URLs Redirects

What is a URL Redirect?

A Redirect is a behind-the-scenes instruction that a website provides to a visitor's browser letting the browser know the original URL location requested is actually named something else or is located somewhere else, and it sends the browser to that new location.

 

When to Use a Redirect

  • A page has changed location within a site.
    • /blog/article1 is now located at /news/article1

       
  • A page has changed its name.
    • /research/facultyperson is changed to /research/person
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  • A vanity URL needs to be changed when domains are changed. Use vanity URLs with caution.
    • https://oldsitename.uclahealth.org/conference is changed to https://conference.newsite.uclahealth.org

 

 

Internal Redirects

You should use an Internal Redirect in the following two circumstances: a page name or a location is changed but the domain remains the same.

  1. Log in to your site.
  2. Hover your mouse over Configuration. 
  3. Hover your mouse over Search and metadata.
  4. Hover your mouse over URL redirects
  5. Click Add redirect.
    Example of Menu Configuration > Search and Metadata > URL Redirects > Add Redirect (Steps 2 to 5)


     

  6. Add the Path -- This is the former URL of the content.

  7. Add the To URL -- This is the new location of your content.

    1. Ideally, type in the Title. If the path changes, the title will retain the node ID.

    2. You can also use the path: /mynews/mynewsarticle
       

  8. Select the appropriate Redirect status from the dropdown menu.

    • "301 Moved Permanently" is most commonly used.   

  9. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the Save button to finish.
     

    Example of Creating a URL Redirect Steps 6 to 9