Success Story – Improving Domain Authority by Reclaiming Lost Backlinks

Backlinks are like votes of confidence—but when they’re lost, that confidence fades. Many websites suffer silent DA decline or stagnation simply because they lose valuable backlinks without noticing. Reclaiming lost or broken backlinks is a powerful way to regain link equity, rebuild trust, and boost your Domain Authority (DA) without needing new outreach.

In this fictional success story, a software company raised its DA from 47 to 56 in 7 months by identifying and reclaiming over 100 lost backlinks, including several from DA 60+ domains.

Why Reclaiming Backlinks Supports DA Growth

Backlink loss can happen due to:

•  Page deletions or URL changes
•  Broken redirects
•  Rebranding or site structure updates
•  Editors removing or replacing links

Reclaiming lost backlinks helps by:

•  Restoring previously earned trust
•  Preventing DA decline from link rot
•  Improving the freshness and integrity of your backlink profile

This process complements strategies like Removing Toxic Backlinks, Technical SEO, and Content Marketing for DA.

The Scenario: SaaS Brand Recovers Lost Backlinks to Restore DA

A fictional cloud storage provider, DataNest, had seen strong growth for years.

Before intervention:

•  DA: 47 (down from 50 the year before)
•  Traffic plateaued despite fresh content
•  Multiple blog URLs were changed during a recent site redesign
•  No process was in place to track backlink loss

A DA audit revealed over 120 high-quality backlinks had broken or disappeared due to outdated URLs and page removals.

Step 1: Use Tools to Identify Lost or Broken Backlinks

They used:

•  Ahrefs and SEMrush to track historical backlink changes
•  Google Search Console to check external links
•  A custom redirect map from the dev team
•  A list of top-performing URLs over the past 3 years

They focused on backlinks from:

•  High-DA domains (50+)
•  Industry blogs, SaaS comparison sites, and review roundups
•  .org, .edu, and media publications

Step 2: Set Up Redirects and Rebuild Lost Pages

Outcomes of this step:

•  301 redirects were created for 50+ outdated blog URLs
•  Key legacy blog posts were recreated or redirected to updated guides
•  Previously linked landing pages were revived with updated CTAs and internal links

This recovered the link value and allowed Google to re-crawl lost pages.

Also see: Evergreen Content for DA and Internal Linking Strategy

Step 3: Reach Out to Editors to Restore or Update Links

They contacted:

•  Blog owners who had linked to old content
•  Partners and communities who had listed them
•  Tech writers who mentioned their brand but used outdated URLs

They offered:

•  The new, relevant URLs
•  Updated descriptions or blurbs if needed
•  Gratitude and optional future collaboration

About 40% of outreach resulted in link restoration, including DA 70+ review blogs and SaaS aggregators.

Step 4: Set Up a Backlink Monitoring SOP to Avoid Future Losses

They built an internal workflow:

•  Monthly backlink change tracking using Ahrefs
•  Alerts set for dropped links to high-value content
•  Team review of any URL changes before publishing
•  A shared redirect tracker between SEO and dev teams

This ensured long-term protection and DA consistency.

Hypothetical DA Growth Timeline from Backlink Reclamation

This projection reflects steady recovery and future-proofing of lost link equity.

Why This Strategy Worked

It Focused on Restoring Value, Not Starting Over

Instead of creating new backlinks, the brand reclaimed trust it had already earned.

It Required No New Content or Tools

Just proper redirects, cleanup, and communication recovered DA effectively and efficiently.

It Built a Sustainable Process

Now, future migrations, updates, or rebrands won’t silently degrade link strength or search rankings.

How to Reclaim Lost Backlinks and Improve DA

•  Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or GSC to audit lost backlinks
•  Identify links pointing to dead, changed, or redirected URLs
•  Recreate missing content or redirect pages as needed
•  Reach out to link sources with updated content or URLs
•  Set up a tracking system for future link loss
•  Monitor your DA with trusted tools

Need help auditing your domain’s backlink health or recovering lost links? Contact Ideas to Reach or explore our SEO services for support with backlink cleanup and restoration.