What is Redirect in seo differences of various redirects and effect of them in SEO
Redirect is a method of transferring users from one address to a new one. URL conduction is a technique that is utilized by global website network for creation of more than one URL address for a website page. In fact, you may have several different addresses; nonetheless, when clicking on each of them, you are guided to the same page.
Of course, when a domain is conducted to another one, this is called ‘Domain Redirection’ or ‘Domain Forwarding’.
Why redirect is importent?
One URL is redirected for several reasons. First of all, this technique can assist us for prevention of broken links being created in the time of displacement of pages. Secondly is the shortening of URL.
Thirdly, we are able to take advantage of redirect in order to enable website owner to have a couple of nouns for his/her website. Another crucial justification is that this method could help users experience more convenient navigation in addition to strengthening their privacy at times.
Unfortunately, redirect is not merely included benefits! As this is sometimes used for illegal purposes such as fishing attacks and even for manipulation of search engines.
Types of redirect
Redirects consist of different types that the most prevalent of them are reviewed in this article.
Redirect 301
Redirect 301 is a permanent one which is considered as the most functional, popular and convenient way to conduct a web page. The mentioned redirect would use if your website page was permanently transferred to another address. This means that a page should be indexed by search engines until existing traffic from an old URL is entirely transferred to a new one.
The mentioned redirect is generally used in the below conditions when a person:
- Is inclined to convert traffic of aged website to a new domain.
- Is using diverse URLs to access your website, you are able to select a desirable URL then using 301 for redirect in addition to sending all existing traffic to your favorite URL.
- Is going to ensure that old and expired URL links are redirected to associated pages after integration two websites.
It should also be noted that redirect 301 processing for search engines takes some time after prompt transferring a webpage from a website to another one. Comprehension of idea and gradation of validity to a new page is a time-consuming process with all rankings. If robots of a search engine refer to a demonstrated website occasionally or new redirect is not redirected effectively, this process may be longer than it should be.
Redirect 302
When a specific URL is temporarily shifted to another place, the temporary type of redirect 302 is used. The mechanism of a URL is determined by a particular protocol named ‘Hypertext Transfer Protocol’ which is so-called ‘HTTP’ on which internet is run. There are two main protocols in this type encompassing 1.0 and 1.1. while the former has the meaning of “temporarily transferred”, the latter is called ”found”.
The mentioned redirect is generally used in the below conditions when:
- A person is going to change or update and transfer traffic of a page to another one temporarily.
- Users are conducted to another page; nevertheless, it is essential to maintain your primary URL in the index.
- Your content is in a URL, but you advertise links using different URL.
Redirect 303
According to this redirect, a source is temporarily accessible in different place; furthermore, it commands client that the GET ought to be requested with new URL, despite that which method has been originally used.
Redirect 307
The alternative of redirect 302 is called redirect 307 HTTP1.1. This method is coincident with redirect 302 in terms of approach and should be utilized instead of it in ideal condition.
The only exception is that the content is temporarily transferred according to several reasons such as fix and maintenance (of under construction pages) and compatibility of server with 1.1 version which is successfully recognized by search engines. Considering that we are unable to determine whether or not a page is identified compatible by search engine, it is recommended that a redirect 302 is temporarily used for transferred content.
Permanent redirect 308
When transferring permanently one page to a new address, redirect 308 can be used in addition to redirect 301. It should also be noted that when changing structure of a website or converting it from HTTP to HTTPS, it is the best option to execute permanent redirect.
The difference between redirect 301 and 308 in their details. If a user considers redirect 308, this request should be exactly repeated in a new place. Whereas considering 301 redirect, users may change POST request to GET one.
This means that if POST is created with body and server returns status code 308, user has to request a POST with old body in a new place. An issue existed in status code HTTP 308 is that it is comparatively new (It was revealed on April 2015 in RFC 7538); consequently, it is not supported by all explorers and crawlers. For example, internet explorer 11 in windows 7 and 8 cannot understand status codes 308 and a blank page is displayed rather than following redirect.
According to limited support for redirect 308, it is recommended that your redirects are always fulfilled using redirect 301, unless you are intended that POST request is accurately transferred and ensure all your clients perceive response code 308.
Meta Refresh
Meta refresh is created when redirect is executed in the level of server in the place of page. It is interesting that this is not a recommended SEO method, because it is normally slow and its usability is feeble. 5-second countdown is mainly accompanied by meta refresh. This countdown is chiefly considered in various website pages with the context “if you are not conducted to a new page within another 5 seconds, click here”.
The best method of redirect in SEO
Redirect from one URL to another address is a common way. However, the premier mistake during this process is that we visualize redesign of our website is working properly without thinking a lot about SEO. If you do not concentrate on SEO, grading your website can confront serious and undesirable damages.
According to Google, various URLs means various pages. Hence, instead of getting credit for your old page and all credits you gather for your links over these years, a new page is created.
Under this circumstances, Google (and the other search engines) review this page as a new one and allocate a place to them. Encountering error “Page Not Found 404 “ in the time of review of previous page, Google imagines that the page has been removed so its value is destroyed. When this incident happens to every page of your website, the result can be destructive for your business.
Prevention of this occurrence is so simple and the solution is using redirect 301. Code 301, which means that this page is permanently transferred, says to demandant software that the content of a URL has been transferred to another one. When observing code 301, search engine receives allocated SEO from existing URL and send it to a new URL.
This action also prevents the error “Page Not Found“ when searching an old page. Instead, these pages are consistently conducted to a new page.
Cost of redirect in seo
The effect of performance is another aspect that has to be considered when using HTTP redirect. Each redirect needs an extra HTTP request to a server, usually adding several hundred of milliseconds to uploading a page. In terms of user experience, this happening is awful, which leads to unnecessary pressure on website server. To do this work, you have to inhibit redirect chains in which one redirect results in another one.
Conclusion
In this article we are acquainted with different types of redirects and their conceptual meanings. Moreover, it is observed that there are 5 sorts of redirects, each of which can be used in the right place. When one page or file is perpetually accessible via a new URL, using redirect 301. The mentioned action assists search engines to allot SEO of previous page to a new one without damaging place of your pages.
When a page is just temporarily available in another URL and you are not intended that search engines replace this URL with the main one, using redirect 302. It is important that redirects 303, 307 and 308 can be used only if you dominate their exact functionality as well as having real needs. Furthermore, do not forget to minimize the number of redirects, inasmuch as each redirect needs an additional HTTP request.
