Planning carefully is one of the best ways to be successful in the website business. Do you have a new website domain and think it’s time for migration? Before you do that, you must create awareness for your potential customers. This awareness is somewhat related to WordPress 301 redirects.
It is known as a permanent redirect, an HTTP status code for permanently moving a webpage to another URL. This means if someone types in your old website address, it will automatically redirect them to your new page. This process usually prevents your old website from displaying a 404 error.
It tells Google that the old page has been moved to the new one. With that, Google treats your new page like it did your old website URL. However, many types of WordPress redirects exist, including 302 and 307. But we will focus on WordPress 301 redirects here. It has more benefits.
WordPress 302 redirects are temporary links that redirect customers to your new URL. Similarly, WordPress 307 redirects are temporary code that indicates that your old webpage resides under a different URL, and your user should know the need for your migration. So, why is WordPress 301 important?
First, it tells Google crawler that your page has been permanently moved. Aside from that, it takes users to a functional page instead of displaying a 404 error. Secondly, it passes on link equity if you change the URL or combine an existing page as part of your content editor. We’ve got something for you! Read on!
When Do You Need 301 Redirects in WordPress?
As I mentioned, the main reason to use 301 redirects in WordPress is when you have a new page. Imagine you own a clothing company people know, and you want to diversify to start a new business. Of course, you’d like to inform your customers, right? That’s how 301 redirects in WordPress work. Although it’s also needed when you want to change a post’s link, it impacts SEO.
On the flip side, if you fail to use 301 redirect links, you should expect a negative impact on your rank score and search engine optimization. Not only that, but you can lose valuable links if there are a lot of broken links on your website. Now, let’s quickly explain how to create WordPress page redirects.
Step 1: Using AIO SEO Plugin to Create 301 Redirect Link
One of the best ways to create a good redirect link is through All In One SEO (AIO SEO). Over two million users use this plugin to improve their website search engine optimization. Aside from that, it also offers a powerful redirection manager addon that makes it easy to find broken links on your website.
If you want to use this plugin, you first need to download and install the plugin. After that, activate the plugin and navigate to the redirect section on your WordPress dashboard. By creating a redirect link, you need to check the redirect type and ensure it’s on ‘301 move permanently’, then add a redirect button. In addition, scroll down to view the logs and enable or disable the individual 301 redirects.
Redirecting Full Website with AIO SEO
If you’re trying this method for the first time, your links can be broken, making your website’s SEO suffer. You can avoid this problem by using AIO SEO to move your entire website to a new domain without losing your post, search engine ranks, and other essential things that help your website grow. Meanwhile, it’s better to do this method the right way. So, take your time and learn.
Step 2: Using Redirection Plugins to Create 301 Redirects
Another way to create 301 redirects is through the redirection plugins. Of course, you need to activate this plugin to get started after you might have successfully installed it in your WordPress dashboard. Depending on your hosting provider, your redirection might be relatively slower, but you can also edit your .htaccess file to get it fixed. Once activated successfully, click on the redirection section and start setting up.
Step 3: Create a Redirection Link Manually
When manually creating a redirect link, you need to edit the .htaccess web server configuration file. While doing this, remember that a small mistake in your code can make your WordPress website inaccessible. So, it’s always better to have good coding knowledge before trying this method. However, if you have AIO SEO installed on your WordPress, it would be easier to create your link.
Top WordPress Plugins For 301 Redirect
While there are many ways to edit your broken link, you can use different WordPress plugins for your WordPress page redirect. In this section, we are keen to explain some of the best WordPress plugins useful for your 301 redirects. If you’re willing to use this fast method, below are some of the best!
1. Redirection WordPress Plugin
The redirection plugin is one of the most popular plugins for 301 redirections. It has several options, and one of the most valuable features you can expect here is that it automatically adds a 301 redirection when you change your post URL on your website at any time. Aside from that, this plugin has a feature where you can monitor 404 errors and custom redirection methods to be useful for your SEO.
2. RankMath SEO Plugin
I’m sure you might have heard about RankMath SEO if you own a WordPress or an agency. This is one of the best tools for search engine optimization and 301 redirection packages. You can even download the free version from your WordPress repository. On the other hand, you can use the paid version with a complete SEO plugin. It’s pretty simple to activate this plugin. Just download and add to your WordPress.
3. Simple 301 Redirects Plugin
This simple 301 redirect plugin is another one you need to watch out for. And one of its advantages is that you can use the wildcards checkbox with the plugin. Moreover, you don’t need to have any coding experience before using it for your WordPress 310 redirection. If you want wildcards with this plugin, check the “Use Wildcards” checkbox just below the URLS boxes.
4. Safe Redirect Manager
Safe redirect manager is one of a kind and has become increasingly popular recently. This should be your first option if you’re a developer because it comes from trustworthy developers at a premium WordPress agency- 10up. Not only is that, but it helps you manage your website’s HTTP redirects.
5. Yoast SEO Plugin – Htaccess Tool
By now, you should be familiar with the Yoast SEO plugin. This is one of the best tools for website search engine optimization. Yoast SEO plugin doesn’t need any introduction, but you might not have realized that the plugin allows you to personalize your WordPress 301 redirect with a simple click. More so, the Yoast SEO plugin lets you edit your .htaccess file, which you can use to add 301 redirects.
Summary
There are many types of plugins for your 301 redirects in WordPress. However, the ones highlighted above are our top five as of today. Since there are other methods to avoid a negative impact on your SEO and broken link, we advise you to read through again to understand the whole concept better.
