What is a 301 redirect?

It's a permanent forwarding note for a web address. It tells visitors and Google that a page has moved for good to a new address.

Will I lose my Google rankings if I switch website companies?

Redirects help Google and your visitors find your new pages. Some ups and downs are normal while Google rechecks your site. No one can promise rankings stay the same.

How long should redirects stay in place?

Google says to keep them generally at least 1 year, and that keeping them longer is better for your visitors.

Should all my old pages redirect to the home page?

No. Each old page should point to the closest matching new page. Google says this "can confuse users and might be treated as a soft 404 error."

Will switching my website affect my email?

Your email uses different domain settings than your website. With Juhmp, we save your current domain settings first and change only the website records. Your email settings aren't touched unless you ask in writing.

Switching website companies? Here's how to keep your old links working

You've put years into your website. Customers have bookmarked pages, other sites link to you, and Google knows your page addresses. When you move to a new website company, all of that can break if nobody sets up redirects. Here's what a redirect is, what to ask for, and how to check it was done.

What a redirect is

A redirect is a forwarding note for a web address. When someone, or Google, visits an old page address, they go straight to the new page instead of a "page not found" error.

Two kinds matter:

Permanent (often called a "301"). It tells Google the page has moved for good, so Google should show the new address in search results. This is the one you want when you switch.
Temporary (a "302"). It tells Google the move is short-term, so Google keeps showing the old address. That's fine for a sale page that's down for a short while, but wrong for a site move.

Google recommends permanent server-side redirects when you can use them, and treats a permanent redirect as a strong sign that the new page should be shown in search. (Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search)

Why switching can hurt without them

New websites often use different page addresses. Your old "/services.html" might become "/services". Without a redirect:

Customers who saved the old address hit an error page.
Links from other sites (your chamber of commerce, a supplier, a local news story) lead nowhere.
Google eventually drops the old pages and has to find the new ones from scratch.

What a good switch looks like

Google's site-move guidance (How to move a site) points to a few steps:

1A list of your old addresses. Every page, plus any files people find or link to, like images and PDFs.
2A match for each one. Each old address points to the closest new page, not everything dumped on the home page. Google says: "Don't redirect many old URLs to one irrelevant single URL destination, such as the home page of the new site. This can confuse users and might be treated as a soft 404 error."
3Permanent redirects, straight to the final page. No chains where one redirect leads to another.
4A test after launch. Try a handful of old addresses and make sure each one lands on the right new page.
5Redirects left in place. Google says to keep them "generally at least 1 year," and that from your visitors' side, you could keep them indefinitely.

What to expect after you switch

Even a well-done move can cause some ups and downs in search while Google rechecks your pages. Google says that for a small to medium site, it can take a few weeks for most pages to move over, and larger sites take longer. (How to move a site) No one can promise your rankings stay the same.

A check you can do yourself

1Write down five addresses from your current site, including a few deeper pages (not just the home page).
2Once the new site is live, type each old address into your browser.
3Each one should land on the matching new page, not an error and not just the home page. If one doesn't, send that address to your website company.

Questions to ask before you switch

Will you set up permanent redirects from my old page addresses to the new ones?
What about images and PDFs that people link to?
Will my email keep working when the domain points to the new site?
Who owns the domain, and is it in my name?

How Juhmp handles it

When you switch to Juhmp, we move your content and keep your old links working with redirects. Before go-live, we save your current domain settings and change only the website records. Your email settings aren't touched unless you ask in writing. We make no changes to your current site until your domain points to the new one, and your domain stays in your name. See how switching works and what you own.

Not sure what your current site has? Start with a free site review.

How to read an SEO report Why your business info needs to match everywhere

FAQ

What is a 301 redirect?: It's a permanent forwarding note for a web address. It tells visitors and Google that a page has moved for good to a new address.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I switch website companies?: Redirects help Google and your visitors find your new pages. Some ups and downs are normal while Google rechecks your site. No one can promise rankings stay the same.
How long should redirects stay in place?: Google says to keep them generally at least 1 year, and that keeping them longer is better for your visitors.
Should all my old pages redirect to the home page?: No. Each old page should point to the closest matching new page. Google says this "can confuse users and might be treated as a soft 404 error."
Will switching my website affect my email?: Your email uses different domain settings than your website. With Juhmp, we save your current domain settings first and change only the website records. Your email settings aren't touched unless you ask in writing.