How to Set Up and Manage Redirects in cPanel Print

Redirects are used to forward visitors from one URL to another. This is useful when you change your website's URL structure, move a website to a new domain, or need to redirect traffic from non-secure HTTP to secure HTTPS. In cPanel, you can easily set up and manage redirects for your domain names.

1. Setting Up a Permanent (301) Redirect

A permanent redirect (301) informs search engines that a page has moved permanently to a new location. This is beneficial for SEO, as it passes most of the link equity (ranking power) to the new URL.

Steps to Set Up a Permanent (301) Redirect:

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. In the "Domains" section, click on "Redirects".
3. In the "Type" field, select "Permanent (301)" to set up a permanent redirect.
4. In the "https?://(www.)" field, choose the domain you want to redirect from.
5. In the "Redirects to" field, enter the full URL of the destination page (e.g., https://www.newdomain.com).
6. Check the box for "Wild Card Redirect" if you want to redirect all subdomains as well (optional).
7. Click "Add" to set up the redirect.

Once the redirect is added, visitors to the original URL will be automatically redirected to the new URL, and search engines will update their indexing to reflect the change.

2. Setting Up a Temporary (302) Redirect

A temporary redirect (302) is used when a page is temporarily moved to a new location, and you expect to bring it back. This type of redirect doesn’t pass as much link equity as a 301 redirect but is useful for short-term changes.

Steps to Set Up a Temporary (302) Redirect:

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. Navigate to the "Domains" section and click on "Redirects".
3. In the "Type" field, select "Temporary (302)".
4. In the "https?://(www.)" field, choose the domain you want to redirect from.
5. In the "Redirects to" field, enter the full URL of the destination page (e.g., https://www.temporarydomain.com).
6. Click "Add" to set up the redirect.

Visitors will be temporarily redirected to the new location, and search engines will not treat the change as permanent.

3. Setting Up HTTPS Redirect

If you’ve installed an SSL certificate for your website, it’s important to redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS. This ensures secure communication between the server and your website visitors.

Steps to Set Up HTTPS Redirect:

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. In the "Domains" section, click on "Redirects".
3. In the "Type" field, select "Permanent (301)".
4. In the "https?://(www.)" field, select the domain you want to redirect from (use the non-HTTPS version of the domain).
5. In the "Redirects to" field, enter the HTTPS version of your domain (e.g., https://www.yourdomain.com).
6. Click "Add" to set up the redirect.

This will automatically redirect all HTTP traffic to the secure HTTPS version of your website, improving security for your users.

4. Managing Existing Redirects

You can view, edit, or delete any redirects you’ve set up through cPanel.

Steps to Manage Redirects:

1. Log in to your cPanel account.
2. In the "Domains" section, click on "Redirects".
3. Scroll down to the "Current Redirects" section to see all active redirects.
4. If you want to delete a redirect, click on the "Delete" button next to it.
5. If you want to modify a redirect, click on the "Edit" button and make the necessary changes.

Managing redirects helps ensure that your website visitors are directed to the right pages, maintaining a smooth browsing experience and optimizing SEO performance.

5. Important Considerations When Using Redirects

• Use 301 redirects for permanent changes to ensure search engines update their indexes accordingly.
• Use 302 redirects for temporary changes when you expect to revert the redirect.
• Be careful when setting up wild card redirects, as they can redirect all subdomains and URLs on your site.
• Test redirects after setup to ensure that they are working as expected and that no redirection loops occur.
• Keep track of redirects for SEO purposes, especially if they are set for long periods, as they can affect your site's ranking.

Summary: Key Actions for Redirects

Redirects are an essential tool for managing your website's traffic, ensuring smooth transitions when URL changes occur, and maintaining SEO. By following this guide, you can confidently set up and manage redirects for your domains in cPanel.