How to change URLs without losing traffic?

[paulgl]

I have a custom website with 500 pages, I want to move it to wordpress for flexible and easy to manage.
But the problem I can face is all its URLs will be changed and keyword rankings or traffic can be dropped.

I want to know there are ways to change URLs without losing traffic?
Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[ertha]

What platform do you use? Wordpress or others?

 

[Mark007]

I would suggest using 301 redirection for your website pages. This will help to retain your ranking in search engines and also traffic to a considerable amount. Redirection can decrease your traffic a little, but according to me it will be the safest way to retain your position in search engine.

 

[justinsnowsill]

301 (permanent) redirection is the best way to change urls without losing website traffic, but if you're huge number of pages, you can go for canonical tag

 

[emilylynch]

i agree with above users. using a 301 redirect is the best way to get the link juice from your earlier URL. Normally this redirect transfer about 90 to 95% of the link juice from your previous URLs to new URLS. You can find more about this at [URLnf="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/93633"]here[/URLnf]

 

[saleblogger]

when you change URLs without losing traffic. You using 301 redirect to new url changed. If your website design use wordpress can using Simple 301 Redirects Plugin
Download it at link

wordpress.org/plugins/simple-301-redirects/

 

[elcidofaguy]

Some good answers above... My best advice is to do the 301 redirect using your .htaccess file and not via a wordpress plugin... The performance is much faster when you use .htaccess file and further you are not relying on the use of a plugin which could go belly up such as on updates to either wordpress core, themes and plugins etc...

There are lots of example online as to what code you should use within the .htaccess file for the redirect e.g.

Redirect 301 /old-pagename.php http://www.domain.com/newpagename.html

In addition use the canonical tag on all of the pages you want to redirect - this will ensure the link juice is transferred and that search engines will give credit to your new pages and not old when showing search results...