A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines that a page or a whole site has moved permanently. Search engines then treat the two addresses as one and transfer the ranking to the destination.
This is why the code matters: a 301 is permanent and consolidates the ranking, whereas a 302 is temporary and leaves the two addresses as separate sites, splitting the ranking between them. For a genuine move, always use 301.
Redirecting one domain to another
Use this when you have bought a second domain, changed the name of your business, or want an old domain to lead to a new one.
- Open Websites & Domains and click Add Domain.
- Choose the option to use the domain as a redirect rather than as a website.
- Enter the destination address and select the 301 redirect code.
Making a second domain show the same site
Use a domain alias when both addresses should serve the same website rather than one redirecting to the other — for example a .de and a .com version of the same name.
- Open Websites & Domains and click Add Domain Alias.
- Enter the alias name and select the domain it belongs to.
Note that this is a different thing from a redirect: with an alias, the same site is available at both addresses. Search engines may treat that as duplicate content, so if one address is meant to be the main one, a 301 redirect is the better choice.
www or no www
Decide which form is the main one for your site and redirect the other to it. Either choice is fine; what matters is that only one of them answers directly and the other redirects, so that search engines see a single site.
Most content management systems have their own setting for the preferred address — in WordPress, for example, the site address. If your CMS is already redirecting, do not add a second redirect in the panel: two redirects pointing at each other produce a loop and the site stops opening.
Redirecting individual pages
The panel handles whole domains. To redirect individual pages or sections — for instance after restructuring a site — use the rules of your web server or the facilities of your CMS. If you need help with that, open a ticket and describe which addresses should lead where.
Checking the result
Open the old address in a browser and confirm that you end up at the new one. Bear in mind that browsers cache permanent redirects aggressively: if you are testing repeatedly, use a private window, or you may be looking at a cached result rather than the current configuration.
