A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from an old URL to a new one, automatically transferring users that were unaware of any changes. While many business owners know that redirects are necessary to maintain their search engine rankings, it is common to be unsure of when and how to use 301 redirects to direct traffic to pages on your new custom website in Phoenix or another city.

If you would like to redirect a page on your custom website in Phoenix, it is important that you know the two main methods: a 301 redirect and a canonical attribute.

301 Redirects

A 301 redirect should be used when a page is moved or no longer in existence. If this is the case, make sure that you remove the old URL from your index and add the new URL in its place. This essentially informs users and search engines that the most relevant information for various search terms can be found on your new page as opposed to the old. Overtime, the link authority and search engine ranking power from the original page of your custom website in Phoenix will carry over to your new one. In addition to using 301 redirects for pages, these redirects can also be implemented for entire domains that may be moved for reasons, such as rebranding.

While 301 redirects are the default solution for many business owners that move or completely recreate pages or domains, they only work when they are done with complete accuracy. One of the most common issues with 301 redirects is when a business owner or inexperienced online marketing team uses this redirecting tool to direct all pages of the original site to a single page: the homepage of the new custom website in Phoenix or wherever the business is located. This is a problem because it completely disregards the fact that a homepage may not be relevant to what the user was searching for, leading to high bounce rates. A poor move like this can severely damage search engine optimization in Phoenix. To avoid this, make sure that you redirect each page to a page similar in content. The best way to ensure that the job is done right is by working with an experienced company specializing in website design and search engine optimization in Phoenix.

Canonical Attributes

When you have multiple pages or sometimes even domains with similar content that you would prefer to keep live, you should opt for canonical attributes. This allows you to index only the page you would like to pass your link authority and search engine ranking power to while still allowing users to view the content on the other pages of your custom website in Phoenix. Unlike a 301 redirect, a canonical attribute is more of a tool used to communicate with search engines than with users. For example, sites specializing in ecommerce in Phoenix or another city may have the same list of products on multiple pages of their sites. Without proper use of canonical attributes, search engines would index all pages with similar or identical content. Search engines would then choose the one page it believes to be most relevant while filtering out the other pages from the search engine results page, negatively impacting search engine optimization in Phoenix. To avoid this, canonical attributes can be used to inform search engines that you are aware the content is similar. You can then choose the one page on your custom website in Phoenix that you prefer to be indexed in order to receive SEO benefits.

Like with 301 redirects, it is essential that they be used accurately in order to receive the best benefits for search engine optimization in Phoenix. One of the most common mistakes made by business owners and inexperienced marketing teams is using canonical attributes on pages that don’t have a percentage of content large enough to be considered similar. This decreases the amount of relevancy and visibility for various search terms, which can limit the effectiveness of a campaign for search engine optimization in Phoenix.

When redirecting is necessary, it is important that you thoroughly understand the above options, 301 redirects or canonical attributes, so you are able to make the best choice for your custom website in Phoenix.

At Fasturtle, a reputable online marketing company, we have a highly experienced team of online marketing experts that can help you to create a brand new custom website in Phoenix that is properly redirected. We are continuously praised as one of the best website design companies in the Valley and can work with you to create and optimize a website that will improve your search engine optimization in Phoenix. In addition to basic websites, we also specialize in custom mobile websites in Phoenix to ensure that you reach the largest percentage of your audience as possible. To learn more about custom website design and search engine optimization in Phoenix or another city, call Fasturtle at (888) 468-8785 or contact us online.