What is a Redirect?

Overview
A redirect is a way to guide users (and search engines) from one URL to another—intentionally. This can be essential when changing page URLs, removing outdated content, or restructuring your website. Instead of landing on a 404 error page, users are automatically sent to the correct location.

Understanding the Basics

When someone visits a website, their browser sends a request to the server using the URL they clicked or typed. The server then replies with a status code and the content of the page.

• 200 – Everything is working properly.

• 404 – The page doesn’t exist.

• 300-series – These are redirect status codes.

Redirects happen when the server tells the browser that the page has moved and provides the new location.

Common Redirect Types

There are two main types of redirects you’ll most often use:

• 301 (Permanent Redirect):
  Use this when a page has been moved for good. This tells search engines to update their records and pass along SEO value.

• 307 (Temporary Redirect):
  Use this when a page is temporarily unavailable but may return in the future. This is useful for maintenance or short-term updates.

You can set either redirect type using the Redirection plugin. Simply click the gear icon (⚙️) in the redirect setup window and choose your desired status code from the dropdown.

Why This Matters in Frame

When maintaining a church or school website on Frame, it’s important that visitors always land on the correct information—especially for commonly visited pages like /give, /contact, or /about.

Using redirects correctly ensures:

• Visitors never hit a dead end

• You retain search engine rankings

• You provide a seamless experience even as your site structure evolves