Redirects and Linked Pages are two ways to send visitors from one URL to another, but they serve different purposes and can conflict if used for the same URL. This article covers when to use each and the key best practices for both.
💡Quick answers
- When should you use Redirects instead of Linked Pages? For vanity URLs, previously bookmarked pages from an old site, numeric URL slugs (like /2023), SEO management, and any case where wildcard matching is needed.
- What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect? A 301 (Permanent) preserves analytics tracking and is best in most cases; a 302 (Temporary) does not preserve analytics and may be handled inconsistently by search engines.
- When should you use Linked Pages instead of Redirects? When sending visitors to another page on the same site, an external site, or reused content that lives elsewhere in your page tree.
- What happens if the same vanity URL exists in both Redirects and Linked Pages? The Linked Pages version takes priority and overrides the Redirect, which can cause the wrong page to load.
- Can Linked Pages use numeric URL slugs like /2023? No; only Redirects support numeric slugs.
In this article
There are two different methods of creating a scenario where one page can serve as a sort of jump to another page: Redirects and Linked Pages. This article serves as a way to learn best practices for each since there are similarities and differences in function and usage.
Important Note
If vanity URLs exist in both Redirects and Linked Pages, those existing in Linked Pages will override those in Redirects. This often results in an error directing to the wrong page when in both places.
Redirects best practices:
- Best choice for the most efficient management of vanity URLs.Â
- Provides have the option for wildcard matching.
- Best place for pages from a previous site that users may have bookmarked, to be sure that they are "redirected" to the new, corresponding page on your new site.Â
- Used to create a URL slug that consists of only numbers (i.e. /2023). Linked Pages don't allow numeric slugs.
- Strategize your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services here.Â
- 301 (Permanent): These redirects best preserve site analytics tracking information when users click on them. In most cases, a Permanent redirect is more effective than a temporary one.
- 302 (Temporary): Temporary redirects do not preserve site analytics. In fact, different search engines handle 302 requests differently, so using them can add a great deal of uncertainty to analytics results.Â
Linked Pages best practices:
- Used to take users from a page within Finalsite to either:
- another page on the same site,
- another site, or
- content being reused from another page. (See Linked page types.)
- Behave more like a shortcut to a page that is being housed elsewhere in a more logical spot in your page navigation.Â
Important Note
It is not a best practice to create vanity URLs through the use of Linked Pages because the search and management process is more efficient in the Redirects feature.Â
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