If you’re a WordPress developer and if you’ve been doing it for a couple of weeks, then you have come upon the dreaded “404 Page not found”. If you have, then you know that the solution for this problem lies in the abilities and capabilities of the 301 redirect!

Yes, it gets the job done, and yes, it is complex at times (especially when you have a whole bunch of pages that are in need of redirecting). It becomes more and more stressful when there is a lot of them, and you start losing track of what is what and what leads to where. 

So, if you want to simplify the process and secure that your mental state is not destroyed in the long run, then I recommend you get yourself a Premium WordPress theme and plugin that deals not just with redirecting of the site, but it also helps you out with managing it.

What exactly is a 301 redirect?

It’s simple enough. It’s when you tell Google and other search engines where the site has been moved to. 

Now, why would you want to move your site? Well, you do it mostly when you, let’s say, buy a site, or when you want to change up the style and content of the site. The problem occurs when some of your users have a certain page bookmarked, and then you move the page to somewhere else with a different URL. When this someone then clicks on his old URL, he will be greeted by that famous “404 Page not found”. So, you want to avoid this at all costs!

Not only is it a big inconvenience for your visitors or fans, but it’s also a type of red flag from Google. Google wants your site to be in tip-top shape so that their ads can function to their full potential. 

Additionally, if you don’t redirect your pages, then Google will have difficulties with your SEO. The reason being for this, Google doesn’t know that that is the same site until you say so. So, if you don’t do it as fast as possible, you might be losing visitors who would visit your site after Googling a specific keyword.

So, to recap, 301 redirects tell the search engines that the requested URL has been permanently moved to another URL and that the requested content is now on that new URL. This is critical especially when you are writing SEO content and you want Google to know where it is held.

Okay, enough talking about general stuff; let’s get into a specific plugin that will help you at managing redirects more easily and efficiently in the long run!

301 Redirects – Easy Redirect Manager

Here we have a simple, light and slick 301 Redirect Manager plugin that will surely help you out in your endeavors. It’s simple to use and has a user-friendly interface that allows you to more easily manage and organize your URL redirects. 

What makes it stand out is the lightening speed at which you can redirect pages. Additionally, if you’re “lazy” (like me), you can redirect in bulk, which will save you uptime and patience.  If you’re starting off and you have a few pages that require redirects, then this should not be a big issue. Just take your time and do it right! 

On the other hand, if you have a big site filled with a great number of content, then I highly recommend you install this plugin. The main reason for this is that you need speed and efficiency when redirecting a great number of URLs (speed and efficiency is the name of the game here). 

While I’m still on the subject of this plugin, I would like to add that the user reviews are very good. No one is complaining and those who have been complaining have had their problems solved by the friendly customer supports that the plugin offers (don’t believe me? Go check it out yourselves!)

I’ve been trying to use a couple of plugins that do 301 redirects and some are too complex and others, well, lack some important features like bulk redirects. And this plugin gets the job done very well and fast with little to no fuss!

Final Thoughts

Updating your web design from time to time is an integral WordPress maintenance service. However, doing so might require you to make some URL changes, making redirecting a must. 

So, the requested URL has a new destination on another URL. If you are big or small, redirecting is crucial for your SEO content and how Google perceives your site. If you don’t redirect and a lot of users have been led to a “404 Page not found”, then you will be seen by Google as unprofessional and uncaring, and you certainly don’t want that, right?

Quick side note!

Pay close attention to what you are redirecting where. Make sure that you don’t redirect to pages that are contrary or contradictory because Google will see this and will not be happy. As a consequence, you might lose Google’s opinion of your site.

Example: your original page was talking about red sneakers and then you decide to redirect it to a page talking about blue boots (Google will notice this and classify it as a soft 404). So, be aware of this also!