Broken link building • Operations & reporting
Tracking & Managing Broken-Link Building for UK Schools: Pipelines, Reports & Governance
Published by SEO for Schools • Author: Paul Delaney
Finding dead links is half the job. The other half is managing the work so nothing slips: owners, emails, screenshots, follow-ups, evidence, and reporting. This is a full operating system you can drop into a school or MAT in one afternoon—complete with tracker fields, status codes, polite reminders, and GA4/GSC reporting.
Policy anchors: Google — Search Essentials • Links — Avoid link schemes • Outbound link qualification — nofollow/sponsored.
The 6-stage pipeline (Kanban)
| Stage | Definition of done | Exit criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prospect | Dead link verified (404/410), Wayback checked | Mapped to a replacement page |
| 2. Packed | Evidence pack ready (screenshots + wording) | Email drafted with descriptive anchor |
| 3. Pitched | Email sent; owner + due date set | Reply received or follow-up due |
| 4. Accepted | Host confirms update planned | Waiting for publication |
| 5. Published | Link live; attribute noted; screenshot saved | Move to “Measured” |
| 6. Measured | GA4/GSC note added; outcomes filled | Close loop; add to highlights |
Tracker fields (copy & adapt)
| Field | Example / guidance |
|---|---|
| Topic | Admissions / Term Dates / SEND / Attendance |
| Source page (host) | https://council.gov.uk/education/useful-links |
| Anchor on host | “Apply for Year 7” |
| Dead URL | https://…/apply-year7-old |
| HTTP | 404 / 410 / soft 404 |
| Wayback summary | “Steps + LA portal link” |
| Our replacement | https://school.sch.uk/admissions-year-7 |
| Suggested anchor | “Apply via the LA portal (Year 7)” |
| Owner | Comms / SEO / Head of Year |
| Status | Prospect / Packed / Pitched / Accepted / Published / Measured |
| Pitch date | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Follow-up due | T+5, T+10, T+20 |
| Link attribute | follow / nofollow / sponsored |
| Screenshots | before.png, after.png |
| Outcome | Referral clicks; CTR uplift; notes |
Owner roles & lightweight SLAs
Who does what
- Finder: spots and verifies the dead link
- Editor: ensures replacement page is “replacement-ready”
- Outreach lead: sends emails, logs status, follows up
- Analyst: adds GA4/GSC outcome and headlines
Timebox targets
- Pack within 2 working days of discovery
- Pitch within 5 working days
- Two follow-ups within 3 weeks
- Measure within 30 days of publication
Polite follow-ups (timings & scripts)
| When | Subject | Body (short) |
|---|---|---|
| T+5 days | Quick nudge re: broken link on [page] | “Just checking this reached you. The replacement answers the same task in one sentence and includes the LA link. Happy to supply exact wording.” |
| T+10 days | Screenshot for your web team | “Attached: red-highlighted link + first paragraph of our page. If there’s a better contact, I can forward it.” |
| T+20 days | Closing the loop (happy to help later) | “We’ll close this request for now; do shout if useful next term.” |
Evidence pack & change log
Evidence pack contents
Change log (for your page)
Add a visible “Updated [Month Year]” line; keep a hidden note of changes (INSET added, new LA link, revised deadline).
Reporting in GA4 & GSC
GA4
| Where | Reports → Traffic acquisition → Session source/medium |
| Tip | If allowed, add UTMs to partner links (utm_source=council • utm_medium=citation) |
| Outcome | Referral clicks to your hub; time on page |
GSC
| Where | Performance → filter by page (your hub) |
| Watch | CTR uplift for linked queries; YoY matched periods |
| Bonus | Sitelinks/FAQ appearances when sections improved |
Quarterly governance & risk policy
| Area | Rule | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Risk | No paying for followed links; accept nofollow/sponsored | Compliant and future-proof |
| Quality | Only pitch task-first pages with clear benefits | Higher acceptance rate |
| Accessibility | Tables readable; alt text present; plain English | Helps parents & partners |
| Audit | Quarterly review of pipeline + outcomes | Stops drift; captures wins |
Print-screen cards
BLB Pipeline — Stage Definitions
print this card| Prospect → Packed → Pitched → Accepted → Published → Measured |
Tracker Columns (copy block)
print this card| Topic | Host page | Dead URL | HTTP | Wayback | Replacement | Suggested anchor | Owner | Status | Dates | Attribute | Screenshots | Outcome |
FAQs
What’s a realistic quarterly target?
For a single school team: 10–20 pitches, aiming for 5–10 accepted fixes to high-fit partners.
Should we insist on followed links?
No. Be happy with nofollow/sponsored where appropriate. The value is visibility and trust.
How do we avoid duplication across campuses?
Use one shared tracker with a “Campus” field; each opportunity has a single owner.
What if a host asks for our copy?
Provide a short summary; request a citation to your full, maintained page.
How do we record screenshots?
Name consistently: host-page-before.png, host-page-after.png. Store in a shared folder linked from the tracker.
Which wins go to governors/SLT?
LA/SEND/admissions fixes; any links from universities or NHS/charities; summary of CTR uplift.
Can students help?
Yes, with supervision—verification and screenshots make a good digital-literacy task.
Is there seasonality?
Yes: Admissions (Aug–Nov), Term dates (July–Sept), Exams (Apr–June). Prioritise accordingly.
How long to keep evidence?
Keep for a year; refresh screenshots if the host page redesigns.
What signals show a poor-fit host?
Link sales pages, spam categories, no ownership details—skip these and log as “Declined”.
Need practical SEO support?
Speak With Paul Delaney
Paul Delaney helps schools turn complex SEO into simple, effective actions. As a guest writer for SEO for Schools, Paul shares step-by-step playbooks and evidence-based guidance that busy teams can apply immediately. With three decades’ experience working with UK and international institutions, he understands the challenges school teams face and is well positioned to offer support and guidance.
For our readers, Paul offers free 30-minute sessions for institutions exploring how to raise visibility, strengthen brand trust and streamline admissions. Sessions are practical, jargon-free and free from sales pressure. You can contact him using the buttons below—please mention SEOforSchools.co.uk.
