Understanding Redirects

What is a Redirect?

A redirect is a behind-the-scenes instruction that a website provides to a visitor's browser letting the browser know the original URL location requested is actually named something else or located somewhere else, and it sends the browser to that new location.

Redirect Gotchas

  • The path you're reading FROM should not have an existing page on the site, even unpublished or archived.
  • The redirect system does NOT work with files of any type UNLESS the original file no longer exists on the site.
Why would you use a Redirect?
  • A page has changed location within a site
    • /blog/article1 is now located at /news/article1
  • The site's domain name (oldsitename.com) has changed (newsitename.com)
    • oldsitename.com changes to newsitename.com
  • A page has changed its name
    • /research/facultyperson-hall changes to /research/mrak-hall
  • A page no longer exists, the link is broken, or visitors commonly enter a URL that is close to the actual URL but is incorrect so it fails
    • proactively create a redirect to send the visitor to a useful location in your site
  • A vanity URL needs to be changed when changing domains
    • https://oldsitename.ucdavis.edu/conference to https://conference.newsite.ucdavis.edu
Types of Redirects
  • Internal Redirect
    • a page changes its name inside the same domain
    • a page changes its location inside the same domain
    • Documentation
  • Domain Redirects
    • the domain has changed and specific pages need to be directed to a new spot
    • a vanity URL needs to be updated
    • Documentation
  • Fix 404 pages
  • Create a Custom 404 Page for your site
    • A passive, useful means of helping visitors who land on your page to have a better chance of locating the information they are looking for.
    • Documentation