Resource Page Link Building Pitch Brief Template

Resource-Page Pitch Brief (fill-in)

When to use: One row per resource page with resource fit, missing value, target section, evidence, a personalized pitch, owners and a completion check.

Resource-page pitch brief

One row per resource page. Fill it before you write the pitch. If you can't name the missing value, don't pitch.

Your resource: [URL of the guide, tool or checklist you want listed] - Brief owner: [name] - Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]

Per-row detail (fill for every page)

• Page maintained: [last update date, recent additions, or no sign]
• Inclusion rules on the page: [quoted rules, or none stated]
• Paid listing offered: [no / yes, marked sponsored / yes, unmarked]
• Outdated or dead entries: [entry names and status]
• Editor or maintainer: [name, role, how found]
• Decision: [pitch / improve resource first / drop]
• Follow-up date and stop date: [dates]

Next action

• Researcher: [name] - task: qualify the page and fill fit, missing value and section by [date]
• Content owner: [name] - task: confirm the evidence, or improve the resource, by [date]
• Outreach owner: [name] - task: send the personalized pitch and log the reply by [date]

Completion check

• The missing value is specific: a format, level, region or update the list lacks.
• The target section is named, so the editor knows where the link would go.
• Evidence is something the editor can check on your page in one click.
• The personalized line would make no sense if sent to another site.
• Pages that sell unmarked listings are dropped, with the reason kept.

Find and Qualify Resource Pages

When to use: Search operators and tool steps to find resource pages, plus the checks that drop weak or paid lists.

Find resource pages

Resource pages are curated lists: useful links, tools, reading lists and guides for a topic. Start from searches like these.

Run a rival's domain in the Backlink Analyzer for up to 50 of its strongest links, then open the referring pages. Some will be resource lists.

To find sites that link to rivals but not to you, use the link gap in Competitor Analysis.

Qualify before you brief

• A person curates it. You can see an editor, librarian or team behind it.
• It is maintained. Recent additions, a current year or few dead entries.
• Readers would use it. It sits in a guide, help center or course, not alone.
• No price list for listings. Google lists low-quality directory links as link spam.

Read the link spam section of Google's spam policies before you pay for any listing.

Missing Value, Target Section and Evidence

When to use: Name the gap on their page, the section where your resource fits, and the proof the editor can check.

Missing value, target section and evidence

Editors add a resource when it fills a gap their readers have. Name that gap, then prove your resource fills it.

Target section fields

• Section heading: [exact heading on their page]
• Entries next to it: [2 entries yours would sit beside]
• Suggested listing text: [title plus one line, in their list style]

Evidence rules

• Evidence must be on your page: a method note, an update date, an author bio or a free access note.
• No ranking or traffic claims you can't show. Editors check.
• Your page must work. Check status codes, noindex and broken internal links with a Website Audit.

Personalized Pitch Emails

When to use: Two short emails built from the brief: add a resource that fills a gap, or replace an outdated entry.

Personalized pitch emails

Use the brief to write the email. The personalized line and the missing value do the work. Keep the rest short.

A. Add a resource that fills a gap

Subject: A [format] for your [section heading] list

Hi [name], [personalized line about their page].

Your [section heading] list has [what it has], but no [missing value]. We made one: [resource title], [URL].

[one line of evidence]. If it fits, it could sit next to [entry name]. Thanks for keeping the list up.

[Your name], [role], [site]

B. Replace an outdated or dead entry

Subject: [entry name] on your [page title] page

Hi [name], the [entry name] link in [section heading] [now returns an error / covers rules from YEAR].

If you want an updated option, [resource title] covers [the same need]: [URL]. Either way, thanks for the list.

Pitch rules

• One resource per email. Pick the best fit, not your whole site.
• Never offer payment or a link back in exchange for the listing.
• If the site sells listings, the link must carry rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" (Google on qualifying outbound links).

Dead entry on the page? Brief it with the Broken-Link Opportunity Brief Template first.

Follow-Up and Outcome Log

When to use: One follow-up, a stop rule and what to log for added, declined, paid and silent pages.

Follow-up and outcome log

One follow-up, then stop. Log every outcome, so the next campaign skips pages that already said no.

Follow-up (after about a week)

Hi [name], a quick follow-up on [resource title] for your [section heading] list. If it is not a fit, no problem. I won't follow up again.

Log added listings in the Backlink Tracker Template.

Want help picking resource pages worth pitching? Book a free consultation with Anatolii Ulitovskyi.

Spreadsheet Header (CSV)

When to use: A paste-ready header row and allowed values to run the brief in Google Sheets or Excel.

Paste-ready spreadsheet header

Paste this row into cell A1 of Google Sheets or Excel, then split text to columns by comma. One row per resource page.

page_id,resource_page_url,page_title,curator_name,curator_role,contact_source,last_updated_seen,inclusion_rules,paid_listing,outdated_entries,resource_fit,missing_value_type,missing_value_note,target_section,neighbor_entries,evidence,suggested_listing_text,personalized_line,our_resource_url,decision,decision_reason,researcher,content_owner,outreach_owner,sent_date,follow_up_date,stop_date,outcome,live_link_attribute

Allowed values

• paid_listing: no, yes_sponsored, yes_unmarked
• missing_value_type: out_of_date, format, level, region, dead_entry
• decision: pitch, improve_first, drop
• outcome: added, declined, asked_payment, no_reply, pending
• live_link_attribute: none, nofollow, sponsored, ugc

Sheet tips

• Filter paid_listing = yes_unmarked out of every outreach export.
• Sort by missing_value_type to see which resource to build next.
• Highlight rows with an empty personalized_line. They are not ready.

Worked Example (fictional web studio)

When to use: Three filled rows for an invented web studio's accessibility checklist: two pitches and one dropped directory.

Worked example: Ferncastle Studio accessibility checklist

Example only. Ferncastle Studio is an invented web design studio. The resource pages, editors, URLs and dates are made up to show a filled-in brief.

Resource: ferncastle.example/guides/web-accessibility-checklist/ - Brief owner: content lead - Date: 2 Nov 2026

How the rows were filled

• Row 1: the checklist was linked next to the two contrast articles already on the list.
• Row 2: the content lead checked the checklist's references before the pitch.
• Row 3: the directory offered followed links for a fee. Dropped and kept with the reason.
• Outcome log: row 1 added on 9 Nov 2026 with no rel attribute. Row 2 pending until the stop date.

Why this works

• Each pitch names a gap the editor can see on their own page.
• The evidence is on the resource itself, so it takes one click to check.
• The paid directory never reached outreach.