Redirecting your website is similar to forwarding a message. Just like you can either forward a specific message to the person who sent it to you or forward it to someone else, similarly, you can forward a website to another address of the same or different domain.
For example, if you have a new domain that makes your business look better, you can make visitors see that domain when they click on the old business page by redirecting them. Usually, the HTTP code for redirecting is 301. Our recommendation is to use the best plugin on the market – WP 301 Redirects. It allows you to set up automated redirects for any page or post with an invalid or broken link. The plugin will ensure that any removed site or the page does not lead to a broken URL and a 404-error message.
In this article, we will explain to you a few things to take care of while implementing a 301 redirect code.
1. HubSpot or WordPress redirecting
The actual process of 301 redirecting varies from platform to platform. The most popular ones are present on WordPress or HubSpot. In HubSpot, go to “settings” and navigate to the “website” option. From there, go to “domains and URLs”.
Next, go to the “URL Redirects” tab and then add a URL redirect present on the top right corner. If you want a single page-to-page redirect, you can choose the “standard” option. Then add your original URL and the URL you want users to be redirected to. In case you don’t want a single page-to-page redirect, you can go for the “flexible” option.
For redirecting in WordPress, you can use the web server itself instead of depending on WordPress. Install a free WordPress plugin and navigate to settings. From there, go to redirection and complete the setup instructions. Next, go to Options and then choose Redirects. Finally, click on “Add redirect”. While this process is slightly time-consuming, it is pretty simple to follow.
2. When to use a 301 redirect
There are various situations where having a redirecting option can be very useful. Some of them are given below:
Changing the URL – Maybe your previous URL was not optimized properly or you want to reorganize the entire folder structure of your URLs.
Recreating content – Often, you might want to completely recreate your old content into a new one. This mostly happens if you want to use a new webpage template. In this case, once you get your new URL, make sure to archive the old one.
Strengthening content – If you have multiple contents that seem to overlap with each other, you can consolidate or strengthen them by redirecting. But be sure to not discard the search engine visibility that your old website had. After you have made a proper, consolidated website, use a 301 redirect from each of the old pages to the new one.
MIgrating content – To move your website from one domain to another, a redirect is necessary. If your website is simply shifting from one domain to another while maintaining the same structure or layout, the entire process will be much easier. But if the content is undergoing a total transformation, you need to keep in mind to adhere to your user’s preferences.
3. 301 vs 302 redirects
A lot of people seem to get confused between 301 and 302 redirects. While a 301 redirect is permanent, a 302 one is temporary.
The former is used when a webpage has permanently changed its location to a new one. If you want your webpage to shift to another location for some time and then shift back to the original one, it’s better to use a 302 redirect.
4. 301 mistakes to avoid
Now that you know what a 301 redirect is, here are a few common mistakes you can avoid.
Set up a 301 redirect after creating a new page – If you don’t set up a redirect after creating your new website, your sales can plummet drastically. It takes just about 0.05 seconds for users to form an opinion of your website, so you’ll want to make sure your website looks good.
Redirecting pages with a different intent – If you have proper organization skills, this will be very easy. Make sure the redirect option is properly used by your users. Make sure to use a website screenshots service and keep a proper record.
Over to you…
These are a few things to take care of when you wish for your audience to get redirected to a different page. With the proper tools and practice, all this will be done in no time and your new page will flourish amazingly.
