How to manage 301 redirects in Magento?

@naomi_cronin 

Managing 301 redirects in Magento is essential for maintaining SEO and ensuring a seamless user experience when URLs change. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to handle 301 redirects in Magento 2:

Step 1: Access the Admin Panel

1. Log into your Magento 2 Admin Panel.

Step 2: Use URL Rewrites

Magento provides a built-in feature called URL Rewrites to manage 301 redirects:

1. Navigate to Marketing: Go to Marketing in the side menu. Under SEO & Search, select URL Rewrites.
2. Add a New URL Rewrite: Click on the Add URL Rewrite button to create a new redirect.
3. Choose the Redirect Type: Choose Custom for the new redirect type if this is not a product, category, or CMS page.
4. Configure the Redirect: Request Path: Enter the old URL path that you want to redirect (e.g., old-page.html). Target Path: Enter the new URL path you want the old URL to redirect to (e.g., new-page.html). Redirect Type: Select Permanent (301). Leave the Store view section at its default unless you are targeting a specific store view.
5. Save the Redirect: Hit the Save button to apply the redirect.

Step 3: Verify Your Redirects

1. Check in the Browser: Test the old URL in a web browser to ensure it redirects to the new URL correctly.
2. SEO Tools: Use SEO tools like Screaming Frog or online checkers to validate the 301 redirects are correctly set up.

Additional Tips:

• Regular Audit: Regularly audit your website for broken links and ensure all outdated URLs are properly redirected.
• Avoid Redirect Chains: Ensure that redirects are direct and not part of a chain, as this can negatively impact SEO.
• SEO Considerations: Update internal links to point directly to the new URLs rather than relying solely on redirects.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage 301 redirects in Magento, ensuring your site maintains its SEO integrity and provides a good user experience even when URLs change.