Link reclamation recovers lost backlinks from changed URLs, removed content, or broken links. Monitor lost links, reach out to webmasters, and provide updated URLs to restore valuable link equity.
Why Link Reclamation Matters
Link reclamation is a crucial part of a website’s SEO strategy because it preserves valuable link equity. When a backlink breaks, it stops passing authority to your website, and a user who clicks on it gets a frustrating 404 “Not Found” error. This not only harms the user experience but also signals to search engines that your site may have issues. By reclaiming these links, you can:
- Restore Link Equity: You recover the authority and trust that the broken link was passing, which can help a page rank higher.
- Improve User Experience: You prevent a user from hitting a dead end on your website, which can lead to a lower bounce rate and a higher time on site.
- Boost Referral Traffic: A working link can send a steady stream of referral traffic to your website.
It’s a more efficient and cost-effective way to get backlinks than starting from scratch.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The management of link reclamation is a technical SEO strategy that can be applied to any CMS.
WordPress
WordPress users can easily manage link reclamation by using a plugin like Broken Link Checker or a good SEO plugin that provides backlink analysis. These tools can scan your website for broken links and can provide you with a report on all the broken links on your site. You should also check for any redirect chains or a 404 “Not Found” error in your Google Search Console.
Shopify
On Shopify, you can use a variety of tools to check for broken links. A tool like Google Search Console can provide a report on all the broken links on your site. You can also use a third-party SEO tool that can check for broken links.
Wix
Wix has a streamlined, user-friendly system, but you can still check for broken links. The platform’s built-in SEO tools make it easy to manage your titles, meta descriptions, and on-page content.
Webflow
Webflow gives you granular control over your website’s design and code, which is perfect for a sophisticated link reclamation strategy. You can use it to create a perfectly structured page that is optimized for a specific keyword or set of keywords.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the most control but also the most responsibility. You can build a system that automatically tracks and analyzes your link rot and provides your content creators with data-driven insights.
Across Different Industries
The way you use link reclamation will depend on your industry and your goals.
E-commerce
E-commerce sites, with their many product pages and constant changes, are especially vulnerable to link rot. Reclaiming links is essential to ensure that valuable product pages don’t lose the backlink authority they have earned.
Local Businesses
Local businesses often have links from local news sites or directories. Reclaiming these links is crucial for maintaining your local SEO and your brand’s reputation in the community.
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies can use link reclamation to ensure that links to their blog posts or case studies are not broken. This helps to maintain their expertise and authority in their niche.
Blogs
Blogs are a great way to capitalize on link reclamation. A blog can find a broken link on a popular website and suggest their content as a replacement, which is a powerful link building tactic.
Do’s and Don’ts of Link Reclamation
Do’s
- Do check your own website first. Fixing internal broken links is the easiest and most effective first step.
- Do use a 301 redirect for a permanent move. This is the most effective way to pass link authority from an old page to a new one.
- Do use a tool to find broken links. A tool like Google Search Console is a must.
Don’ts
- Don’t ignore the problem. Broken links can grow exponentially over time and become a huge problem.
- Don’t use a JavaScript redirect for a permanent move. This is a major SEO problem and can lead to a loss of link authority.
- Don’t delete a page without a 301 redirect. This can lead to a 404 error and a loss of link authority.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to check for broken links: This is a basic but critical step. You cannot improve what you do not measure.
- Ignoring the quality of a backlink: Not all backlinks are worth reclaiming. You should focus on high-quality links from relevant websites.
- Sending a spammy outreach email: A good outreach email should be personalized and should clearly explain why a website should link to your content.
FAQs
How do I find lost or broken backlinks?
You can find lost or broken backlinks by using a third-party SEO tool like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz. These tools provide a comprehensive report on all the backlinks pointing to your website, including those that are lost or broken. You should also check the “Coverage” report in Google Search Console for 404 errors.
What is the difference between link reclamation and broken link building?
Link reclamation is about recovering links that were once yours but are now broken. Broken link building is about finding broken links on other websites and suggesting your content as a replacement.
What is a “lost backlink”?
A lost backlink is a link that was once pointing to your website but is no longer doing so. This can be caused by a website owner manually removing the link, a page being deleted, or a URL being changed.
How do broken internal links affect a website’s SEO?
Broken internal links can harm a website’s SEO by creating a poor user experience, which can lead to a higher bounce rate. They can also prevent search engine crawlers from discovering and indexing your content.
How often should I check for broken links?
You should check for broken links on a regular basis. The frequency will depend on your industry and your goals. A good rule of thumb is to perform a check at least once a month, especially for a high-traffic website.
