Resource Page Link Building: Getting Listed on Curated Link Pages
Some pages on the web exist for one reason: to point readers somewhere else. A university library's page of "useful links for small business students", a city council page listing local support services, a hobby blog's "best free tools for beginner photographers". These are resource pages, and their owners are actively looking for good things to link to. That makes them one of the easiest places to ask for a link, as long as you have something worth listing.
What makes a good resource page target
Not every page with a list of links is worth your time. The ones worth pitching share a few traits:
- They are curated by a person. Someone chose each link, often with a one-line description. Auto-generated link lists are worthless.
- They are topical. A page of "resources for new parents" is a good fit for a baby sleep guide, and a poor fit for a car insurance comparison.
- They are maintained. Recent additions, a "last updated" date, or an active site around them.
- They do not have hundreds of links. A page with 400 outbound links passes little value to each, and nobody reads it.
The best targets are often on schools, libraries, non-profits, associations and local government sites. These organisations create resource pages to serve their communities, and a useful free guide fits their purpose well.
Finding resource pages
Search operators do most of the work. Combine your topic with phrases resource pages commonly use:
your topic intitle:resourcesyour topic inurl:linksyour topic "useful links"or"helpful resources"your topic "recommended sites"your topic inurl:resources site:.ac.infor Indian academic sites, orsite:.eduandsite:.org
Vary the topic terms. A financial literacy app might search "budgeting resources", "money management for students", "personal finance links" and "financial planning tools". Each variation surfaces different pages.
You can also check competitor backlinks. If a competitor's free guide appears on a dozen resource pages, those pages are clearly open to that kind of content. Our walkthrough of competitor backlink analysis shows how to filter a profile down to these opportunities.
What you need to have before pitching
Resource page owners list resources, not sales pages. You will struggle to get your product page added, but you have a real chance with:
- A free, comprehensive guide on a topic the page covers
- A free tool or calculator
- A checklist, template or worksheet
- A glossary or reference page
For example, a Jaipur-based tour operator would have little luck getting its booking page onto a university's "travel resources for international students" page. A clear, free guide to getting around Jaipur by public transport, with practical tips, has a fair chance.
If you do not have a page like that, build one first. It is the price of entry.
Judging whether your page fits
Read the resource page carefully before you write anything. Look at what is already listed, how each entry is described and whether there are categories. Ask:
- Would my page sit comfortably next to these links?
- Which category would it go under?
- Does it add something the page lacks, or duplicate an existing entry?
If your page clearly fills a gap, mention that gap in your pitch.
The pitch email
Resource page pitches should be short, because the decision is simple. Tell the owner what your resource is, why it fits their page, and where it would go.
Hi Ms. Sharma, I came across the "Career and Skills Resources" page on the college library site while researching guides for students. I noticed there is a section on CV writing but nothing yet on preparing for campus interviews. We have a free interview preparation guide with sample answers for common HR questions: [URL]. If it would be useful for your students, I would be glad to see it listed. Thank you for maintaining the page.
That is enough. Do not oversell. If a broken link is on the page, mention it as well, since that overlaps with broken link building and gives the owner another reason to reply.
Common reasons pitches get ignored
- The page is abandoned. Many resource pages have not been touched for years. Check for recent changes before investing effort.
- Your resource is thinly disguised marketing. If the guide is a sales funnel with a few tips, owners can tell.
- The fit is loose. "It is about business, and your page is about business" is not enough.
- Generic emails. If your message could have been sent to any site, it probably will be treated that way.
Does the link have value
Links from curated resource pages on relevant, trusted sites are editorial and usually contextual, which is the kind of link search engines tend to value. They also bring a modest stream of referral traffic from people who actually use the page.
Keep realistic expectations about volume. A good resource page campaign might earn a handful of links from dozens of pitches. Those links are solid, but this is not a method for hundreds of links a month.
Keep your listed resources healthy
Once your guide is on a few resource pages, protect those links. Keep the URL stable, update the content so it stays useful, and avoid redirecting it to a sales page later. If you ever restructure your site, set up a proper 301 redirect from the old URL. Run your important pages through the broken link checker after any migration to catch problems early.
Your next step: pick the single most useful free resource on your site, run four search operator queries for pages that would logically list it, and check each result for recent updates before you write your first pitch.