Redirect 301
Redirect 301
What It Means and Why It Matters
Picture this: you're searching for information online. You type your query into Google, find a promising article, and click the link. But instead of the content you were hoping for, you hit a wall—a “404 page not found” message.
Frustrating, right? It’s not just annoying for you, but also for the Google robots that crawl your site.
These little bots are constantly on the lookout, making sure your website is up to date and offering relevant content. They don’t just stop by once; they regularly check back to see if your site still delivers what users are searching for.
Now, let’s say you’ve decided to change the name of one of your pages—maybe you’re rebranding, updating keywords, or simply deleting a page.
Those old links could still be hanging around your site, hiding in blog posts, footers, or even forgotten buttons.
If the robots can’t find a page that’s still linked, they start to think your site isn’t well maintained.
This can hurt your SEO, leading to a drop in your site’s authority and making it less likely to appear in search results.
That’s where a 301 redirect comes into play. Think of it as a helpful guide for both your visitors and those Google robots. By redirecting old links to new pages, you ensure that nobody hits a dead end.
No more “unreliable” markings for your site!
Setting up a 301 redirect on Squarespace is simple. Just press the / key and type “redirect.” You’ll land in the settings for your sitemap, right at the redirect window. Copy the old slug, type ->, and paste in the new one. Finish it off with / and add 301. Hit save, and you’re done! Now anyone searching your site will be automatically redirected to the new page, and those Google robots will rediscover it too.
So, as you update your keywords or refresh your content, don’t forget about your redirects. It’s a straightforward step that keeps your site user-friendly and maintains your credibility in the eyes of search engines.
I know it’s a lot to take in. You can set aside one afternoon to work on it, or if you’d prefer, just let me handle it for you!
