How to Regain Lost Backlinks: Ahrefs Recovery Playbook

by

Lost backlinks reduce your website’s authority and traffic. Google algorithm updates, site migrations, and content removals cause valuable links to disappear, impacting rankings and organic visibility. This article provides a system to address this. This Ahrefs recovery playbook outlines a workflow to find, prioritize, and reclaim lost links. Following this system can help recover 18-26% of lost links.

1. Set Up Your Ahrefs Link Loss Monitoring System

Proactive monitoring is important for managing backlinks. Setting up real-time alerts ensures you are notified quickly when a valuable link is lost.

Here’s how to set up alerts in Ahrefs:

  1. Go to Alerts in the top menu.
  2. Click New Alert.
  3. Choose the Backlinks tab.
  4. Enter your domain and set the scope to “New & lost backlinks.”

Set a Domain Rating (DR) threshold of at least 30 to filter out lower-quality links. For notification frequency, choose daily or weekly based on your site’s needs.

Integrating Ahrefs Alerts with BuzzStream for Automated Follow-Up Sequences

While Ahrefs and BuzzStream have integration points, automatically triggering BuzzStream follow-up sequences based on Ahrefs alerts requires custom setup. BuzzStream’s project interfaces can connect to Ahrefs via OAuth, allowing BuzzStream to import Ahrefs data.

To implement automated workflows:

  • Consult BuzzStream Documentation: For specific API key/alert configuration steps, refer to BuzzStream’s developer documentation or support. Inquire about:
    • Ahrefs fields BuzzStream can ingest.
    • Whether BuzzStream accepts webhook or event-driven inputs for automated sequences.
    • Any supported automation triggers or custom integration guidance.
  • Ahrefs API: Use the Ahrefs API (v3) to fetch data programmatically. This data can then be sent to BuzzStream via custom scripts or middleware to trigger sequences.

2. Export Lost Backlinks Using Site Explorer Filters

To find lost backlinks:

  1. Go to Site Explorer and enter your domain.
  2. In the left-hand menu, go to Backlinks > Lost.
  3. Set your desired date range (the default is 30 days).

Apply the following filters:

  • Domain Rating (DR): Set a minimum of 30.
  • Link type: Choose “Dofollow.”
  • “Best links” filter: This filter narrows results to higher-quality referring domains/links. Ahrefs internal criteria for this filter consider factors like Domain Rating (DR) (a minimum DR of around 30 is common) and minimum organic traffic (around 500 for the referring domain). The exact internal weighting and full criteria are not publicly disclosed by Ahrefs. This filter was observed to reduce a list of 6,285 lost links to 594 actionable opportunities.

Export the list, ensuring it includes the Referring page URL, your Target URL, and the Status field.

3. Analyze Link Loss Scenarios and Status Codes

The “Status” field indicates why a link was lost. This information guides the recovery tactic.

Ahrefs Loss StatusMeaning & Next Step
404 Not FoundThe target page is gone. This is a high-priority opportunity, requiring a fix on your end.
DroppedAhrefs removed the linking page from its index due to quality issues. Ignore these.
RedirectThe linking page now redirects elsewhere. Investigate if the new target is relevant.
NoindexThe linking page added a “noindex” tag. Ahrefs ignores it. This is an outreach opportunity.
Not FoundAhrefs could not access the linking page. Differs from a 404. Could be temporary.
Crawl ErrorThe linking page returned an error. The link might still be present. Worth investigating.

Use this status to classify each lost link. If a page returns a 404, the fix is on your end. If it was removed or noindexed, outreach is required.

4. Prioritize Recovery Opportunities with an ROI Framework

Prioritize links based on their potential value.

Use this tiered valuation system:

TierValue CategoryDomain Rating (DR)Cost/Value Range
Tier 1High Value70+$750 – $1,250+
Tier 2Mid Value50-69$400 – $600
Tier 3Standard Value30-49$250 – $399

To calculate the ROI for reclaiming a link to a specific page:

ROI = (Annual Page Value – Link Building Cost) / Link Building Cost

Estimate Annual Page Value (APV) using this formula:

APV = Monthly Search Volume × Estimated CTR × Conversion Rate × Value Per Conversion × 12

Guidance for data inputs:

  • Monthly Search Volume: Obtained from Google Keyword Planner, Semrush Keyword Overview, Moz Keyword Explorer, or Keywords Everywhere. Use multiple sources or scale factors to reconcile differences.
  • Estimated CTR: Refer to industry CTR studies. Top positions generally have higher CTRs (position 1 often in the 25–35% range), but actual CTRs vary by query and SERP layout.
  • Conversion Rate: Use Google Analytics (GA4) conversion reports filtered to organic traffic, or CRM/analytics data. Aim for at least 12 months of data for seasonality smoothing.
  • Value Per Conversion: Source from client data (Average Order Value, Lifetime Value), GA revenue attribution, or CRM calculations. Define your attribution model (first-touch, last-touch, or multi-touch) for conversions tied to organic traffic.

If conversion data is unavailable, use the Cost Per Click (CPC) of the page’s main keyword as a proxy for traffic value. A 2:1 Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is a conservative baseline for campaigns without direct conversion tracking. Focus on links with the highest potential return.

5. Find High-Value 404 Pages with the “Best by Links” Report

To find valuable 404 pages:

  1. Go to Site Explorer > Pages > Best by Links.
  2. Apply the HTTP filter for “404 not found.”
  3. Sort the results by Referring domains.

This report identifies dead pages on your site with the most unique linking domains. These are top priorities for recovery. Export the “Links to page” data for each high-priority 404 URL for a full list of links to fix.

6. Implement Server-Side 301 Redirects for Quick Wins

This method reclaims lost link equity without outreach. For high-value 404 pages, redirect them to the most relevant live page on your site.

How to do it: Use your .htaccess file (for Apache servers), nginx.conf (for Nginx), or a redirect plugin within your CMS (like Redirection for WordPress).

  • Apache (.htaccess):
    • Simple permanent redirect: Redirect 301 /old-page /new-page
    • Full URL example: Redirect 301 /old/old_page.html
https://www.example.com/new_page_redirection.html
  • For HTTP to HTTPS redirect:
  • RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

  • Nginx:
    • Redirect domain to canonical host:

server {

   listen 80;

   server_name example.com;

   return 301 $scheme://www.example.com$request_uri;

}

  • Rewrite specific path: rewrite ^/images/(.*)$ https://images.example.com/$1 permanent;
  • WordPress Redirection plugin:
    • Install and activate the Redirection plugin.
    • Go to Tools → Redirection.
    • Add new redirection: enter Source URL (old), Target URL (new), choose HTTP code “301 Moved Permanently,” and save.
  • What to do: Set up permanent 301 redirects from the old 404 URL to a relevant, live URL.
  • Verification: Ensure no redirect chains (A -> B -> C) or loops (A -> B -> A) are created. Test the redirect.

This method effectively addresses large-scale issues from site migrations. Ahrefs will eventually recrawl and reassign link equity.

7. Execute Strategic Email Outreach Campaigns

For links not lost due to a 404 on your side (e.g., removed by webmaster), outreach is the option.

  • Personalize: Use the recipient’s name and reference their article.
  • Craft a Clear Subject Line: Be direct, e.g., “Found a broken link for your [Article Title]”.
  • Structure Your Email:
    1. Compliment: Briefly compliment their content.
    2. State the Problem: “I was reading your article and noticed a link wasn’t working.”
    3. Provide the Fix: Give the exact broken URL and the correct replacement URL.
    4. Explain the Value: Briefly mention how fixing it helps their readers.
    5. Call to Action (CTA): A simple ask, like “Would you be open to updating it?”

Automate follow-ups using a tool like BuzzStream to send an automated follow-up a few days later if no response is received.

8. Deploy Ready-to-Use Email Templates

Use these templates as a starting point.

Template 1: The Broken 404 Link

Subject: Found a broken link for your [Article Title]

Hi [First Name],

I was reading your article on [Article Topic].

I noticed that the link to [Old Resource/Website] is pointing to a dead page.

We have an updated, live version of that resource here: [Your New URL]

Thought you might want to know so your readers get the best experience.

Cheers,
[Your Name]

Template 2: The Removed Link

Subject: Quick update for your [Article Title]

Hi [First Name],

I am a reader of your content on [Website Name]. Your article, “[Article Title],” was insightful.

I noticed you used to link to our resource, but it appears to have been removed. We have since updated it with [mention a new stat, section, or feature].

Here is the updated resource: [Your URL]

If it aligns with your content, we would appreciate it if you could consider reinstating the link.

Thanks,
[Your Name]

9. Track and Validate Your Recovered Links

Maintain a tracking spreadsheet for all reclamation attempts, including:

  • Referring Domain
  • Referring URL
  • Anchor Text
  • Date Reclaimed
  • Target Page
  • Status (e.g., Redirected, Reinstated, No Response)
  • Notes

After a successful reclamation, verify it. Check Ahrefs after a week or two to confirm the link reappears. Monitor metrics like referral traffic, keyword rankings for the target page, and conversions.

10. Integrate Analytics and Measure Long-Term Impact

Connect data to measure results.

  • Connect Your Tools: Integrate Ahrefs data with Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
  • Visualize the Data: Use Looker Studio to create a dashboard.
    • Setup Looker Studio:
      • In Looker Studio, choose “Add Data” and search for “Ahrefs.” Choose a connector (e.g., Site Explorer).
      • Authorize with your Ahrefs workspace (Advanced plan or higher required for official connectors). Choose the project/target URL and add it as a data source.
      • Connect Google Analytics (GA4) and Google Search Console (GSC) directly in Looker Studio.
    • Metrics to Plot:
      • Link decay: Lost backlinks (filtered by dofollow/nofollow), referring domains over time. Visualize as a time series of lost referring domains/backlinks.
      • Recovery efforts: New backlinks, recovered backlinks (status change), DR/UR of recovered/referring domains. Visualize as a bar chart by domain/status or a table of recovered links with DR/UR.
      • Organic traffic: Ahrefs organic traffic estimates combined with GA4 organic sessions. Visualize as a time series comparing Ahrefs estimates vs. GA4 sessions.
      • Keyword rankings: Tracked keywords, average position, count of keywords in top 3/10; blend with GSC impressions/clicks. Use tables, scorecards, or trend lines.
      • Conversions: GA conversions/goals filtered by the organic channel. Visualize as funnel views or a keyword → traffic → conversions table.
  • Monitor Authority: Track the Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR) of key pages. These should increase as links are reclaimed.
  • Calculate Actual ROI: After several months of data, calculate the true return on investment by comparing time and tool costs to the increase in traffic value and leads.

This step connects recovery efforts to business growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I find lost backlinks? Use the Ahrefs Site Explorer > Backlinks > Lost report. Enter your domain, set a date range, and filter by “Dofollow” and a minimum Domain Rating (DR) to find valuable lost backlinks.

2. How do I retrieve a lost link? If the link points to a dead (404) page on your site, set up a 301 redirect to a relevant live page. If the link was removed from the source page, perform email outreach to the site owner to request reinstatement.

3. How do I find expired domains with Ahrefs? Use Ahrefs Site Explorer on a competitor’s site to find their outgoing links pointing to dead pages. Some of these may be on expired domains you can acquire. Filtering the “Best by Links” report by “404 not found” can also identify domains that no longer exist.

4. How do I check for broken links on Ahrefs? The most effective way is to use Site Explorer > Pages > Best by Links and apply the “404 not found” HTTP response filter. This shows which of your dead pages have the most backlinks. You can also use Site Explorer > Outgoing links > Broken links to find broken outgoing links on your site.

Leave a Comment