Redirecting an old address

When you need one

A renamed page changes address, and everything that pointed at the old one — a link in a directory, a business card, a search result already indexed — then falls into the void. A redirect catches those visitors and takes them to the right page.

Two paths, without the domain name

The old address is written without the domain: « old-prices », and not the full address. The new one follows the same rule, and leaving it empty sends visitors to the home page.

• Permanent redirect: almost always the right answer, it teaches search engines that the address has changed for good.
• Temporary redirect: for a page that will come back to its original address.

Checking that it is doing its job

Each redirect counts how many times it is used. A counter that stays at zero for weeks usually points to a badly copied address: it is the simplest way of noticing.