EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 301 REDIRECTS

301 redirects are an important tool for maintaining your technical SEO site health and ensuring that your users can access the content they are looking for. In this article, we will provide an overview of 301 redirects and explain why they are important, how to implement them, and best practices for using them on your website.

What are 301 Redirects?

A 301 redirect is a method to point the URL of one webpage (often a defunct or missing webpage) to another URL. When a user is trying to view your original webpage, the browser will automatically redirect them to the new URL. Whenever you move a page from an old URL to a new URL, it’s important to set up a 301 redirect so that users, search engines, and backlinks can all find the content at its new location.

How 301 Redirects Affect SEO

Over time, your webpages will accumulate authority as your domain ages and as websites around the internet link to your pages. A reputable SEO expert can help facilitate this process at a faster rate.

But what happens when you change the URL of a page? Or several pages? What if you’re redesigning your entire website, and most or all of your pages are getting new URLs? What happens to all that authority? The answer will depend on whether or not you’ve been intentional about your 301 redirects.

If you redirect the old URL to the new URL, the authority the old page accumulated will be passed through to the new page. If you fail to put a redirect in place, you’re starting from scratch.

How to Implement 301 Redirects

Hard-Coded HTML Sites

For most hard-coded websites, 301s can be set up by editing your website's .htaccess file, which is located in your website's root folder. If you do not have one of these files, you can make one using a simple notepad or other text editor. You may also have to edit your server configuration.

WordPress

If you are using WordPress for your website, you can use a free redirection plugin. This will allow you to input the original URL and add a new URL for the redirected page.

Wix

If you are using a WIX website, you can use the URL Redirect Manager tool to fix a broken link and implement a 301 Redirect.

Squarespace

If you are using a Squarespace website, you can create permanent 301 redirects by opening the "Advanced" panel, clicking "URL mappings," adding your correctly-formatted redirects, and save your changes.

Shopify

If you are using a Shopify website, you can create a 301 redirect by following these steps:

1. Click on "Settings" and then "Apps and sales channels."
2. On that page, click "Online Store," then click "Open sales channel."
3. Then, click "Navigation" and "URL Redirects" and click "Create URL Redirect."

This will take you to a page allowing you to input your old URL of the broken page and the new URL where you would like your visitors to be redirected. Make sure to click "Save redirect" when you are done!

Best Practices for 301 Redirects

If you are running into some issues with your 301 redirects and SEO for your small business, see if some of these common problems and solutions can help:

1. Keep an eye on any broken redirect pages or pages with 404 status codes, and make sure to repair them with a new 301 redirect.
2. Redirect only from one URL to another, working URL. Having multiple redirections in a chain or a loop can slow down your website or break the connection to the user entirely.
3. Redirect old URLs to Pages with Similar Content
4. Don't Just Redirect to the Homepage
5. Prioritize redirects from URLs that have good backlinks pointing to them
6. Clean up toxic backlinks before adding a redirect
7. Redirect HTTP to HTTPS

Conclusion

Working by yourself to set up your 301 redirects effectively and successfully can be intimidating and confusing. Get help from a small business SEO expert! Book an appointment with Tobes at Longtail Dragon if you have more questions about 301 redirects and want help with your small business SEO.