Websites evolve constantly. Pages are renamed, services are merged, products are discontinued, blog categories are reorganised and whole sites move to new platforms or domains. Every time a URL changes or a page is removed, the old address does not simply disappear: it remains in search engine indexes, in bookmarks, in links from other websites, in old social media posts, printed brochures and email campaigns. If nothing is done, visitors following those links land on an error page, and any value the old URL had built up through links and history is lost.
Redirects solve this by automatically sending visitors and search engines from an old URL to the most relevant new one. Well-managed redirects preserve the user experience and help search engines transfer signals to the new address. Poorly managed redirects create their own problems: chains that pass through several steps, loops that never resolve, temporary redirects used for permanent moves, mass redirects of everything to the home page, and redirects to pages that themselves no longer exist. Meanwhile, genuine 404 errors are normal on any website, but they need to be monitored, and the important ones fixed, while the error page itself should help visitors find what they need.
ViV Softech Solution is a website designing and digital marketing agency based in Delhi. We plan, implement and clean up redirects and manage 404 errors for websites across India. This page explains the types of redirects and status codes, when to redirect and when a 404 or 410 is the right answer, how to plan redirects for migrations and redesigns, how we find and fix broken URLs, how to design a helpful 404 page, the tools used on WordPress and other platforms, and what affects cost.