Question: How do you set up a 301 redirect in Cloudflare?

Setting up a 301 redirect in Cloudflare is a common task for website administrators who want to permanently redirect traffic from one URL to another, ensuring that SEO value is preserved and users are directed to the correct page.

Step-by-Step Guide to Configure 301 Redirects in Cloudflare:

1. Log In to Your Cloudflare Account

Access your Cloudflare dashboard by logging in at Cloudflare's website.

2. Select Your Website

Choose the site for which you want to set up the redirect.

3. Navigate to the Rules Section

Click on the 'Rules' tab in the top menu. Here, you'll find options to create Page Rules, which can be used to implement redirects.

4. Create a Page Rule

Click on 'Create Page Rule'. Enter the URL or the pattern you wish to redirect. For example, if you want to redirect all pages from example.com/old-page.html to example.com/new-page.html, enter *example.com/old-page.html*.

5. Set Up the Redirect

Select 'Forwarding URL' from the dropdown menu of settings, then choose '301 - Permanent Redirect'. In the field that appears, enter the destination URL where you want the requests to be redirected, such as https://example.com/new-page.html.

6. Save and Deploy

Click 'Save and Deploy' to activate your rule.

Considerations:

• Pattern Matching: When setting up redirects, you can use wildcards (*) to match patterns. This is useful for redirecting multiple pages or maintaining URL parameters.
• Order of Rules: Cloudflare processes page rules in the order they appear. Make sure that your redirect rules do not unintentionally override each other.
• Testing: After setting up the redirect, test it by visiting the old URL(s) to ensure that they correctly redirect to the new destination.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage 301 redirects in Cloudflare, which helps maintain SEO rankings and improve user experience by seamlessly directing visitors to the appropriate content.