How to Redirect a WordPress Website?
WordPress is a popular content management system used by millions of websites worldwide. It is incredibly flexible, and with the right plugins and tools, it can be used to setup almost any type of website. This includes redirecting a WordPress site to a different URL once they have been installed on a server.
If you’re looking to redirect your WordPress site, there are a few different methods that you can use. Below, we will discuss the simplest and most efficient way to redirect a WordPress website.
The Basics
The first step to redirecting a WordPress site is to install the WordPress Redirection plugin on your server. Once installed, go to the Settings tab in WordPress and configure it to point your website to the new URL you would like to redirect to. Make sure that you maintain the https protocol wherever possible, as this will provide a better user experience and help with search engine optimization (SEO).
To prove to Google that your site has indeed been redirected successfully, use the Search Console tool in Webmaster Tools to test and verify the redirect. If all goes well, you can then proceed to the next step.
The Pre-requisites
Before you can redirect a WordPress site, you will need to meet the following requirements:
- A dedicated IP address (this can be obtained from a VPN provider)
- A secure (https) web server
- Your WordPress site installed on the server
- The ability to install WordPress plugins
Additionally, you should have a working understanding of basic HTML and CSS, as well as an interest in exploring the world of web design and development.
The Best Way to Redirect a WordPress Site
Above we discussed the basics of redirecting a WordPress website. Now, let’s dive into the best way to go about doing this.
The recommended way to redirect a WordPress site is to use a proxy server to accomplish this. A proxy server, as the name implies, is a third party server that acts as an intermediary between your site and the end user. In other words, when a user visits your site via a browser, the request will first come into contact with the proxy server. Depending on the settings within the proxy server, the request may or may not be redirected to the new URL you have configured within WordPress. After the request is redirected, the final URL that the user sees is maintained by the proxy server, and not by your WordPress installation.
Proxies are incredibly powerful when used correctly, as they allow you to fully customize the way content is presented to users. For example, you can use a proxy server to remove all cookies from your site, or to redirect users to a different domain altogether. If you’re interested in exploring proxy servers further, we have compiled a list of 20+ benefits of using them. You can download our free Ultimate Guide to Proxies here.
An Alternative Way to Redirect a WordPress Site
While using a proxy server is the recommended way to redirect a WordPress site, it is not the only option available. Below we will discuss an alternative method that relies on a little-known feature within WordPress itself.
WordPress offers a built-in feature that allows administrators to redirect a blog to a different URL than the one accessed via the dashboard. To use this feature, simply go to Settings > Reading in WordPress and configure the address of your blog. It is best to use a subdomain for this setting, as this will make it easier to update in the event that your existing domain name is purchased by another party. For example, if you have a blog named example.com that you would like to redirect to blog.mynewdomain.com, simply enter that domain within Settings > Reading in WordPress.
Once your blog has been redirected, it will display a message at the top of the screen explaining that the redirection is active and available for admins to use. To make sure that users are indeed seeing the new address your website is pointing to, use the Search Console in Webmaster Tools to test and verify the redirect. If you are still unable to find your blog after following the above directions, it may be time to take advantage of WordPress’s support team.