Domain redirects are essential tools for website management, allowing you to direct visitors from one URL to another. This can be particularly useful when you want to consolidate traffic (e.g., from non-www to www), redirect old URLs to new ones, or temporarily direct traffic for specific events or updates. In this guide, we’ll walk you through setting up domain redirects in cPanel.

Why Use Domain Redirects?

Redirects ensure that visitors reach the right page, improving user experience and maintaining SEO rankings. The two main types of redirects are:

• Permanent Redirect (301): Indicates that the page has moved permanently, passing SEO value to the new URL.
• Temporary Redirect (302): Used when the page move is temporary, and you intend to revert to the original URL later.

Step 1: Accessing the Redirects Feature in cPanel

1. Log in to cPanel: Access your cPanel dashboard through your hosting provider.
2. Navigate to the Redirects Section: Under the Domains section, click on Redirects. This is where you’ll set up all URL redirects for your domain.

Step 2: Setting Up a Redirect in cPanel

Once you’re in the Redirects section, you can set up your desired redirect by filling out the required fields.

Steps to Set Up a Redirect:

1. Choose the Redirect Type: Select Permanent (301) if you want the redirect to be permanent, or Temporary (302) if it’s a temporary change.

2. Select the Domain: Choose the domain you want to redirect from the dropdown list. If you have multiple domains, ensure you select the correct one.

3. Enter the Redirect URL: In the Redirects to field, enter the URL where you want visitors to be redirected. Be sure to include https:// or http:// at the beginning.

4. Choose Redirection Options:

   • Only redirect with www: Redirects only if the visitor uses the www version of the URL.
   • Redirect with or without www: Redirects regardless of whether the www is present.
   • Do Not Redirect www: Redirects only when the URL does not contain www.

5. Wildcard Redirect (Optional): If you select this option, all files from the original domain will redirect to the same file path on the new domain. For example, example.com/page will redirect to newexample.com/page.

6. Click Add: Once all fields are set, click Add to create the redirect.

Step 3: Redirecting from a Specific Page or Entire Domain

1. Redirect a Specific Page: To redirect a specific page, enter the page URL in the field next to your domain (e.g., /oldpage). Then specify the new destination page in the Redirects to field.

2. Redirect the Entire Domain: Leave the page field blank if you want to redirect the entire domain to a new domain or URL.

3. Example Use Cases:

   • Non-www to www: Redirect example.com to www.example.com.
   • HTTP to HTTPS: Redirect http://example.com to https://example.com, enhancing security and SEO.

Step 4: Checking That the Redirect is Working Properly

Once you’ve set up your redirect, it’s important to verify that it’s functioning as expected. Here are a few ways to check:

1. Test in a Browser: Open a new browser tab, enter the original URL, and confirm that it redirects to the new destination.

2. Use an Online Redirect Checker: Tools like redirect-checker.org allow you to verify that your redirect is set up correctly and see if it’s a 301 or 302 redirect.

3. Clear Browser Cache: If the redirect doesn’t work initially, try clearing your browser cache to ensure you’re seeing the latest version of your site.