The ultimate xHTML / DHTML / HTML 301 redirection thread!

[Dan]

If you don't know what a HTML/xHTML/DHTML 301 redirect is, you will by the end of this thread! If you need to redirect a page, unfortunately it isn't as simple as using one of the various methods - only the 301 redirect will preserve search engine rankings for the page. It is the most efficient, search engine friendly method for website redirection - the code 301 is interpreted as "moved permanently".

Here is how to perform a 301 redirect in the 3 afformentioned coding languages:

HTML, xHTML, DHTML:

1. Create a .htaccess file by opening up notepad, or a similair text/txt editor and save the file as .htaccess with no extension.
2. Place this code in your .htaccess file:
   
   

   redirect 301 /old/old.htm http://www.yoursite.com/new.htm

   OR, if you are redirecting to a new url, you need the following code:
   
   

   redirect 301 / http://www.yoursite.com/new.htm

   If you already have one of these files - make sure you leave a line before adding the code!
3. 
   
4. Save the file and upload to your server root folder.
5. 
   
   Test the redirect works by visiting the old page - you should automatically be redirected!
6. 
   

[brackett]

Actually, that's webserver dependent. The .htaccess trick is Apache only. IIS can do similar, but you need to use the IIS manager and set it...I don't recall the specifics right now, but basically right click the website/folder/file and there's a redirect tab I think.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by brackett

Actually, that's webserver dependent. The .htaccess trick is Apache only. IIS can do similar, but you need to use the IIS manager and set it...I don't recall the specifics right now, but basically right click the website/folder/file and there's a redirect tab I think.

Apologies yes, I should have stipulated that this would only work on Apache.

See the asp thread for IIS, I don't have much experience of windows servers so wouldn't know the trick above - is it a 301 redirect?

[DevilsCharm]

301 redirects are useful, but isn't there another way to do a redirect that isn't called a 301 redirect? I think there is another way, or maybe I'm just thinking of something else.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by DevilsCharm

301 redirects are useful, but isn't there another way to do a redirect that isn't called a 301 redirect? I think there is another way, or maybe I'm just thinking of something else.

There are plenty of other ways of doing it through javascript etc.

However, only a 301 redirect should be used as this is the best for search engine optimisation. A 301 redirect is favoured by the search engines and wont lose existing pagerank.

[brackett]

Originally Posted by Dan

Apologies yes, I should have stipulated that this would only work on Apache.

See the asp thread for IIS, I don't have much experience of windows servers so wouldn't know the trick above - is it a 301 redirect?

Yes, IIS can generate both 301 (permanent) or 302 (temporary) redirects. http://support.microsoft.com/default...313074&sd=tech