Domain Forwarding & Redirects

Redirecting Domains and URLs

Domain forwarding (also called domain redirection) automatically sends visitors from one domain to another. It's essential for managing multiple domains, rebranding, and consolidating web properties.

Types of Redirects

301 Redirect (Permanent)

  • Indicates the domain has permanently moved to a new location
  • Passes approximately 90-99% of link equity (SEO value)
  • Search engines will update their index to the new URL
  • Best for: Rebranding, consolidating domains, moving to a new domain

302 Redirect (Temporary)

  • Indicates a temporary move — the original URL will return
  • Does NOT pass link equity to the destination
  • Search engines keep the original URL in their index
  • Best for: A/B testing, temporary promotions, maintenance pages

URL Frame (Masking)

  • Displays the destination content but keeps the original URL in the browser
  • Uses an HTML frame/iframe
  • Generally NOT recommended — poor for SEO and can cause issues

Common Use Cases

Domain Consolidation

Redirect all TLD variations (.net, .org, etc.) and typo domains to your primary .com domain using 301 redirects.

Rebranding

When changing your brand name and domain, 301 redirect the old domain to the new one to preserve SEO value and redirect existing traffic.

Non-www to www (or vice versa)

Standardize your URL format by redirecting one version to the other to avoid duplicate content issues.

HTTP to HTTPS

Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS to ensure visitors always use the secure version of your site.

Implementation Methods

Registrar-Level Forwarding

Most registrars offer simple domain forwarding in their control panel. Quick to set up but limited in customization.

Web Server Configuration

  • Apache: Use .htaccess with RewriteRule or Redirect directives
  • Nginx: Use return 301 or rewrite directives in server blocks
  • IIS: Configure URL Rewrite module

DNS-Level (CNAME + CDN)

Point the domain via CNAME to a CDN or hosting service that handles the redirect logic.

SEO Considerations

  • Always use 301 redirects for permanent moves
  • Redirect individual pages to their equivalent (not all to homepage)
  • Update internal links to point directly to the new URL
  • Submit the new URL in Google Search Console
  • Keep redirects in place for at least 1 year
  • Avoid redirect chains (A → B → C; should be A → C)
Verify: After setting up redirects, use our Domain Analyzer to verify that your domain is properly configured and redirecting as expected.
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