Link Reclamation
Link reclamation is a strategic SEO technique that converts existing but unlinked brand mentions into backlinks. This method leverages existing mentions of your brand to generate valuable backlinks without creating new content or extensive outreach campaigns.
Comparison: Link Building Methods
Benefits of Link Reclamation
1. High Success Rate
Link reclamation has a significantly higher success rate than traditional link building methods, as the brand is already mentioned and the author only needs to be asked for a link.
2. Cost Efficiency
Compared to other link building strategies, link reclamation is very cost-effective, as no content creation or paid placements are required.
3. Quick Implementation
Most link reclamation campaigns can be implemented within a few weeks, while other strategies can take months.
4. Natural Link Profiles
Since the mentions have already occurred organically, the resulting links appear natural and authentic.
Types of Unlinked Brand Mentions
1. Direct Brand Mentions
- Full brand names without linking
- Brand abbreviations or nicknames
- Product names without linking
2. Indirect Mentions
- "The company from Munich" (without brand name)
- "The manufacturer of..." (without brand name)
- "The company that..." (without brand name)
3. Quote Mentions
- Expert quotes without profile linking
- Interview mentions without linking
- Guest post mentions without linking
📊 Link Reclamation Potential
Average number of unlinked mentions per month: 15-50 for medium-sized companies
Tools for Link Reclamation
1. Google Alerts
- Free brand mention monitoring
- Real-time notifications
- Easy setup
2. Mention
- Comprehensive brand monitoring
- Social media integration
- Sentiment analysis
3. Brand24
- Advanced filtering options
- Influencer identification
- ROI tracking
4. Ahrefs Content Explorer
- Keyword-based search
- Domain Authority filtering
- Content performance metrics
🔄 Link Reclamation Process
6 Steps: Monitoring → Identification → Evaluation → Outreach → Follow-up → Tracking
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Set up Brand Monitoring
- Configure Google Alerts for brand name
- Activate social media monitoring
- Monitor industry-specific keywords
- Set up competitor monitoring
Step 2: Identify Unlinked Mentions
- Daily review of alerts
- Manual search for brand mentions
- Search social media posts
- Check industry directories
Step 3: Evaluate Quality
- Domain Authority of linking page
- Content relevance
- Page traffic
- Author authority
Step 4: Conduct Outreach
- Research contact information
- Write personalized email
- Make polite request
- Demonstrate value for the page
Step 5: Follow-up
- Follow up after 1 week
- Try alternative contacts
- Social media outreach
- Phone follow-up
Step 6: Measure Success
- Document linked mentions
- Evaluate link quality
- Measure traffic impact
- Calculate ROI
✅ Link Reclamation Outreach Checklist
- Find contact
- Personalize email
- Communicate value
- Make polite request
- Plan follow-up
- Document success
- Maintain relationship
- Optimize campaign
Email Templates for Link Reclamation
Template 1: Polite Request
Subject: Small request regarding your article about [Topic]
Hello [Name],
I came across your interesting article "[Article Title]" and wanted to thank you for mentioning our brand [Brand Name].
Since you've already written about us, I would be delighted if you could add a link to our website. This would provide additional value to your readers.
Thank you for your time!
Best regards
[Your Name]
Template 2: Value-oriented
Subject: Addition to your article about [Topic]
Hello [Name],
I really enjoyed your article "[Article Title]". Especially the point about [specific aspect] was very insightful.
I noticed that you mentioned [Brand Name]. If it would be helpful for your readers, you're welcome to link to our detailed resource on this topic: [URL]
Thank you for the great content!
Best regards
[Your Name]
Common Challenges and Solutions
Challenge 1: No Response
Solution:
- Use different contact channels
- Try social media outreach
- Phone follow-up
Challenge 2: Rejection
Solution:
- Politely accept
- Ask for feedback
- Offer future collaboration
Challenge 3: Nofollow Links
Solution:
- Accept nofollow links anyway
- Increase brand awareness
- Generate referral traffic
Challenge 4: Page Quality
Solution:
- Set minimum DA thresholds
- Check relevance
- Consider traffic metrics
💡 Tip
Use social media for additional outreach channels - authors are often more reachable there than via email
Measuring Success
KPIs for Link Reclamation
- Number of successful reclamations: Direct success metric
- Domain Authority of received links: Quality assessment
- Referral traffic: Direct benefit
- Brand mention volume: Base population
- Campaign ROI: Cost-benefit ratio
Tracking Tools
- Google Analytics for referral traffic
- Ahrefs for backlink monitoring
- Google Search Console for link discovery
- Custom dashboards for KPI tracking
📈 Link Reclamation ROI
Average ROI: 300-500% within 6 months
Best Practices
1. Regular Monitoring
- Check alerts daily
- Weekly manual search
- Monthly campaign reviews
2. Quality over Quantity
- Prioritize high DA pages
- Prefer relevant content
- Consider author authority
3. Personalized Communication
- Write individual emails
- Specific article references
- Communicate real value
4. Patience and Persistence
- Don't forget follow-ups
- Build long-term relationships
- Continuous improvement
5. Documentation
- Document all outreach attempts
- Track successes and failures
- Lessons for future campaigns
⚠️ Important Note
Avoid aggressive or intrusive outreach methods - this damages brand image
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Mass Emails
Problem: Generic emails without personalization
Solution: Individual, personalized messages
Mistake 2: Wrong Prioritization
Problem: Treating all mentions equally
Solution: Define quality criteria and prioritize
Mistake 3: No Follow-up
Problem: Giving up after one email
Solution: Systematic follow-up system
Mistake 4: Unrealistic Expectations
Problem: Expecting 100% success rate
Solution: Set realistic goals (60-80%)
Mistake 5: Insufficient Documentation
Problem: No campaign tracking
Solution: Comprehensive tracking system
Integration into Link Building Strategy
Link reclamation should be established as a fixed component of every link building strategy:
- Parallel to other activities: Not as a replacement, but as a supplement
- Regular execution: Continuous process, not one-time action
- Team training: Train all team members in the method
- Tool integration: Integrate into existing workflows
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Link Reclamation
How often should I conduct link reclamation?
Ideally daily for monitoring and weekly for active outreach campaigns.
What Domain Authority is acceptable for links?
At least DA 20, better DA 30+ for high-quality links.
How long does a typical link reclamation campaign take?
Most successful reclamations occur within 2-4 weeks.
Should I also accept nofollow links?
Yes, nofollow links still bring brand awareness and referral traffic.
How do I measure the ROI of my link reclamation campaigns?
Through referral traffic, Domain Authority of received links, and estimated link values.