Backlink Request Email Template

Free editable Backlink Request Email Template. Copy, personalize, or download the Word .docx template from UNmiss.

Most link requests get deleted because they ask for a favor without giving the recipient a reason to say yes. These templates make one clear, honest ask each, lead with something the editor can verify in a click, and match a specific situation, an unlinked mention, a resource page, a dead link, so you send the right email instead of a generic beg.

6 ready-to-use variants

Unlinked Mention to Link

A site named your brand, tool, or study but did not link it; ask them to turn the existing mention into a link.

Subject: Quick fix: [Brand] is mentioned but not linked in your [Topic] piece

Hi [First Name],

Thanks for including [Brand] in [Article Title], the section on [Topic or Section] especially. One small thing: the mention is not linked, so readers who want to check us out have to open a new tab and search.

Would you add a link on that mention? The page that actually helps a reader is [Exact URL], where they can see [what is on the page, e.g. the full guide or the data behind the point you made]. The existing anchor text works fine, or use whatever reads naturally to you.

It is a 2-minute edit and it makes your piece more useful, not just us. If it helps, I can send a screenshot of exactly where the mention sits so you do not have to hunt for it.

Either way, thank you for the mention, it genuinely meant something.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email]

Resource Page Add

Pitch your page, tool, or guide for a curated resources or links page where your audience already looks for options.

Subject: A suggestion for your [Topic] resources page

Hi [First Name],

Your [Resource Page Title] is one of the better lists on [Topic], I have sent it to people myself. I noticed it covers [example of what it links] but not [the gap your page fills], and I think [Your Page or Resource] would earn a spot.

Here it is so you can judge it: [Exact URL]. In one line, it is [plain description of what the page is and who it helps]. It is free to read with no signup wall, so anyone you send there gets the whole thing.

I am not asking for a review or a write-up, just a line on the list if it clears your bar. If you would rather it match your existing format, tell me how you list entries and I will send it back ready to paste.

Thanks for keeping that page current, it is more useful than most.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email]

Broken-Link Replacement

You found a dead link on their page and can offer your on-topic page as a working replacement.

Subject: Broken link on your [Page Title] page

Hi [First Name],

Reading [Page Title] I hit a link that no longer works, flagging it so you can fix it whatever you decide about the rest of this email. It is the link on [anchor text or section], pointing to [the dead URL], and it currently returns [404, a parked domain, or a redirect loop].

If you want a replacement, we publish [Your Page Title] at [Your URL], which covers the same ground: [one sentence on what the page contains]. We keep it updated, so it should not rot on you the way the old one did.

Swap it in, use a different source, or just remove the dead link, all three help your readers. I mostly wanted you to know it was broken.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email]

Guest Contribution Offer

Offer to write a genuinely useful guest article or expert contribution, with a natural link back, for a blog that accepts contributors.

Subject: Guest piece idea for [Site Name]: [Working Title]

Hi [First Name],

I read [Recent Post] and it is clear you publish practical, first-hand pieces rather than filler, which is why I wanted to pitch one instead of sending a generic template.

I would like to write [Working Title] for [Site Name], a [format, e.g. 1,200-word how-to] on [specific angle your readers actually search for]. I can bring [what makes you credible, e.g. real numbers from running X, or a process I have used for Y], so it is genuinely yours and not spun content. The only link I would include is one contextual link to [Your Relevant Page] where it actually helps the reader, plus a short author bio, nothing stuffed.

If the topic is not quite right, I am happy to pitch 2 or 3 alternatives shaped to your calendar. And I will follow your guidelines to the letter, original, on brief, and delivered on time.

Want me to send a full outline first?

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email]

Roundup or List Inclusion

A best-of list or roundup covers others in your category but leaves you out; make the case that you belong on it.

Subject: One addition for your [Category] roundup

Hi [First Name],

Your roundup [Article Title] is a genuinely useful reference and it already covers [Competitor or Example A] and [Competitor or Example B]. Since those are in the same category as us, I wanted to flag that [Brand or Product] is missing.

Kept factual so you can verify each point: we [what you do in one plain sentence], and what sets us apart from the ones you listed is [the concrete, checkable difference, not a superlative]. You can confirm it here: [URL to the proof, e.g. the page, docs, or comparison].

If we fit your criteria, a row on the list would be great, and I am happy to send the same details you show for the others, a description, a link, a logo, in whatever format saves you time. If we do not fit, no problem, I would just rather you had the option than not.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email]

Soft Follow-Up

Send one brief, respectful nudge when a link request got no reply, with no pressure and no fresh pitch.

Subject: Re: [Original Subject Line]

Hi [First Name],

Quick follow-up on my note from [Timeframe] about [the specific ask, e.g. the unlinked mention or the dead link]. Inboxes get buried, so no worries at all if it slipped past.

The whole ask in one line: [e.g. add a link on the existing mention, or swap the broken URL for ours]. Here is the URL again so it is right in front of you: [Exact URL].

If it is not a fit or not worth the edit, just say so or ignore this, I will not chase it further. If you need anything from me to make it easy, a screenshot, the details in another format, a second source, tell me and I will turn it around fast.

Thanks either way, and thanks for the work you put into [Site Name].

Best,
[Your Name]
[Title, Company]
[Email]

How to use this template

  1. Pick the variant that matches the exact situation, an unlinked mention, a resource page, a dead link, a roundup, or a guest piece, so you send the right ask instead of a generic one.
  2. Lead with something the recipient can verify in a click, a live page, a public source, or a screenshot, since people confirm before they link.
  3. Link to the single most useful page, not your homepage, so the reader lands somewhere that answers the question the link raises.
  4. Give them everything needed to act in one email: the exact URL, a suggested anchor, and where the mention or gap sits on their page.
  5. Match the size of the ask to the effort, an unlinked-mention fix is a tiny edit while a roundup add is bigger, so do not over-pitch a small favor.
  6. Keep every claim honest, cite only figures and differences you can back with a public source, and skip superlatives editors cannot check.
  7. Send from a real person with a real signature, not a no-reply alias, so the request reads as a peer flagging something useful.
  8. Log each send and its outcome, send one soft follow-up after about a week, and screen the linking domains before you invest more outreach.

Pro tips

  • Personalize the first line with something specific from their page, a generic opener is the fastest way to the trash folder.
  • Ask for one thing per email and make no as easy as yes, so a busy editor can reply in a single line.
  • Offer to do the work, draft the entry, send the screenshot, provide the anchor, so saying yes costs them almost nothing.
  • Chase quality, not volume, ten tailored asks to relevant sites beat two hundred templated blasts every time.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to ask a website for a backlink?

Match your email to a specific situation, an unlinked mention, a resource page, a dead link, or a roundup, and make one clear ask. Point to the single most useful page, suggest an anchor, and give the recipient a reason the link helps their readers, not just you.

How do I find unlinked mentions I can turn into links?

Set alerts on your brand, product, and key people, and periodically search or run a backlink audit for pages that name you without linking. Prioritize recent posts on relevant sites, then send the unlinked-mention email with the exact URL and a suggested anchor.

How long should a backlink request email be?

Short, usually under 150 words. Open with a specific reference to their page, state the one ask, give the exact URL and anchor, and offer to do any legwork. Editors skim, so anything longer than a screen tends to get deleted before the ask lands.

Should I offer to pay for a backlink?

No. Paid links violate Google's guidelines and can get both sites penalized, and any link worth having is placed on merit. Earn links by being genuinely useful, a better resource, a working replacement, or a fair addition, not by paying for placement.

How many times should I follow up on a link request?

Once. Wait about a week, then send a single soft follow-up that restates the one-line ask and the URL and gives an easy out. Beyond that you risk the relationship for a link that was probably never coming. Track outcomes and move on.

Do these emails work for any industry?

Yes, the structure is universal, but the details are what earn the link. Reference their actual page, name the real gap you fill, and cite a source they can check. If your niche has a dedicated template, start there for the specific angles and sites.