Link reclamation is the process of recovering lost, broken, or uncredited backlinks to restore their SEO value. It commonly involves identifying links that previously pointed to a page but no longer resolve correctly due to URL changes, site migrations, deleted content, or incorrect attribution. Reclaiming these links helps recover authority that would otherwise be lost.
This practice also includes securing links for brand mentions where a site references a company, product, or resource without providing a hyperlink. By converting unlinked mentions into links, link reclamation captures existing editorial intent rather than creating new demand.
Link reclamation is considered a low risk and high efficiency SEO activity. It focuses on preserving earned value, improving link equity flow, and strengthening trust signals without relying on new outreach campaigns or promotional tactics.
Advanced
Link reclamation relies on backlink monitoring, crawl analysis, and change tracking. Common scenarios include 404 errors after URL updates, redirect chains that dilute value, and links removed during site redesigns. Accurate mapping and clean redirects are essential to recover full authority.
Effective workflows prioritise high value links based on source authority, relevance, and placement. Outreach is typically targeted and factual, requesting corrections rather than promotions. Ongoing monitoring is required to prevent recurring losses during future site changes.
Relevance
- Recovers lost link equity.
- Improves ranking stability after site changes.
- Protects authority earned through past efforts.
- Strengthens backlink profile integrity.
- Delivers efficient SEO gains with low risk.
Applications
- Website migrations and redesigns.
- Broken backlink audits.
- Brand mention link conversion.
- Redirect strategy validation.
- Ongoing backlink maintenance.
Metrics
- Number of links successfully reclaimed.
- Authority recovered from reclaimed links.
- Reduction in backlink related errors.
- Ranking recovery after fixes.
- Organic traffic changes post reclamation.
Issues
- Missed opportunities leave authority unrecovered.
- Poor redirects dilute link value.
- Delayed outreach reduces success rates.
- Inaccurate mapping causes repeated losses.
- Lack of monitoring allows erosion over time.
Example
A company migrated its website and lost several high authority backlinks due to broken URLs. After identifying the affected links and implementing proper redirects, most links were reclaimed. Rankings stabilised and organic traffic returned to pre migration levels.