What are “301 Redirects” and How to Redirect WordPress Posts and Pages?

Even if you are a true amateur when it comes to the world of website development and WordPress, chances are you’ve already run into one or two 404 pages. Needless to say, if you’re anything like me, you probably got all pissy and blacklisted the said website, right? No? Ok, I’ll be the only one that’s passive-aggressive here, whatever… Anyway, a messy 404 error can happen for several reasons, but it is very easy to solve. That being said, it should still be solved swiftly and, as my favorite ATL based rapper would say, “expeditiously”. (*fist-bumps TI) If left untended, these ugly little errors can create some huge problems, leading to the downfall of your website altogether. Scared yet? 

Now that you are freaking out and sweating profusely (just me? Ok, whtvr…), let me tell you how you can solve the 404 issues in virtually no time and with minimum effort involved. If your website ever starts giving 404 errors because your content is expired, removed, or simply outdated and invalid, all you need is a “301 Redirects” plugin to solve the problem.

Check out What the WP “301 Redirects” Plugin has to Offer

First of all, it is important to know what the term “301 redirects” actually means. There is a variety of possible redirects out there, but this one is most commonly used. It basically means that you will be permanently redirecting your visitors from one URL to the other. 301 simply refers to the HTTP status code for this particular type of redirect. In most cases, 301 redirect is, in fact, the best method for adding redirects on most websites. 301 redirects can do miracles for your website’s SEO when applied properly and the simplest way to do it is with 301 Redirects plugin. 

This awesome plugin has a terrific user-friendly interface, which makes navigation a piece of cake. It is built to provide you with solely the most purposeful means to an end, so you won’t waste your time rethinking every button you push or every flashy pop-up you see. “301 Redirects” has you covered and will solve 404 errors automatically for you. Other plugins often feature a variety of unnecessary buttons and complicate things for no reason. With the “301 Redirects” plugin, you will avoid the frustration of going through hoops to solve a simple issue.

Some of the main features of this great plugin include:

• A handy dropdown menu containing Posts, Custom Post Types, Archives, Term Archives, and Pages
• Import/Export option, terrific for easy management and bulk redirects
• Super-quick redirections
• The option of setting a custom destination URL
• Simple and useful redirect stats

Once you start employing the “301 Redirects” plugin and let it do its magic, the benefits will be enormous. Some of those benefits won’t be immediately visible, but in the long run – boy oh boy! First of all, it is important to clarify that the new URL that you want your visitors to be redirected to will keep the search engine authority connected to inbound links of both URLs. That basically means that the URL in the browser won’t visibly change for your visitors, it will look the same as the original URL. This may sound somewhat shallow if you are not aware of the core purpose of this particular feature of a 301 redirect. You see, retaining the search engine authority is the most important for the SEO and your website visibility. This particular step guarantees you won’t lose your search ranking.

You can also use a “301 Redirects” plugin if you are renaming your website, giving it a different URL. 301 redirects will successfully send each and every one of your visitors to the proper address, all while preserving the power of the inbound links. Furthermore, with 301 Redirects you can also make sure that the primarily used domain keeps all the authority. This will come in handy if you are expanding your business, so you are buying other domains that complement your brand. By buying other domains you generate more traffic to your website, and “301 Redirects” makes sure that all of that traffic goes in the right direction.

The Cost of Using the Plugin

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, “301 redirects” use to cost everyone who used them. Using “301 redirects” meant losing some 15% of your search engine ranking. Website owners were rightfully aggravated by that, so Google took care of that issue. It took a while, but the problem is now solved. 

However, a large number of users still believe that 301 redirects are the villain of website maintenance. So, how do I put this…hmmm…that is a load of rubbish. Get with the program people! Curiosity didn’t kill the cat, ignorance did. 301 Redirects plugin won’t just solve some issues. It will improve your website’s ranking and traffic, all while giving you more freedom to be creative and carefree with your content. 

So these are some of the basics when it comes to the whole 301 redirects matter. Redirects themselves are quite a vast subject to tackle, but the matters we listed above are the most important ones. Needless to say, the “301 Redirects” plugin covers all of them ever so terrifically. 301 Redirects do not have an expiration date which makes them all the more significant. Keeping in mind that 404 errors can be detrimental to the “health” of your website, it would be very dangerous to just leave them around. The longer you leave them on your website, the more annoyed visitors you are going to have. Now that you have learned all about the advantages of a 301 Redirects plugin, there really is no excuse for the existence of any nasty 404 errors on your site. Using 301 Redirects plugin is a no brainer at this point. Just go for it, you won’t be sorry.