Why Use Redirects?

Before we dive into the methods for setting up redirects in WordPress, let’s first discuss why redirects are essential. One of the most crucial reasons to use redirects is to improve SEO. When you change a URL or remove a page from your website, any links pointing to that page will become broken, resulting in a 404 error. This can negatively impact your website’s SEO, as search engines will see broken links as a sign of poor user experience.

Furthermore, redirects can help you maintain your website’s structure and organization. If you change the permalink structure of your website or move pages around, you can use redirects to ensure that users can still access the content they’re looking for without encountering any broken links.

The best permalink structure in WordPress (Case study)

Method 1: Using the Redirection Plugin

The first and most straightforward method for setting up redirects in WordPress is using the Redirection plugin. This free plugin can be installed directly from the WordPress plugin directory.

To set up a redirect using the Redirection plugin, follow these steps:

1. Install and activate the Redirection plugin from the WordPress plugin directory.
2. Go to your WordPress dashboard’s “Tools” menu and click “Redirection.”
3. Enter the URL you want to redirect in the “Source URL” field.
4. Enter the destination URL in the “Target URL” field.
5. Click “Add Redirect.”

That’s it! The Redirection plugin will automatically redirect users from the source URL to the destination URL.

Method 2: Using the .htaccess File

The second method for setting up redirects in WordPress is using the .htaccess file. This method requires more technical knowledge, but it is still relatively straightforward.

The .htaccess file is a configuration file used by Apache web servers. It allows you to configure various settings for your website, including redirects. To set up a redirect using the .htaccess file, follow these steps:

1. Access your website’s root directory using an FTP client or cPanel file manager. (you can use the RankMath plugin to edit the .htaceess file)
2. Locate the .htaccess file and download a copy of it as a backup.
3. Open the .htaccess file in a text editor.
4. Add the following code to the file, replacing “source-URL” and “target-URL” with the actual URLs you want to redirect:
5. Redirect 301 /source-URL/ https://www.example.com/target-url/
6. Save the .htaccess file and upload it to your website’s root directory.

That’s it! The .htaccess file will redirect users from the source URL to the destination URL.

Method 3: Using PHP Code

PHP code is the third and most advanced method for setting up redirects in WordPress. This method requires coding knowledge and is not recommended for beginners.

To set up a redirect using PHP code, follow these steps:

1. Open your theme’s functions.php file in a text editor.
2. Add the following code to the file, replacing “source-URL” and “target-URL” with the actual URLs you want to redirect:
3. function redirect_function() { wp_redirect( ‘https://www.example.com/target-url/’, 301 ); } add_action( ‘template_redirect’, ‘redirect_function’ );
4. Save the functions.php file and upload it back to your website’s server.

That’s it! The PHP code will redirect users from the source URL to the destination URL.

Conclusion

Setting up redirects in WordPress is essential for website owners and managers. Redirects can help you maintain your website’s structure, improve SEO, and ensure a positive user experience. This article explored three different methods for setting up redirects in WordPress, including using the Redirection plugin, the .htaccess file, and PHP code. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, so choose the one that best fits your needs and technical abilities.