When To Use 301 Redirects and Why
What is a 301 redirect?
Redirects tell search engines that a webpage has permanently moved from one URL to another. The 301 redirect will take website visitors automatically from the old URL they typed into an address bar or clicked on within the search results, to the new URL.
When Should I use a 301 redirect?
Redirects are used in a number of occasions, including:
- Moving your website to a new domain name
If you have changed the name of your dental practice, or are rebranding under a new name, you may want a new domain name to reflect this. 301 redirects offer a way to make sure you don’t lose traffic while your patients get used to your new website name as they can simply type in the old URL and be directed to the new.
- After a website redesign
If you’ve just had a new website built redirects are going to be very important. Chances are that your new site will have different web pages with new URLs. By adding 301 redirects from the old to the new pages you will ensure your visitors can easily navigate the site and reduce the number of errors Google picks up.
Why should I use a redirect for SEO purposes?
301 redirects tell search engines that the page location has changed, and to index this version and drop the old. This is very useful when moving a site to a new domain and for when a new site has been created on your existing domain. It also allows the search engine value to be passed on and not lost from the old site or pages.
Redirects also ensure that the SEO benefits of any link building work on the old site will be carried over to the new. The news articles, websites and blogs that have linked back to your old site will continue to function with a redirect in place, so no traffic will be lost.
Overall, 301 redirects are an incredibly important tool for SEO purposes, especially when building a new website.
If you need any help with redirects, call us on 01202 677 277.
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