Link Reclamation

What Is Link Reclamation?

Link reclamation is the practice of reclaiming or recovering backlinks that you’ve lost or that you should have but don’t.

Assume someone once linked to your site in their blog post, but over time that link stopped working (maybe you moved or deleted the page it pointed to). That valuable link is now essentially “lost” – link reclamation is the process of getting that value back, either by repairing the link or asking for a new one.

 It also includes situations like when another site mentions your brand or content but didn’t actually link to you; reaching out to turn that mention into a backlink can be considered link reclamation as well.

Why Link Reclamation Matters

Backlinks are a significant factor in search engine rankings – they’re like “votes of confidence” for your website. Losing a backlink can mean losing some of that SEO equity.

 If multiple good backlinks to your site break or disappear, you might see a dip in your rankings or traffic over time. 

Link reclamation helps you protect and restore the value of links you’ve already acquired. It’s often much more time-efficient and cost-effective than trying to build links from scratch. After all, at one point someone thought your content was valuable enough to link to – making sure those links remain active ensures you continue reaping the benefits.

Another reason it matters is user experience. Broken links aren’t just an SEO issue; they’re a user issue. 

If a visitor on another site clicks a link to you and hits a dead end (404 page), that’s a missed opportunity to engage that visitor. By fixing or reclaiming links, you not only boost SEO but also make sure interested users can actually reach you. 

Best Practices for Link Reclamation

1. Audit Your Backlink Profile Regularly

The first step in link reclamation is knowing what links you have and which ones you lost. Use tools like Google Search Console or third party SEO platforms (Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush, etc.) to scan your backlink profile. 

Most of these tools have a report for “lost backlinks” or can show you links that used to exist but are no longer found.

 Also, check for any 404 errors on your site using tools or your own analytics – if a page that gets traffic from referrals is returning 404, that’s a red flag. 

By doing a regular audit, say every few months, you’ll catch broken links before too much time passes. It’s easier to reclaim a link soon after it breaks (while the content on the other site is still fresh) than years later. Keep a simple spreadsheet or list of high-value backlinks and their status so you can track changes over time.

2. Fix or Redirect Your Broken Pages

A lot of link reclamation is within your own control. 

If other sites link to a page on your website that you’ve moved or deleted, consider restoring that page or setting up a 301 redirect from the old URL to a relevant new one. For example, if “yourdomain.com/pricing.html” got linked by several blogs but you redesigned your site and that URL changed to “/pricing/”, implement a redirect so that anyone (or any search engine) hitting the old link gets seamlessly sent to the new page. 

This way, you recapture the link’s value without needing to ask anyone else to do anything. Regularly scan your site for broken URLs that have inbound links – Google Search Console’s “Coverage” report can show you 404 pages, and some SEO tools specifically flag 404s that have backlinks.

3. Reach Out to Update Broken External Links

When the issue isn’t on your site (say the other site removed your link or typed it incorrectly), a polite outreach can go a long way. 

• Identify the high-value backlinks that are no longer functioning. Maybe an article mentioned you and intended to link, but the link is broken or removed. 
• Find a contact for that website – an author or webmaster – and send a friendly message.

 The tone should be helpful, not accusatory: for instance, “Hi, I noticed in your article about XYZ you mentioned our resource ABC. It looks like the link might be pointing to an old page that isn’t there anymore. Here’s the updated link to the resource, in case your readers would find it useful.” 

Often, site owners appreciate the update (broken links aren’t good for them either) and will correct it. Not everyone will respond or take action, but even reclaiming a few good links this way can be worth it. Focus on the ones from reputable sites that matter most to your SEO.

4. Convert Unlinked Mentions into Links

Sometimes your brand or content gets talked about without a hyperlink. For example, a news article might say “According to a report by YourCompanyName…” but not link to the report. These are low-hanging opportunities to ask for a link. 

Use tools like Google Alerts, Mention, or simple Google searches for your brand name (in quotes) to find instances where you’re mentioned. 

When you find an unlinked mention on a blog or site that makes sense to link (maybe they cited a statistic from you, or reviewed your product), reach out with a thank-you and a gentle request.

Something like: “Thanks for mentioning our company in your recent post about Topic – we’re glad you found our data useful. If it’s not too much trouble, could you link our name to our site? It would help readers easily find the report you referenced.”

 Not everyone will add a link, but many will, especially if you frame it as beneficial for their readers. Each converted mention strengthens your backlink profile.

5. Prioritize High-Value Links

Not all links are created equal. When doing link reclamation, it’s wise to triage your efforts. 

Look at the authority of the site and the relevance of the content when deciding which lost links to pursue first. A broken link from a well-respected industry publication or a high-traffic site is a bigger deal than one from a tiny personal blog. 

Similarly, a link that was driving referral traffic is very valuable to get back. Use your analytics to see if certain referral sources dropped off – that could indicate a link went away. By focusing on the most impactful links, you make the best use of your time. 

Once those are addressed, you can work your way down to smaller ones. In many cases, a handful of quality reclaimed links can provide more SEO benefit than dozens of minor ones.

6. Maintain a Habit of Monitoring

Link reclamation isn’t a one-time project – it’s an ongoing maintenance task. Websites are dynamic, and links that work today might not work a year from now.

 Set up a schedule or reminders to check for lost links periodically. You can also set alerts in some SEO tools to notify you when they detect a lost backlink. 

Another tip is to pay attention if you do a site overhaul or content migration; major site changes are prime times when links break. After such an event, run a thorough check (there are crawl tools that can simulate external link checks to your site). 

FAQs about Link Reclamation

Q: How can I find which backlinks I’ve lost or have broken?

A: You can use tools like Google Search Console, which gives some information on your inbound links, or dedicated SEO tools (Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush, etc.). These often have a “lost backlinks” report showing links that were present and then dropped. Additionally, check your site’s 404 error logs or reports – if a page that used to get referral traffic now shows 404 errors, that’s a clue that an external link to it might be broken. Manually, you can also search for your site or content name in quotes to see mentions (which can help find unlinked mentions).

Q: What should I do if I delete a page that had good backlinks?

A: Ideally, don’t delete a page that has valuable backlinks unless absolutely necessary. But if it’s already happened (or you had to remove something), implement a 301 redirect from that old URL to the most relevant alternative page on your site. For example, if you had a blog post that’s now gone, you might redirect to a similar post or a category page. This way, anyone clicking the old link (and search engines following it) will be taken to a live page, and you’ll preserve some of the link equity. If there’s no relevant page at all, consider recreating the content if those links are very valuable – essentially putting the page back up (even if slightly updated).

Q: How do I ask someone to fix or add a link without being pushy?

A: Politeness and clarity are key. Identify the right person (such as the article’s author or the site’s webmaster) and send a short, friendly email. 

• Start by acknowledging their content or thanking them for mentioning your brand. 
• Then mention the link issue directly but nicely. For example: “Hi [Name], I really enjoyed your article on [Topic]. I noticed you referenced our [resource/product] but the link seems to be broken. We’ve updated it on our site – would you mind linking to [new URL] so your readers can find it? Thanks for highlighting our work!” 
• Keep it concise and helpful. If you’re asking to turn a mention into a link, a similar approach works: thank them for the mention and suggest that adding a link could benefit their readers. 

Making the process easy (providing the exact link, etc.) increases the chances they’ll do it.

Q: Is link reclamation as important as building new links?

A: Both are important, but reclamation is often the “low-hanging fruit.” It’s wise to do it first because it’s usually easier – you’re fixing something that was already there. 

New link building typically requires more effort (outreach, creating new content, etc.). Reclaiming links won’t necessarily give you more links than you had before, but it ensures you don’t lose the ones you earned.

Q: How often should I check for lost or broken backlinks?

A: A good cadence might be every quarter (every 3 months) for a thorough check. If your site doesn’t get new links often, twice a year could be sufficient. 

On the other hand, if you’re actively creating content and building links, or if you’ve had a recent site redesign/URL change, you might monitor more closely. Also, after any major site changes (like moving to a new domain or restructuring URLs), it’s important to audit for broken backlinks so you can address them promptly.

Q: Can reclaiming a few links really make a difference in SEO?

A: Yes, especially if those links are from authoritative sites. Each quality backlink contributes to your site’s authority in Google’s eyes. If, say, you reclaim a link from a high-authority news site that was pointing to a dead page, restoring that could positively impact the ranking of your target page (and help your site’s overall link profile). 

While one link on its own won’t skyrocket you to the top, SEO is the sum of many small improvements. Reclaiming links is like recovering lost “votes” for your site. Keeping all those earned links intact over time can definitely help maintain and improve your search visibility.