Introduction

Have you ever heard of redirection, the process of transferring website visitors from one web page or website to another by establishing a new Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the origin page? If you haven’t, don’t worry because you’re not alone, this topic can be quite perplexing.

Basically, redirection involves redirecting a website domain or subdomain to a new website domain or subdomain by updating the domain’s DNS records and configuring the web server to serve traffic from the new domain. In this article, we will discuss how to redirect a domain in WordPress using various methods.

Method 1: Using .htaccess File

The .htaccess file is a configuration file used to control various aspects of a web server, including redirection. If this sounds like jargon to you, don’t worry, it’s normal to feel a bit scrambled. Here are the steps to redirect a domain in WordPress using the .htaccess file:

Step 1: Access the .htaccess file

To access the .htaccess file, you’ll need to connect to your WordPress site’s webserver using an FTP client or cPanel File Manager. Once you are connected, navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation and locate the .htaccess file.

Step 2: Backup the .htaccess file

Before making any changes to the .htaccess file, it is essential to create a backup in case something goes wrong. You can do this by copying the file to a safe location on your local machine, which can be quite overwhelming.

Step 3: Modify the .htaccess file

To redirect a domain to a new URL, you need to add some code into the .htaccess file. Don’t panic when you see the code, here it is:

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^example.com [NC]

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.newdomain.com/$1 [L,R=301]

Replace ‘example.com’ with your old domain and ‘https://www.newdomain.com’ with your new domain. Once you have made the necessary changes, save the file, and keep your fingers crossed that it works.

Method 2: Using WordPress Plugins

Do you feel like the first method may have been too much to handle? Well, not to worry, several WordPress plugins can help redirect a domain without needing any technical expertise. Let’s take a look at two popular plugins:

1. Redirection

The Redirection plugin is free and powerful and allows you to manage redirects and track 404 errors through its easy-to-use interface. Here’s how to redirect a domain using Redirection:

Step 1: Install and activate Redirection

To install Redirection, navigate to Plugins → Add New from your WordPress Dashboard. Search for “Redirection” and install and activate the plugin.

Step 2: Add a redirection rule

Once Redirection is installed and activated, navigate to Tools → Redirection from your WordPress Dashboard. In the Redirections page, add a new redirection rule by entering the old domain URL under Source URL and the new domain URL under Target URL. Set the status code to 301 or 302 depending on your needs, and save the rule. Easy-peasy!

2. Simple 301 Redirects

The Simple 301 Redirects plugin is another free WordPress plugin that allows you to redirect old URLs to new URLs using a 301 redirect. Here’s how to use Simple 301 Redirects:

Step 1: Install and activate Simple 301 Redirects

To install Simple 301 Redirects, navigate to Plugins → Add New from your WordPress Dashboard. Search for “Simple 301 Redirects” and install and activate the plugin.

Step 2: Configure the redirection rule

Once Simple 301 Redirects is installed and activated, navigate to Settings → Simple 301 Redirects and enter the old domain URL under Request and the new domain URL under Destination. Click on Save Changes to activate the redirection.

Method 3: Using DNS Settings

You may be wondering what DNS settings are, don’t worry, it’s quite normal to feel confused by all this tech-talk. Here’s a quick rundown:

DNS (Domain Name System) is a system used to translate human-readable domain names into IP addresses used by machines to identify each other on the internet. You can use DNS settings to redirect a domain to a new domain. Here’s how to redirect your domain using DNS:

Step 1: Access your DNS settings

To access your DNS settings, you’ll need to log in to your domain registrar’s website and navigate to the DNS management page. Overwhelming, right?

Step 2: Add a CNAME record

Add a CNAME record to your DNS settings with your old domain name as the alias and the new domain name as the target domain. This will redirect visitors from your old domain to your new domain. Though it may seem daunting, it’s manageable with a little perseverance.

Conclusion

Redirecting your domain in WordPress can be quite baffling, but don’t worry, you can always refer back to this article. Be sure to create backups before making any changes and always test the redirect before making it live. With a little determination, you can master the art of redirecting and ensure a seamless transition to your new website.