How to redirect a 404 error or make a custom redirect in WordPress

Performing a custom redirect wordpress for a 404 error can be a headache for anyone since you have to touch certain files that can damage your site if you do not know how to handle it, which makes this a very dangerous job for inexperienced people but, as always, here in joomunited we have a solution for that, one that will facilitate all this work with the use of a friendly dashboard and is developed by experts in the area, being in this way the safest option you will have to edit these files.

WP Meta SEO is able to auto redirect all these 404 errors and offers a lot of tools to perform the SEO of your page and between these options there is a redirect manager for 404 errors. It has a really friendly dashboard so everybody will be able to use it and manage all the redirect options (which are a lot).

On this article, we are going to teach you how to use the redirect options of WP Meta SEO using a wordpress demo page and WP Meta SEO with its PRO Addon (the addon allows you to use additional functions and perform your SEO).

Going into the Manager to make a 404 error indexing

First of all, we will have to index the 404 errors. Why is that? your website content can change and you could have, for example, removed a lot of content or fixed a bunch of 404 errors in your content. 
It is really easy, you will have to go to WP Meta SEO > 404 & Redirects

Here you will be able to see the 404 & redirects manager, in order to index the internal broken links (404 error) just click the “INDEX INTERNAL BROKEN LINKS” button, it will load a list with all the 404 errors.

WP Meta SEO will index all URLs from your website:

• Internal broken links
• 404 automatically indexed
• Custom redirect URL (WooCommerce, event manager, and so on)
• Valid links also used to redirect a valid link
• Not yet redirected

You will be able to see a list of all the internal broken and redirects with important data, it will show you: URL, Hits number, Status, Type or Link text, the Source and the quick options for the URL.

On the top right, you will be able to use the filters in order to show only the links that you haven’t redirected yet.

There is also a flush tool that removes all the 404 URLs that were indexed, whether internal and external, except the ones that you've already redirected.

You have the option to flush existing 404 URLs by type:

• Automatic indexed 404
• Internal broken links
• Flush all 404

 
As you can see is a very friendly dashboard where you can see detailed information about your redirects and 404 errors.

Using the dashboard to manage the Wordpress Redirect 404

Now that we’ve learned how easy is index the internal broken links, let’s see how to manage the 404 errors and the redirects options, the errors that don't redirect yet will be shown with a warning icon on the status column.

In order to create a redirect just click on “Edit”, you will be able to set the redirection by typing the link where you want the client to be redirected, finally, click on update and it will be done, the status of the link should be changed to a green check.

You also have an option to redirect all 404 errors to the home page on the plugin settings. This is not a perfect solution for the user experience, but it may help in case of emergency.

In order to activate it go to WP Meta SEO > Settings > Redirections and 404 Settings and enable the “Global home redirect” option, all the 404 error will be redirected to the home page.

You can also add custom redirects and rules with the pro addon, just go back to the 404 & redirect manager again and click on the “Add Custom URL Or Rule” button, it will display 2 textboxes and a dropdown to create the rule or the custom redirect.

As you can see it is really easy too, just type the URL that you want to redirect, the URL where you want the customer to be redirected and the status code:

• 301: Permanent redirect from one URL to another
• 302: Temporary redirect from one URL to another
• 307: Temporary Redirect redirect status response 

The 307 code indicates that the resource requested has been temporarily moved to the URL given by the Location headers

Finally, just click on “ADD CUSTOM REDIRECT” and it will be done, very easy, isn’t it? And the best part is that you haven’t touched the code! ;)

Create a redirect custom page

Did you think that was all? The answer is total no! There are a lot of functions available in WP Meta SEO and there is also an option to use a custom 404 page and a good 404 page can really help users! Don't forget that you can add key links and even a search engine to your 404 pages.
 
It is really easy, just create the page(you can do it with the Gutenberg editor) and go to WP Meta SEO > Settings > Redirections and 404 Settings on the “Custom 404 page” section you will be able to use the WP Meta SEO 404 page or a custom page by clicking on the dropbox.

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