Can You Explain What Redirecting Pages Is?

Redirecting pages is a technique used to preserve the ranking value of web pages that have been removed or had their URLs changed. Instead of losing the search engine ranking power associated with the old page, redirecting transfers that value to the new page, helping maintain website SEO performance.

Full Explanation

When a website undergoes changes such as moving to a new domain or modifying its structure, certain pages may no longer exist or their addresses (URLs) may have been altered. Since each page individually holds ranking power derived from its SEO performance, losing a page can translate to losing valuable ranking positions for the keywords it was targeting. Redirecting pages allows webmasters to ensure that the ‘ranking juice’ or SEO equity of the old pages is passed along to the new or existing pages. This process helps prevent ranking loss both on the individual page level and for the overall website.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Identify the pages that are gone or whose URLs have changed.
Implement redirects from the old page URLs to the corresponding new page URLs.
Allow search engines like Google to recognize these redirects, which transfer the ranking power.
Maintain this redirection to preserve SEO value and user experience.

Real Examples

Although not explicitly provided, the concept implies that when you move to a new website, you rarely want to lose the keyword rankings your old pages had. By redirecting those pages to the new URLs, the ranking power is preserved, ensuring your SEO efforts continue to be effective despite site changes.

Common Mistakes

Failing to redirect changed or removed pages, resulting in loss of ranking.
Redirecting pages incorrectly, which can cause confusion for search engines and users.
Not maintaining redirects long enough for search engines to credit the new pages.

FAQs

Why are redirects important for SEO?
Redirects help transfer the ranking power of pages that no longer exist or have changed URLs, protecting your site’s search ranking.

What happens if I don’t redirect old pages?
You risk losing the keyword rankings and SEO juice associated with those pages, which can hurt your website’s overall visibility.

Key Takeaways

Redirecting pages preserves the SEO value from old or changed URLs.
This process helps maintain ranking for individual pages and the website as a whole.
Proper redirection ensures continued visibility and keyword performance despite site changes.