Redirects are like unbreakable chains which help to keep the user experience unobstructed. These are mainly of great use when:
- You have got the REBRANDING done
- Want to MERGE multiple websites into one
- You need to DELETE a page
- You want to MOVE a page to another location.
Before you dive deep into redirects, you need to know that there are distinctive kinds of redirects. Each type of Redirect does not fit all the solutions.
REDIRECTS: What Are They?
Understand it!
A user has requested a page. But that page is deleted or moved somewhere else. In that case, if you do not apply redirects, the user will see 404 (Page Not Found). That creates a negative impression on site visitors. So you might be thinking, “What should you do in that situation?”
In that situation, you should use ‘Redirects.’ Redirects help the users land on another URL, which ensures that the users get to obtain some information even if the page is not there. ‘Something is Better than nothing.’
What Are The BENEFITS Of Using Redirects?
Though there are many benefits of redirects, I don’t want you to view them as boring. I am mentioning only the two most predominant of them:
1. Keep the User Experience Thumbs Up:
As aforementioned, if the user experience ‘Page Not Found,’ then they may lose faith in your website and think, “Each Page in your website is just like it.” So for a better page experience, you must use redirects.
2. Help Search Engines To Understand Your Site
Redirects help the SE (Search Engine) to know:
- Where has the content moved?
- Is the move temporary or Permanent?
Is There A ‘Right Time’ To Use Redirects?
There is a right time for everything. There is a right time to use the redirects as well. Here is the mention of such times:
-
Domain Change
Are you planning to rebrand? Then you must be moving from one domain to another. In that case, you need to permanently redirect all the pages from the old domain to the new one.
-
Websites Merging
There could be so many reasons we need to merge multiple websites into one. In that case, you need to shift all old URLs to new ones permanently.
-
A Switch To HTTP
Since we know that it is always recommended to switch to HTTP, if you are in the mood to agree to this recommendation, then please make your mind to redirect every old page to a new one.
-
While Promoting A Product For Short Term Deals
Sometimes, there arises a need when you need to promote a product for the short term owing to some occasion or stock clearance. That situation requires you to redirect.
For example: If you apply a redirect from domain.com/mobile phones to domain.com/Mobile Phones-Black-Friday-deals. It will be a temporary redirect.
-
While Deleting Pages
The content, once published, does not remain fresh forever. Sometimes, it becomes so stale that it starts to stink, and you need to remove it. But this is not it. If, in case, you opt to remove content from a website, please do some effort to redirect it to a new page. It is going to be a permanent redirect.
How Many Types Of Redirects Are There?
Redirects are of two types:
- Server Side Redirects
- Client-Side Redirects
Notable Points:
- Each type (Server/Client Side Redirects) has a vast number of redirects.
- Search Engine views such redirects in two forms: Temporary or Permanent. I want to inform you that you need to use the proper redirects for a particular task; otherwise, you will face some issues from an SEO Point of view.
Server Side Redirects
Features
- Here ‘Server’ plays the leading role as it decides:
Where does the user need to be redirected?
- It carries it out by returning 3XX HTTP Status Code.
Please Note:
If you do SEO, you will receive server-side redirects most of the time. Here are some of the 3XX redirects that every SEO Services Provider must know:
Redirect |
Features |
Google’s Response |
| 301 |
|
|
| 302 |
|
|
| 303 |
|
You can’t use 303 Redirects for SEO Purposes. It will be taken as either 301 or 302 redirects if you do. |
| 307 | It is the same as 302 Redirect.
Exception: It preserves the HTTP method of the original request, unlike 302, during redirection. |
Google Treat it as 302 Redirect. |
| 308 | It is the same as 301 Redirect.
Exception: It preserves the HTTP Method for the original request during redirection. |
Google treats it as 301 Redirect. |
Client-Side Redirects
Here your ‘Browser’ plays a significant role. The browser decides where the user should be redirected.
Tip: You should treat these Redirects as Last Resorts (When none other option is left)
Redirect |
Features |
Google’s Response |
| 307 | If a site uses HSTS (HTTP Script transport security), a 307 redirect appears as a client-side redirect. | Clients who request unsecured (HTTP) resources in the future will receive a 307 redirect from HSTS if the server only accepts secure (HTTPS) connections from them. |
| Meta Fresh | It tells the browser to redirect a user after a few seconds automatically. | Google treats this Redirect just like 301. |
| JavaScript Redirect | It uses JavaScript for conveying instructions to the browser. The instructions usually redirect the user to a different URL. | Google Likes it as it renders pages super-fast. |
Final Comments!
Redirects are one of the metrics to support the user experience. Google does not like websites that disappoint its users with the 404 Error. If you substitute it with some redirects, google appreciates your move.
To apply redirects, first, you need to have thorough information about them. In the above-presented report, we have included all the essential information regarding redirects. Enjoy reading it to gain knowledge.
Also Read: https://www.articledaisy.com/top-7-seo-benefits-for-your-company/
