Redirects
Redirects are used to make a single webpage accessible via more than one URL.
When a browser opens a URL that has been redirected, a page with a different URL is opened.
Redirects are setup for a variety of reasons, including URL shortening and the prevention of broken links when web pages are moved or deleted.
The Redirects page lists all of the redirects that have been added to a site with options to Test, Edit, or Delete existing redirects.
When to create a Redirect
Redirects should be added with care. Use the following guidelines to determine if you should add a redirect:
- A page has moved: create a redirect from the old to the new URL
- A short URL is needed: /special-program to /academics/programs/the-special-program
- An inbound link that you cannot fix is pointing to the wrong page
When NOT to create a redirect:
- You should not create redirects to your homepage. It is better to let the page 404.
- Do not create redirects for any resource that does not, or has not existed on your site in the past.
Every redirect that is added to your site must be checked when a visitor requests a page. If you have hundreds of redirects, it can slow down the response time of your site. We recommend keeping total redirects to less than 50. If you are unsure if you should redirect a link, use the Request Help feature and we'd be happy to provide guidance.
Adding a New Redirect
- Select the "Add New Redirect."
- Enter the URL being redirected "From example.nd.edu/" field.
- Enter the URL for the page being redirect to in the "Destination" field.
- Confirm Status. (Generally, "301 Permanent," the default, is used. 302 Redirects are for temporary redirects only.)
- Save.
- Find the redirect in the list and test the Redirect with the "Test" button.