Everything you need to know about redirect mapping and URL migrations
Try the ToolRedirect mapping is the process of creating a systematic plan to redirect old URLs to new ones during a website migration or restructure. It involves analyzing your existing URL structure, determining the best new destinations for each page, and implementing 301 redirects to preserve SEO value and user experience.
Start by exporting all your current URLs using tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console. Upload this list to our redirect mapping tool, which helps you organize URLs by folder patterns and apply bulk transformations efficiently. Review the mappings, make adjustments as needed, and export the final redirect mapping for implementation.
Redirect mapping is essential to preserve SEO rankings, maintain user experience, and ensure search engines can find your content at its new location. Without proper redirects, you risk losing traffic, search rankings, and creating a poor user experience with broken links.
Upload a CSV file with URLs in the first column. The file should have a header row (like 'URL') followed by your URLs starting from row 2. Files with data beyond the first column will be rejected to ensure clean processing.
Our tool can handle thousands of URLs in a single upload. There's no strict limit, but for optimal performance, we recommend processing up to 10,000 URLs per batch. For larger sites, consider breaking your URLs into logical groups.
You can export your redirect mappings as a CSV file that includes the old URL and new URL columns. This CSV can then be imported into various redirect management tools, plugins, or used to create server configuration files like .htaccess or Nginx configs.
A 301 redirect is permanent and tells search engines to transfer all SEO value to the new URL. A 302 redirect is temporary and doesn't transfer SEO value. For site migrations, always use 301 redirects to preserve your search rankings.
Our tool works with URLs containing parameters, and you can create pattern-based mappings to handle them systematically. For complex parameter handling, you may need to create specific rules in your redirect implementation. Consider whether parameters should be preserved, modified, or removed in the new URL structure.
Focus on important URLs first: high-traffic pages, pages with backlinks, conversion pages, and content that ranks well in search engines. Low-value pages like admin URLs, duplicate content, or outdated information might be better handled with 410 (Gone) responses.
Professional agencies use automated tools like ours to process thousands of URLs quickly, implement quality assurance workflows to test redirects, prioritize high-value pages, and create detailed documentation for clients. They also use staging environments to test redirects before going live.
Provide clients with clear reports showing the old URL, new URL, and redirect status. Explain the SEO impact and timeline for seeing results. Set expectations that full SEO recovery typically takes 3-6 months after a migration.
Test a sample of redirects manually, use automated tools to check redirect chains, verify that important pages redirect correctly, and monitor 404 errors after implementation. Always test on a staging environment first.
Export URLs from your WordPress database or use plugins like Export All URLs. Our pattern-based mapping tools work effectively with common WordPress URL structures like /blog/, /category/, and /tag/ patterns. You can export the mappings as CSV for import into popular WordPress redirect plugins.
Shopify has specific URL structures for products (/products/), collections (/collections/), and pages. Our tool's pattern-based mapping works well with these common Shopify URL structures. Export the mappings as CSV for use with Shopify redirect apps or custom implementation.
Yes, our pattern-based mapping tools can efficiently handle product URL structures, including variations and category hierarchies. For complex e-commerce sites, consider grouping similar products by URL patterns and creating bulk mappings for efficiency.
Try our redirect mapping tool or explore our detailed guides
Use our automated tool with CSV upload for bulk processing
Read the guide →Specialized handling for WordPress URL structures and plugins
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