05 Feb Choose the Best 301 Redirect Plugin for WordPress

A 301 Redirect is a mechanism to change the URL automatically from one to the other when the first one is accessed. It’s a common mechanism understood throughout the internet, used mostly for SEO purposes.

This mechanism can also be used to control 404 errors, which occur when there is no content on a previously available URL. The content is either deleted or moved to a new URL.

If your website is posting 404 errors for all the previous URLs, then you need to check the existing permalink structure. You must have changed it, which reset the whole structure. Or if this issue is for few specific URLs, then go ahead and use any of the following plugins.

So, without going into any details further, let’s start with the plugins that can let you handle or implement 301 redirects on a WordPress website or blog.

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#1 Redirection

If you wish to do the redirection without the help of any plugin, then going through the .htaccess file can make it happen. But, it does require coding knowledge and the knowledge of Apache. If you lack it, then the plugin is the best way to move forward. After all, WordPress promised us simplicity. So, here is my first recommendation that can take care of the redirection without requiring any technical knowledge and believe me, it works in every situation, compatible with every well-coded theme and other plugins.

There is no pricing involved here, and it even keeps a proper log about 404 errors and the one redirected via 301 mode. It can redirect the 404 pages on automation and can even let you put the same on existing URLs. The link juice and SEO value are maintained with this redirection, keeping the rankings intact. Moreover, it even allows putting 302, and 307 redirections manually and, it’s available in dozens of internationally known languages. Some support is also available via a dedicated forum.

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#2 Affiliate Links Lite

If you’re using a website for affiliate marketing then using this particular plugin can be helpful. It can take care of the redirection, 301, 302, and even 307 without writing any code, and keeps a proper stats of everything going inside. It allows setting nofollow and noindex tags and putting link categories for proper management.

If required, it can put an appropriate mask on a link, also known as link cloaking and can hide the usually long and boring looking affiliate links. It’s a freely available product with proper compatibility with the latest WordPress script version.

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#3 404 to 301

A premium plugin which is available for free is the story of this particular product. Its codebase can be found on Github to support the open development and clearly reflects how premium it is. It can take care of the bad SEO score, occurring due to an increasing number of 404 errors and can fix the issue with the setup of a proper 301 redirect.

The plugin works with an add-on that can properly keep a state of everything going after the setup and can even send weekly alerts via email, which can be set to any comfortable frequency. It allows exporting a PDF file of the error logs and is also compatible with the translation. Moreover, the product is super lightweight and can fix tons of other related issues.

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#4 WP Cloaker

As you can judge from the name itself, it can cloak links to make them appear user-friendly rather than dull. And, it can also take care of the 301 redirect correctly. It’s a recommended plugin for affiliate marketing, and it packs few other features without asking for any price.

It is capable of shortening the URLs, categorise theme, and even put manual 302, 303, 307, and even JavaScript redirection. It even packs a built-in widget to showcase top 10 links in the sidebar or footer area. It collects proper log and can generate click reports with a single click which can even be filtered to find out the exact results we’re interested in reading.

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#5 Blogger 301 Redirect

It’s another free plugin that can take care of the redirection for 404 page, and it can even handle post feeds, comment feeds, and even archive pages.

It keeps a proper statistic of every successful redirection done by the plugin, and if you want, you can set the redirection to a custom URL, other than the usual homepage. It comes with proper installation and setup instructions, and a dedicated support forum is also available.

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#6 Trash Duplicate and 301 Redirect

So far, every plugin was handling the existing 404 pages and then redirecting them to a custom one or homepage. But, this plugin does one more related thing, i.e., it keeps track of duplicate post and pages, and can handle the redirection accordingly. The plugin even supports custom post types and can take firm action like deleting the duplicate content.

It can either function on global setting or for a particular post. It allows adding and removing the redirection rules for specific posts, keeping a list of every active one. A built-in search tool is also available, and it’s compatible to work with other plugins and most of the themes.

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#7 Simple 301 Redirects – Addon – Bulk Uploader

Finally, this is my last recommendation which is available for free, but it comes with a special feature. You’re allowed to upload all the 301 redirects via a CSV file, and the plugin will then automatically adjust the mentioned URLs. Cool, right?

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Conclusion

All of these plugins are capable of the same functionalities, but I have to offer a list for the sake of options to pick from the best. Let us know about your selection and don’t forget to share this helpful guide with your marketer friends. Peace!