How to Set Up Redirects During a Site Migration

When you’re migrating an existing website from one platform to another, there are steps you need to take to eliminate migration problems such as visitors getting 404 errors, lower SEO rankings, lost credibility due to dead links, and inaccurate traffic tracking. To avoid these issues, this guide will lead you through how to set up 301 Redirects in your Clinic Sites Admin settings.

Why a URL Structure Matters

Different web platforms, such as WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, and Clinic Sites, use different URL structures built into their platforms.

For example, your old URL might have something like:

If your site was hosted on another platform before moving to Clinic Sites, your URL structure could change to any of the following structures, depending on how you organise your pages on our platform. After moving to Clinic Sites, your URL might look like:

When you move your website to Clinic Sites from another platform, that change in URL structure can lead to potential problems.

Let's imagine your old website is like your former house in a neighbourhood. People know how to get to your house. They’ve saved the address, told friends about it, and even shared it on community boards. But now you’ve moved to a new house in a different neighbourhood… and you didn’t leave a forwarding address.

So what happens when you don't set up a redirect?

• Visitors Get Lost
  • People trying to visit pages on your old site may end up on a blank page that says, “This page doesn’t exist.” That’s not a great first impression.
• Google Gets Confused
  • Search engines, like Google, have also saved those old addresses. If the pages disappear without any clues about where they went, you could lose the visibility and traffic you had before.
• Your Reputation Takes A Hit
  • If someone shares a link to your old site on social media, in an email, or another website references it in a blog post, it can go nowhere. They might think your business is unreliable or closed.
• Tracking Your Visitors Becomes Messy
  • If you’re keeping track of how many people visit your site, those numbers might suddenly drop.

Setting up 301 Redirects is the best way make to sure people and search engines can still find you after your website moves. It's like putting up a big friendly sign at your old storefront that says: “We’ve moved! Come visit us here instead.”

How to Set Up Your 301 Redirects

Redirects aren’t automatically set up when you move your site; you need to create them yourself. But don’t worry, this guide will walk you through how to set those redirects up.

1. First, you'll want to list your most important pages. This includes pages like:
   • Home
   • About
   • Services
   • Contact
   • Popular blog posts/resources

2. Next, you'll want to compare old vs. new URLs, paying attention to the latter half of the URL. For example:

   Old URL: example.com/massage-therapy

   New URL: example.com/services/massage-therapy

3. Set up a redirect from the old URL to the new URL by heading to Admin > Settings > Redirects.
4. From there, you'll hit the Add Redirect button, and paste your old URL to your new Clinic Sites URL.

5. Hit the Save Redirect button to save your progress.

   
   

If this article didn't completely answer your question, email us anytime at support@clinicsites.co