Why You Should Set Up a URL Redirect To Avoid Losing Traffic
- Zena Barrick
- Feb 10
- 2 min read
Imagine searching for a business on Google, clicking on a promising link, and being met with a "Page Not Found" error. How frustrating would that be?
Now, imagine that happening to potential clients trying to visit your website. If you've ever changed a web page’s URL but haven’t redirected the old link to the new one, that’s exactly what they’ll experience.
This is why it’s crucial to set up a URL redirect to avoid losing traffic whenever you update a web page address.
Why You Should Set Up a URL Redirect
Let’s say you originally had a page called "My Services", but as your business grows, you change it to "Our Services" to reflect your expanding team. Your URL changes from:
yourdomain.com/my-services
to
yourdomain.com/our-services
If someone clicks on the old link, whether from Google, social media, or an old email, you risk losing them entirely if they hit an error page.
The Problem? Search Engines Take Time to Catch Up
Google doesn’t instantly update its search results when you change a URL. It can take weeks for search engines to recrawl your site and index the new page. In the meantime, visitors will still be clicking on the old, broken link.
Not only does this frustrate users, but it also damages your SEO. If people consistently land on a broken page, search engines may assume your site is outdated or poorly maintained which could lower your rankings.
How to Set Up a URL Redirect To Avoid Losing Traffic
A redirect automatically sends anyone who visits the old URL to the new one. Luckily, ost website platforms make it easy to do this.
For example, if you use Wix like me, there’s a built-in custom redirects feature that lets you set up and manage redirects in just a few clicks.
Steps to Set Up a URL Redirect
Locate your website’s redirect settings – This is usually found in the SEO or settings section of your site’s backend.
Enter the old URL – The page that no longer exists.
Enter the new URL – The page you want visitors to be sent to instead.
Save and test – Type the old URL into your browser and make sure it redirects properly.
Bonus Tip: If you’ve removed a page entirely and don’t have a direct replacement, consider redirecting users to a relevant page rather than leaving them with an error.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Lose Valuable Traffic!
Redirects may seem like a small detail, but they make a big difference to your website’s performance.
By setting up proper redirects, you:
Prevent visitors from landing on broken pages
Protect your SEO ranking
Improve user experience and keep potential clients engaged
So, next time you change a web page URL, don’t forget to set up a URL redirect to avoid losing traffic! It’s a simple step that keeps your website running smoothly and ensures you never lose valuable visitors.
Need help with your website? Get in touch.