Understanding and Recovering Lost Do-Follow Backlinks After Website Redesign: A Comprehensive Guide
Website revamps and redesigns are essential for maintaining a modern, user-friendly online presence. However, these changes can sometimes lead to unintended SEO setbacks, particularly the loss of valuable backlinks. If you’ve recently undergone a site overhaul and noticed a significant drop in do-follow backlinks, you’re not alone. This guide will walk you through understanding the root causes, verifying the situation, and implementing effective recovery strategies to restore your backlink profile.
Assessing the Impact of Your Website Redesign on Backlinks
It’s common to see fluctuations in backlink profiles after major site changes. Key indicators include:
- Decline in backlinks reported by SEO tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz.
- Reduced referring domains visible in Google Search Console.
- Changes in site structure or URL formats, especially if not handled with proper redirects.
Confirming Backlink Status: Lost or Broken links?
Before taking action, it’s crucial to determine whether backlinks are genuinely lost or temporarily broken due to redirect issues:
- Use backlink analysis tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush) to identify the current status of your backlinks.
- Check individual backlinks to see if they lead to the correct URLs.
- Analyze your server logs or redirect maps to verify proper implementation of 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones.
- remember that redirect chains or improper redirects can cause loss of link equity or make links appear broken.
Best Practices for Backlink Recovery and Reclaiming Link Equity
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Verify Redirects & Fix Redirect Chains
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Ensure all old URLs redirect permanently (HTTP 301) to their corresponding new URLs.
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Use redirect mapping tools to audit and streamline redirect paths, avoiding chains or loops.
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Export and Compare Backlink Data
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Export your backlink profile data from tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush before and after the redesign.
- Identify which backlinks are missing or have changed.
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Focus on high-authority backlinks that pass significant link equity.
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Update Broken or Redirected links
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Reach out to webmasters of linking sites to update backlinks with the new URLs.
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Provide them with the correct URLs or ask if they can re-link to your current site.
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Reclaim Lost Backlinks Through Content Updates
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If backlinks are no longer passing link equity due to URL changes, consider creating new backlink opportunities.
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Publish high-quality content, guest posts, or resource pages targeting your original backlinks.
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Utilize Redirects Strategically