Have you ever wondered how the process of moving your current website to a new domain works? In the following blog we’ll be explaining what 301 redirects are, and the circumstances under which they would be used.
What is a Redirect?
A redirect is an indication of a web page’s change of location. Think of it like this, a redirect tells the browser that this current page has moved to a new location permanently. This helps inform Google search as well as page visitors so that they are aware that your web page has moved. This helps ensure that your web page is still discoverable and does not lose visitors.
When Would You Use Redirects?
There are more than one reasons that you would require you to use a redirect for your webpage. For example:
You are moving your site to a new domain. A redirect would help make this transition smooth.
Perhaps you have decided to merge two of your websites into one, a redirect will help make sure that page visitors are landing in the new, correct location.
If you have removed a page and want to send visitors to an alternate one instead, then again, a redirect would be useful here.
Types of Redirects
Since there are different instances for using redirects, there are different redirect categories to suit each need.
301 Redirects
These are used when the location of your page has been moved to a new location permanently. The 301 redirect is recommended for SEO purposes.
302 Redirects
This redirect is used when the location of your web page has been moved temporarily. This would typically occur when your webpage is in need of some maintenance.
Meta refresh
A meta refresh works on more of a page level as opposed to a server level. Whenever you encounter a message from a link that reads ‘if you are not redirected in the next few seconds, click the link below”, often this is the case of a meta refresh. This redirect is not the most recommended option for SEO purposes because there is a possibility of the link becoming lost.
Keep in mind that whatever method you use for your web page, you should always consider how this will affect your page ranking and SEO scores. Consider this, when one moves from one house to another, your personal address needs to be changed on all your forms so that you can receive your mail at the correct location, and in certain cases this takes time. Similarly, this is how your web page works. When it is in the process of moving from one URL to another, Google’s search engine needs time to recognize this change, before it can credit the new page with the rankings given to its previous location.
This is why you need to ensure that the redirect you use works well and allows visitors to land on your page
How to Implement a Redirect?
The simplest way to redirect your URL is by using your host provider’s control panels. When opening up the control panel, navigate under the domain category. There, you should find a menu that reads redirects. Click on this section and follow the prompts to create your redirect.
On the other hand, if this sounds too complicated, then why not leave it up to the professionals?
Here at HaystackSEO, we aim to make your business discoverable online. We provide a number of services ranging from content creation to SEO and PPC, we can certainly take care of all your digital marketing needs. Reach out today for a free consultation.