Best method for redirecting a site to new URL?

#967654
  • Resolved CH1800

    1 week, 5 days ago

    Rank Math free

    I will soon have to permanently redirect visitors from an existing site (oldsite.com) to a new URL (newsite.com).

    Which method would you recommend being the best and most appropriate between: domain forwarding at the registrar level, cPanel redirect or htaccess 301 redirect,

    considering that I would like:

    – full redirect for HTTP and https and www and non www versions existing site
    – visitors get the new URLs when being redirected/forwarded from old site to new one
    – optimal SEO and keeping the most of old traffic and scores to new one.

    Thanks,

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • RankBot

    1 week, 5 days ago

    Hello,

    We apologize for the issue you are facing. For your requirement of permanently redirecting visitors from an existing site to a new URL while ensuring optimal SEO and retaining traffic, we recommend using a 301 redirect. This method is effective for the following reasons:

    1. SEO Benefits: A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that informs search engines that the content has moved to a new location. This helps in transferring link equity from the old site to the new one, which is crucial for maintaining your SEO rankings.

    2. Visitor Experience: With a 301 redirect, visitors will be automatically sent to the new URL, and they will see the new URL in their browser’s address bar, which meets your requirement of showing the new URLs.

    3. Full Redirects: You can set up a 301 redirect to handle both HTTP and HTTPS versions, as well as www and non-www versions of your old site. This can typically be done through your server configuration or .htaccess file.

    Implementation Options:

    • .htaccess Redirect: If you have access to your server’s .htaccess file, you can add rules to redirect all traffic from the old site to the new site. Here’s a basic example: 
      RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^oldsite.com [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www.oldsite.com
RewriteRule (.*)$ https://rankmath.com/seo-glossary/domain-name/ [R=301,L]
    • cPanel Redirect: If you are using cPanel, you can set up a 301 redirect through the "Redirects" option in cPanel. This is user-friendly and does not require coding.
    • Domain Forwarding at Registrar Level: While this can work, it may not provide as much control over the redirection process compared to using .htaccess or cPanel methods. It’s generally better suited for simpler cases.

    In summary, for optimal SEO and user experience, we recommend using a 301 redirect via your .htaccess file or cPanel. This will ensure that all versions of your old site are redirected properly to the new site while preserving your SEO rankings and traffic.

    Thank you for raising this concern! If you have any further questions or need assistance with the setup, feel free to reply to this ticket.

    Sources:
    301 vs 302 Redirect: Which One Should You Use? » Rank Math

    CH1800

    1 week, 5 days ago

    Rank Math free

    Thanks for the automated reply, it makes sense.

    Can a human agent please confirm the above?
    Also, If I follow this path, will I be able to completely delete the existing site’s files, including the WP htaccess file and just replace it with the above suggested?

    Also, will the snippet htaccess above allow:

    – full redirect for HTTP and https and www and non www versions existing site
    – visitors get the new URLs when being redirected/forwarded from old site to new one

    Thanks.

    Rakibuzzaman Siam

    1 week, 4 days ago

    Hello,

    The best way to achieve domain-level redirection is via the .htaccess file. You can follow this URL for more details on how you can do that: https://wpscholar.com/blog/simple-redirects-with-htaccess/

    If you’re not sure how to create this redirection, you can get in touch with your hosting provider as they are in a better position to assist you with this.

    Hope that helps and please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any other questions.
     
    Thank you.

    Jeremy

    1 week, 1 day ago

    Hello,

    The simpler Redirect 301 method works in many cases, but .htaccess rules offer more flexibility. If you want a full redirect for all versions, this is a better approach:

    RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^(www\.)?oldsite\.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://newsite.com/$1 [R=301,L]

    Ensure the .htaccess file remains in place for redirection. If unsure, your host can help.

    Let us know how that goes.

    CH1800

    1 week, 1 day ago

    Rank Math free

    That looks good, many thanks!

    Rakibuzzaman Siam

    1 week, 1 day ago

    Hello,

    We are glad that helped.

    Please feel free to reach out to us again in case you need any other assistance.

    We are here to help.

    Thank you.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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