Backlinks are among the strongest search engine optimization (SEO) ranking signals. They’re a vote from other websites that tells search engines your content is authoritative, credible, and relevant. Over time, however, some of those prized backlinks are lost because of technical problems, pages being deleted, site updates, or people making mistakes.
That is where link reclamation enters the picture.
This blog post will dig deep:
- What is link reclamation?
- Why do backlinks get lost in the long term
- Is link reclamation still relevant in 2025?
- Step-by-step guide to discovering and reclaiming lost backlinks
- Equipment required for the task
- Practical examples and case studies
- Final words (with digital marketing in Vizag as the target keyword)
What is Link Reclamation?
Link Reclamation is a method of discovery and repair of broken, lost, or unlinked brand mentions or backlinks that previously pointed to your site. This is contrasted to the traditional link building strategy of getting new links out. Link reclamation is an attempt to recapture the links you once acquired and lost due to different reasons.
- It’s repairing what’s broken.
- Repairing what’s missing.
Some of the types of link reclamation include:
- Fixing broken backlinks (404 errors)
- Redirecting dead/old pages which contained backlinks
- Fixing misspelled URLs on referring sites
- Converting unlinked brand mentions to working links
- Resurrecting links removed in content updating
Why Do Backlinks Get Lost?
Backlinks can vanish over time for several reasons, such as:
| Reason Description Page deleted The page on your site does not exist anymore, hence the 404 error. URL changed The layout of your site changed, making the current link obsolete. Link removed The referring site changed its content and took away the link. Redirects not set You did not have a 301 redirect for new content. Domain expired The referring site no longer exists or lost its domain name. Brand mentions not linked Your brand is mentioned but there is no link. |
Does Link Reclamation Still Work in 2025?
In 2025, link reclamation remains one of the most efficient, cost-effective, and scalable SEO strategies for boosting organic rankings.
Why It Still Works:
You’re not building from scratch – You’re reviving authority you’ve already earned.
Google still values backlinks – They are still in the top 3 ranking factors.
Fast impact – Reclaiming a powerful lost link can deliver results faster than new link outreach.
Less resistance – You’re not cold-pitching; you’re just correcting or restoring.
Many digital marketers overlook this method, but reclaiming 20–50 high-authority links can outperform a brand-new link-building campaign.
How to Find and Reclaim Lost Backlinks: A Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s how to go about doing a complete link reclamation plan for your website:
Step 1: Identify Lost Backlinks
Start with backlink tracking tools to uncover what’s lost.
Tools to Use:
Ahrefs – Utilize the “Lost Backlinks” report
SEMrush – Go to Backlink Audit → Lost
Google Search Console – Look for 404 errors in “Pages” and “Links”
Moz Link Explorer – Follow link history
Screaming Frog – Crawl website for broken incoming links
Example:
Your blog post:
was taken down in a redesign, but Ahrefs said that it had 30 backlinks. The links are now broken.
Step 2: Decide on the Type of Link Loss
Different issues require different solutions:
Link Problem\Action
Page no longer exists (404)\recreate the page or redirect to similar one
URL changed but not forwarded Insert 301 redirect from new to old URL
Webmaster removed link Civility request link restoration
URL misspelling on referring site E-mail site admin with correct URL
Unlinked brand mention Request hyperlinking your brand name
Step 3: Fix Broken Links with 301 Redirects
If you deleted previous pages or changed URLs in a redesign or site relocation, I must introduce 301 redirects from the old URL to the best new one.
Example:
301 Redirect /blog/seo-strategy-2023 https://yourdomain.com/blog/advanced-seo-tips-2025
This passes link equity (PageRank) to the new URL and improves the user experience.
Step 4: Webmaster Outreach for Link Fixing
Where backlinks are removed or brand names de-linked, you should contact the webmaster or editor of the original page.
Email Template:
Subject: Resolving broken link to your article
Dear [Name],
I have seen your excellent piece of work on [topic] and found that one of the links to our content has been inactive or obsolete. The correct link is as follows:
[Correct URL]
Would you be willing to fix the link so your readers can access the proper information? If I can assist, I’d be grateful.
Appreciatively,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Agency]
Solution-focused and courteous.
Step 5: Track Your Results
After updating, keep tracking performance:
Examine referring and indexing traffic with Google Search Console.
Examine Ahrefs or SEMrush backlink reports.
Track target keyword organic rankings.
Consistency is the key. Make link reclamation a regular SEO task on a monthly basis.
Bonus: Reclaiming Unlinked Brand Mentions
Occasionally websites refer to your brand, services, or products without linking to you. These are low-hanging fruit link reclamation opportunities.
How to Do This:
- Utilize tools such as Google Alerts, Mention, or BuzzSumo to locate mentions.
- Search for instances where there’s no link.
- Contact and ask for a link to your homepage or corresponding page.
Example:
If a person types, “We worked with XYZ Digital for our SEO requirements,” but fails to hyperlink “XYZ Digital,” you may request them to add a link.
Best Tools for Link Reclamation
| Tool Purpose Ahrefs Track backlink loss and new links SEMrush Link audits and monitoring Google Search Console Find crawl errors and lost links Screaming Frog SEO Spider Find internal broken links BuzzSumo Brand mention tracking Hunter.io Find email addresses for outreach Broken Link Checker (by W3C) Spot broken links |
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Valuable Links Go to Waste
If you’ve invested time and money into content marketing, SEO, and link building, you owe your business a return on it. Link reclamation is an important aspect of protecting the authority of your domain and maintaining your SEO performance over time.
It’s a fast, high-impact, low-cost way to bulk up your backlink profile—and it’s especially important following website redesigns, migrations, or updates.
Need Link Reclamation and SEO Help?
Require professional help to regain lost links, monitor backlink health, or boost organic rankings? We can help. Our agency is a Digital Marketing Vizag leader that helps local and national organizations get more visibility, traffic, and conversions through powerful SEO strategies—like link audits and reclamation.
Let’s work together to boost your rankings and regain your backlink strength.
