Question: How do you set up a 301 redirect on Hostinger?

Setting up a 301 redirect on Hostinger can be crucial for maintaining SEO when URLs change or when consolidating multiple pages. A 301 redirect signals to search engines that a page has permanently moved to a new location, helping preserve your rankings and directing traffic appropriately.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to implementing a 301 redirect on a Hostinger-hosted website:

Step 1: Access the .htaccess File

First, you need to access the .htaccess file in your root directory. This file is used on Apache servers (which Hostinger uses) to rewrite URLs and implement redirects.

1. Log in to your Hostinger control panel.
2. Go to the 'Files' section and select 'File Manager'.
3. Navigate to the public_html directory.
4. Locate the .htaccess file. If it doesn’t exist, you can create a new file named .htaccess.

Step 2: Add Redirect Rules

Open the .htaccess file and add the following line at the end of the file to create a 301 redirect:

Redirect 301 /old-page.html /new-page.html

Replace /old-page.html with the relative URL of the original page, and /new-page.html with the relative URL where you want the traffic to be redirected.

If you're redirecting an entire domain:

Redirect 301 / http://www.newdomain.com/

Step 3: Save Changes

After adding the necessary redirect rules, save the changes to the .htaccess file.

Step 4: Test the Redirect

To ensure the redirect is working, simply try accessing the old URL via a web browser. You should automatically be taken to the new URL.

Additional Tips

• It's important to use relative URLs for pages within the same domain and absolute URLs when redirecting to a different domain.
• Be cautious when editing the .htaccess file as incorrect configurations can make your site inaccessible.

By carefully following these steps, you can effectively manage 301 redirects on your Hostinger-hosted website, thereby ensuring a seamless user experience and maintaining your SEO efforts.