What is Link Reclamation?


What You Need to Know about Link Reclamation

Recovers Previously Earned Authority

Sites lose backlinks when content moves, URLs change, or linking sites update their pages with broken links. Reclaiming these restores authority you already earned rather than building new links.

Easier Than Acquiring New Links

Site owners who previously linked are more receptive to fixing broken references than responding to cold outreach, making reclamation more efficient than starting relationships from scratch.

Identifies Multiple Reclamation Opportunities

Common scenarios include 404 errors from site migrations, outdated product URLs, changed brand names, acquired domains with broken backlinks, and unlinked brand mentions that should include hyperlinks.

Requires Systematic Link Monitoring

Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush track lost backlinks, while Google Search Console shows crawl errors. Regular monitoring catches broken links quickly before linking sites remove references entirely.

Involves Polite Outreach

Contact site owners with specific broken link locations and correct replacement URLs, making updates easy for them. Provide value by mentioning other broken links on their site when relevant.

Delivers Quick Wins

Reclaimed links often restore rankings faster than new links since search engines already recognized the previous authority, and the linking pages may still carry strong authority themselves.


Frequently Asked Questions about Link Reclamation

1. How do you find lost backlinks to reclaim?

Use backlink tools to monitor “lost links” reports, check Search Console for crawl errors, and run site audits after migrations to identify broken internal and external link patterns.

2. What’s the success rate for link reclamation outreach?

Response rates typically range from 20-40% since site owners previously chose to link and usually want to maintain working references. Success improves with personalized, helpful outreach.

3. Should you reclaim all lost links?

Prioritize links from high-authority domains and relevant industry sites. Low-quality or spammy lost links aren’t worth recovering—focus effort on backlinks that meaningfully impact rankings.

4. Does link reclamation work after site migrations?

Absolutely. Migrations often break external links despite proper redirects. Proactive outreach to high-value linking sites ensures they update references directly rather than relying solely on redirects.RetryW


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Related Terms

Reciprocal Links

Mutual link exchanges between websites that can appear manipulative if done solely for SEO rather than genuine partnerships.

Reciprocal Links

.gov Links

Backlinks from government websites (.gov domains) come with high authority and trust due to official status

.gov Links

PBN

A network of sites built solely to manipulate rankings through artificial backlinks, violating search engine guidelines and risking penalties.

PBN

Sponsored Link Attribute

rel=”sponsored” identifies paid links to search engines, preventing PageRank flow and maintaining site credibility through transparent link disclosure.

Sponsored Link Attribute


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