What is a 301 redirect and why is it so important for your website?
With the internet, we have more freedom to make changes to the content we produce, but it’s important to take some precautions first. Although some procedures are more technical, such as page redirects, it’s important to understand how they work and what benefits a 301 Redirect brings to your website.
Some site changes may seem simple, such as copying files from one server to another or renaming a file. However, if you don’t use redirects and an old address is entered, it would present a 404 error. And an error isn’t something we want the user to encounter on our website, right? That’s why page redirects help with user experience, search results, and much more.
How does a redirect work?
Whenever a web server receives a request, an HTTP status code is generated . The most common is 200, which indicates that everything is working correctly on the site and server. This way, the user typically receives the desired content.
Now, the most common status is 404, which whatsapp number list indicates that a page was not found . Many factors can cause the infamous 404 error , including page alterations, and it’s in this scenario that the 301 redirect code works.
Simply put, a 301 redirect is a server-side instruction informing the visitor that a particular page is now a different page. This means that if a visitor accesses page A, they will be automatically redirected to page B. This happens because the page has been permanently moved to a new location.
Redirect 301: Why is it important?
Change is a part of every website’s routine. And careful procedures, as in this case, are essential. Using redirect code, it’s possible to redirect visitors from an old page to a new one without losing traffic, ranking, or authority.
The 301 redirect is important when it comes to search engine algorithms because there may be countless pages that contain links to others, and search bots won’t know whether the page has been moved or not. Having these references is essential for page ranking.
In this way, the redirect helps guide robots when a change occurs. It transfers authority from the old page to the new one, including PageRank , which is the page’s score that considers the links from other sites pointing to it (and losing relevance isn’t a good idea when it comes to SEO).
In short, in addition to being a good SEO now available view ads: apartments practice , using redirects is an idea to improve the user experience , as it reduces the risk of presenting the 404 Error.
When should I use a 301 Redirect?
While a 302 redirect is for temporary changes, a 301 redirect is for permanent changes. For example:
- Migrating files and pages.
The 301 redirect is essential when you need to migrate files or pages from one location to another. - Domain change or website migration.
In cases of domain changes, redirecting all files from one domain to the other is the solution to maintain relevance. - Pages that no longer exist.
In the case of online stores where a product is no longer sold, it’s recommended to redirect to a page with related products, for example. Or in a blog, if there is existing content that’s outdated, but there’s similar content. - Avoid duplicate content.
Google values unique and diverse content to appear in search results. This makes duplicate content a major SEO concern.
How to do the redirection?
Technical knowledge is required to configure a 301 redirect, as it’s only possible by accessing your server’s files . The way it’s implemented depends on your site’s programming language and database.
After setting up, run tests to ensure powder data everything is working properly. Using Google Webmaster Tools can be a great help in this regard.
How do search engines understand a 301 Redirect?
Sites with a large amount of duplicate content and excessive error pages may be downgraded by Google’s bots, which value user experience when ranking your site.
Therefore, when a user enters the old address but is redirected to a new page, Google understands and evaluates the new site the same way it would the old one. It also permanently updates the page path in its databases.