personalise, not something to paste and blast.

Editors and site owners get a lot of link requests. The ones that get answered read like they were written by a person who actually looked at the site, because they were.

What makes an outreach email work?

Every pitch that works does the same five things, in roughly this order.

Part	Job	Common mistake
Subject line	Tell them exactly what the email is about	Clickbait or a fake "Re:"
Opener	Prove a human looked at their site	"I came across your amazing blog"
Reason	Give a benefit to them or their readers	Starting with what you want
Offer	One clear link or idea	Three links and a media kit
Ask	Make yes or no easy	Pushy deadlines or guilt

Broken link template

Use this when a page on their site links to something that no longer works. It's the classic broken link building pitch, and it works because you're fixing a problem for them first.

Subject: A broken link on your [topic] page

Hi [Name],

I was reading your [article title] and noticed the link to
[old resource] in the [section] section now returns an error.

We published [your resource] which covers the same ground
and is kept up to date: [URL]

Happy for you to use it if it helps. Either way, thought
you'd want to know about the dead link.

[Your name]

Resource page template

Use this for curated lists of tools or guides. Check the page is genuinely maintained (recent updates, working links) before you pitch, and see the guide to resource page link building for how to find them.

Subject: Suggestion for your [topic] resources list

Hi [Name],

Your list of [topic] resources is one of the few that's
clearly kept up to date. [Specific item] was new to me.

We recently put together [resource], which [one line on what
it does that the others on the list don't]: [URL]

If it fits, it might be a useful addition. No worries if not.

[Your name]

Unlinked mention template

Use this when a site has already mentioned your brand, product or data without linking. It's the easiest win in outreach, covered fully in link reclamation.

Subject: Thanks for mentioning [brand]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for including [brand] in your piece on [topic],
we really appreciated it.

If you're ever updating the article, a link to [specific page]
would help readers find [the thing you mentioned].

Either way, thanks again.

[Your name]

Guest post pitch template

Use this when a site accepts contributed articles. Read their guidelines first and pitch ideas that fit their audience, not your keyword list. The guest posting guide covers how to judge whether a site is worth writing for.

Subject: Article idea for [site]: [working title]

Hi [Name],

I've read [site] for a while, and your recent piece on [topic]
made me think there's room for a follow-up on [angle].

Three ideas:
1. [Title], covering [one line]
2. [Title], covering [one line]
3. [Title], covering [one line]

I'm [one line on why you're credible]. Examples of my writing:
[link], [link].

Happy to follow your guidelines on length and links.

[Your name]

Digital PR pitch template

Use this when you have data, research or a story a journalist might cover. Lead with the news, not the brand, and keep it to what fits on one phone screen. Digital PR has more on building the story itself.

Subject: New data: [headline finding in under 10 words]

Hi [Name],

[One sentence with the most newsworthy finding.]

Key points:
- [Finding with number]
- [Finding with number]
- [Regional or audience angle relevant to their beat]

Full data and method: [URL]
[Spokesperson] is available for comment today.

[Your name, role, phone]

Follow-up template

One polite follow-up after four to seven days is normal. That timing is a rule of thumb, not a rule. More than one or two follow-ups starts to feel like pressure.

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [Name],

Just bumping this in case it got buried. Totally understand
if it's not a fit.

[Your name]

Which template should you use?

Situation	Template	Your offer	Difficulty
They link to a dead page	Broken link	A working replacement	Low
They curate a list of resources	Resource page	A genuinely useful addition	Low to medium
They mention you without a link	Unlinked mention	Nothing new, just a fix	Low
They accept contributed articles	Guest post pitch	Free, relevant content	Medium
You have news or data	Digital PR	A story for their readers	High

Outreach tactics to avoid

Some tactics still circulate because they occasionally work. They also burn your domain's reputation and annoy the people you'll want to pitch again.

• Fake familiarity. "Hope you're well, loved your latest post" with no detail is instantly recognisable
• Fake reply threads. "Re:" or "Following up" on a first email is deceptive
• Offering money for a followed link in the first email. Paying for a link that passes ranking credit without rel="sponsored" is against Google's spam policies, and the guide to link schemes explains why
• Dictating exact-match anchors. Let the editor write the link naturally, the anchor text guide explains the risk
• Bulk sending from your main domain. Spam complaints can affect deliverability for your whole business, so many teams send outreach from a separate address
• Ignoring a no. Remove them from your list and move on

Outreach tools can help you track replies and follow-ups at volume, and the link building tools guide compares the main ones. The blogger outreach guide covers the full process from prospect list to live link.

The short version

• Good outreach emails are short, personal and lead with what's in it for the reader
• Use the template that fits the situation: broken link, resource page, unlinked mention, guest post or digital PR
• Personalise the opener and the reason every time, that's the part that gets replies
• One or two polite follow-ups is enough
• Never fake a reply thread, push exact-match anchors, or offer money for an undisclosed followed link