Managing Redirects in Enhance

Redirects send visitors and search engines from one URL to another. They are useful for HTTPS, www/non-www choices, page moves, domain changes, and old URLs after a migration.

Decide the Final URL First

Before adding redirects, choose the exact final version of the site:

• https://example.com or https://www.example.com
• Whether old page paths should map to new page paths.
• Whether an old domain should forward to a new domain.
• Whether temporary campaign pages should return later.

Having a clear final URL avoids chains such as HTTP to HTTPS, then non-www to www, then one page path to another. Each extra hop adds delay and makes troubleshooting harder.

Use the Right Redirect Type

• 301 permanent: use when the old URL should be replaced long-term.
• 302 temporary: use for short-term tests, maintenance pages, or campaign changes that will be reversed.
• HTTPS force: use when the SSL certificate is active and all content loads correctly over HTTPS.

Check for Loops

A redirect loop happens when URL A points to URL B and URL B points back to URL A, or when application rules and hosting rules disagree. Browsers usually show a "too many redirects" error.

If this happens, check redirects in three places:

• Enhance website redirect or HTTPS settings.
• Application settings, such as WordPress site URL values.
• .htaccess or other rewrite files in the web root.

Test the Redirect

After adding a redirect, test the old URL in a private browser window and with a redirect checker. Confirm the final URL is correct and that there is no unnecessary chain.

For migrations, test the most important old URLs manually: home page, contact page, product pages, login pages, checkout, and any URLs receiving search traffic.

When to Remove Redirects

Temporary redirects should be removed when the campaign, test, or maintenance period ends. Permanent redirects are normally left in place for old URLs that may still be bookmarked or indexed.