What is a Domain Redirect?
A domain redirect is a mechanism on a web server that automatically forwards a visitor from one specific URL (the source address) to an entirely different URL (the destination address). This process happens instantaneously without any action required from the user, ensuring a seamless browsing experience.
When and Why Use a Redirect?
Redirects are particularly useful when a web page, file, or entire website has been permanently moved to a new address. Implementing a redirect ensures that users who have bookmarked the old URL or who arrive via external links pointing to the old address are not met with an error page (like a 404 Not Found).
The primary benefits include:
- Preserving user traffic by guiding them to the correct, updated page.
- Maintaining Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ranking for the content that has moved (especially with a Permanent 301 Redirect).
- Consolidating duplicate content into a single URL.
Illustrative Example
Consider a scenario where you originally had a document named page1.htm. If you decide to rename and move this file to page2.htm, you would create a redirect from the old address to the new address.
In this setup, any visitor attempting to access http://yourdomain.com/page1.htm would be automatically and immediately forwarded to http://yourdomain.com/page2.htm.
