Ultimate Guide to 301 Redirects

This guide explains what 301 redirects are, why they're important for SEO and user experience, and how to set them up in Enrollio. Follow these step-by-step instructions to ensure families and search engines are directed to the correct pages when your URLs change.

What is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirection from one URL to another. It helps ensure that families and search engines are directed to the correct webpage when URLs change.

Why Use 301 Redirects?

301 redirects help you:

• Preserve SEO rankings – Prevents broken links and retains search engine authority
• Enhance parent experience – Redirects families seamlessly to the right page
• Consolidate domains – Redirect multiple domain versions (e.g., www.yourchildcare.com to yourchildcare.com)
• Fix outdated links – Ensure old URLs still lead to relevant pages

How to Set Up 301 Redirects in Enrollio

Follow these steps to configure 301 redirects for your domains:

Step 1: Navigate to URL Redirects

Click on Sites in your navigation menu, then select URL Redirects from the top navigation.

[SCREENSHOT: Sites menu with URL Redirects option highlighted in the top navigation bar]

Step 2: Choose the Redirect Type

Enrollio offers four types of redirects:

1. Redirect to Another URL

Use this to send visitors from one specific URL to another.

Important: The domain you're redirecting from must already be added to your Enrollio account.

Format:

• Path: Include / followed by the page name (e.g., /old-page)
• Target URL: Enter the full URL where visitors should be redirected

[SCREENSHOT: Redirect to Another URL form showing Path and Target URL fields with example values]

2. Redirect to an Enrollment Page

Redirects traffic to a specific step in one of your enrollment pages. The enrollment page must be associated with a domain in your account.

[SCREENSHOT: Redirect to Enrollment Page dropdown showing available enrollment pages]

3. Redirect to an Enrollment Site Page

Redirects traffic to a specific page on your Enrollio site. Your enrollment site must be linked to a domain in your account.

[SCREENSHOT: Redirect to Enrollment Site Page dropdown showing available site pages]

4. Redirect All Paths (REGEX Redirects)

Redirect all paths from one domain to another. This is useful for redirecting www versions to the root domain.

Example: Redirect www.mychildcare.com/* to mychildcare.com/*

[SCREENSHOT: REGEX redirect form showing pattern matching fields]

Step 3: Save and Test Your Redirects

1. Click Save after setting up your redirect
2. Open a browser and enter the original URL to ensure it redirects correctly
3. Use online redirect checker tools for verification

Best Practices for 301 Redirects

Follow these guidelines to keep your redirects working smoothly:

• Use absolute URLs (e.g., https://newsite.com/page) to prevent errors
• Avoid redirect chains – Directly redirect old URLs to the final destination
• Check for broken redirects regularly to ensure they work properly
• Use REGEX carefully – Test thoroughly before implementing wildcard redirects

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

❌ Redirect loop – Make sure you're not redirecting a URL to itself.

❌ 404 Errors – Double-check that the target page exists.

❌ Slow load times – Too many redirects can impact performance. Simplify your redirect structure.

Final Thoughts

Setting up 301 redirects correctly in Enrollio helps improve SEO, parent experience, and site consistency. By following these best practices, you can ensure smooth transitions for families and search engines when you update your enrollment pages or restructure your site.

This is especially important when you're updating your enrollment process, moving from an old site, or consolidating multiple domains into one central enrollment site.