How do I create a redirect?

The ePublishing redirect tool lets you create and manage redirects within the site and externally. Redirects are often used for SEO friendliness and maintaining good links throughout the site.

This article will show you how to:

  • Create a 301 redirect, which is used for directing users to pages that have been removed or demoted from the original website design
  • Create a 302 redirect, which should only be used in limited circumstances.

All redirects are instantly available upon creation.

NOTE: for all "FROM" redirect URLS...

For all situations below, do not include a trailing slash (e.g. /some-url/) or the redirect will not be able to match correctly. Instead, the "FROM" URL should look like: /some-url

1. Redirects

Redirects are used to create search engine-friendly URLs. They can also be used to create catchy or shorter and easy-to-remember URLs for promotions. There is no limit to the number of redirects you can create.

Examples of using redirects include:

  • Using a specific URL - domain.com/new-book-2015 - for a marketing campaign, allowing for more effective tracking in Google Analytics.
  • Creating a landing page for keyword campaigns on Google AdWords. For example, you could use domain.com/fluffy-bunny, which would point to a keyword landing page or taxonomy landing page for fluffy bunny.
  • Creating a quick access link to popular site functions. For example, you may create a redirect for your subscription page: domain.com/subscribe.

1.1. Select the Plus Sign in the Redirect manager (found in your Dashboard).

You may also edit existing redirects by clicking Scrolling or using the search feature. You can search by the redirect or the actual URL.

1.2 Chose your type of Redirect (301 or 302).

1.3. In the Friendly URL field, enter your new friendly URL redirect.

Leave out the first part of the URL. In this example: http://www.epublishing.com/myfirendlyurl

1.4. In the Actual URL field, enter the URL you'd like to point the redirect to. This link must be an existing URL on your website.

When pasting the URL, exclude the first part of the link. In this example: http://www.epublishing.com/articles/496-all-about-friendly-urls-and-how-to-use-them

1.5. Click Save Changes

Upon clicking Create, the redirect is ready to go and the action option to Delete will appear. Use Save if you make changes the redirect. To Delete a redirect, click Delete.

2. Notes on 301/302 Redirects

The 301/302 redirects are used for those domains and/or subdomains that are specifically pointed to the publisher’s site domain for handling. For example, the redirect tool will not redirect traffic from a competing site to a specific site page within a given site unless the competing site owner has pointed the domain for the competing site to match the publisher’s domain.

301 redirects are used for directing users to pages that have been removed or demoted from a site’s original design.

NOTE: 302 redirects should almost never be used. They are generally ignored by search engines and could result in important pages being removed from large search engine results. 302 redirects are used to temporarily point users to a new location.