Link Reclamation: How to Find and Fix Lost or Broken Links

Are your search rankings not improving despite consistent SEO efforts? The issue might not be what you’re doing, but what you’ve lost. Link reclamation is a powerful and cost-effective link-building technique that helps regain lost SEO value by recovering broken or missing backlinks. Links can break or disappear over time due to changes in website structure, the deletion of pages, or outdated URLs.

In this article, you will learn what link reclamation is, how to fix broken internal links, and ways to implement an advanced link reclamation strategy.

What is Link Reclamation

Link reclamation involves identifying and restoring broken or lost inbound links to your website. This process may include fixing issues on the linking site or reinstating links that once pointed to your content. Compared to building new backlinks, link reclamation is typically faster and more efficient. It typically requires nothing more than locating broken links and contacting the site owner. By regaining lost link equity, you can recover traffic and leads, and maintain a strong, healthy backlink profile.

Key Factors Behind Lost or Broken Links

Let’s explore the key factors that contribute to the loss of backlinks, which can significantly impact your website’s SEO performance.

• 404 Error: A 404 error occurs when a link points to a non-existent internal URL, resulting in a “Page Not Found” error. It often requires 404 link reclamation after URL changes without proper redirection.
• 301 Redirect: A 301 redirect permanently redirects a URL to a new address. If misconfigured, they lead users to dead ends and prevent search engines from passing link equity correctly.
• Backlink Removal: A lost link occurs when a webmaster removes a backlink to your site. It occurs due to updated content, better resources, competitor link building outreach, or stricter external linking policies.
• Noindex Tag: A noindex tag tells search engines not to index a page, even if it contains a link to your site. As a result, the link carries little to no SEO value.
• Content Deletion: If a page is no longer available, it’s likely due to content deletion. Your link is lost, unless you suggest a valuable replacement or updated resource.

Why Reclaim Broken Internal Links

Reclaming broken links benefits both the linking and linked websites, making link reclamation crucial for many reasons.

• Increased Bounce Rates: Readers leave a website if they click on a link and are not directed to the intended page. This can shorten their time spent and increase your bounce rates.
• Rank in SERPs: External links primarily determine your website’s rating. Every broken external link reduces your site’s potential to rank highly in SERPs and build link equity.
• Restored Page Authority: Internal links help distribute link juice throughout your website, enhancing its overall authority. This value is not passed on when links are broken, which can impact your site’s search engine results.
• Improved Search Credibility: Backlinks act as endorsements from other websites. Every lost link affects how credible your website appears to both users and search engines.
• Direct Site’s Traffic: Hyperlinks drive referral traffic to your site from other sources. When backlinks are lost, this flow is interrupted, resulting in missed opportunities to engage interested users.
• Cost-Effective Approach: Reclaming lost backlinks is a quicker and more cost-effective alternative to building new ones, and it is just as valuable in strengthening your link profile.

How to Find Lost or Broken Links

After comprehending the SEO importance of link reclamation, let’s dive into how you can find your missing links.

Check Broken or Lost Backlinks

Use SEO reports to filter and review lost backlinks in your profile. Many link reclamation tool options offer email alerts to help you recover links as soon as they drop.

Filter the Linking Pages

With thousands of backlinks, it’s unrealistic to pursue every lost one. Focus your efforts by vetting and categorizing high-value opportunities. Export link data to a spreadsheet for easier filtering and analysis.

Investigate Noindex Pages

Regaining links from noindex pages isn’t a high priority for webmasters. If it’s the homepage, notify the owner as they’ll likely fix it.

Check Website Manually & Follow-up

If you haven’t heard back after a week, check the page manually & consider a follow-up. Resubmit your request as they previously linked to you, so your inclusion remains valid.

Best Practices for Fixing Broken Links

Addressing and fixing broken or lost links on your site as soon as possible is crucial for maintaining both SEO and user experience. Here is how to fix broken internal links:

Update or Remove Broken Links

If there is a typo in the URL, changing it to the correct URL will resolve the issue. Removing the link is the best course of action if the linked content is no longer relevant or accurate.

Insert a 301 Redirect

When redirecting a page permanently, it is crucial to use 301 redirects. Use a 301 redirect to direct visitors to a new page, rather than displaying a 404 error. To preserve your rankings, make sure the new URL closely resembles the original link.

Configure a 302 Redirect

If traffic has to be temporarily redirected from an existing URL to another, use a 302 redirect. Refer clients to a notification page or a comparable product. However, notify them when the original content will be restored.

Map Old URLs to Existing Pages

When rerouting out-of-date URLs, use redirects to map each old link to the most relevant existing page. Avoid directing all visitors to the homepage. Relevance-based redirects enhance user experience, particularly for outdated category sites.

Develop a Reclaim Strategy

Developing a plan ensures your efforts are targeted. Define your goals, identify valuable lost links or target sites, and analyze the content style that appeals to readers. These insights create a solid framework for an effective link reclamation strategy.

Organize the Removed Links

If the webpage has revised its policy, there isn’t much you can do about it. By restricting the website’s outgoing links, you may manually examine pages and identify any possible conflicts. Use the Status filter to view removed links. A red page may suggest an advanced upgrade.

Reach out for Attribution

Reach out to webmasters utilizing your content and seek a link back to your site. Share a specific URL for simple linking. Keep a note of your requests and follow up as needed. 

Craft the Outreach Emails

The cause of the link loss will determine how you contact the webmasters. Use clear syntax, be descriptive, and go right to the point while writing emails. If feasible, provide value upfront without expecting anything in return.

Fixing Broken Links with GSC

You can easily monitor, update, and debug your website with the help of Google Search Console. Select Pages after logging into your GSC account. Click Not found (404) after scrolling to the Why pages aren’t indexed section.

With GSC, you can track your site’s missing pages and attempt to repair them. For internal links, you can update the link in the related content. Consider 301 or 302 redirects if the link originates from another site.

Bonus tip: Fix Lost or Broken Links with Link Watcher

To streamline the process of reclaiming lost or broken links, Link Watcher is the best choice, offering automatic link tracking with ease.

This backlink monitoring tool sends instant alerts for every lost, broken, or modified link, thus helping preserve hard-earned SEO value. Its visual performance dashboard and detailed reports make your link reclamation efforts faster and more effective. By using smart automation, you can save hours of manual work and focus on reclaiming the links that matter most. Get started with Link Watcher, alongside Google Search Console, to create a comprehensive backlink recovery system.

Conclusion

This post highlights link reclamation as a crucial step for enhancing your website’s SEO. It helps keep link equity flowing to your webpage, improving your search engine rankings and credibility. There are several strategies for not only identifying lost links but also reclaiming lost links and fixing broken internal links. With Link Watcher, you can track your backlinks that support your SEO strategy. Give it a try today!

FAQs on Link Reclamation