If you are not a tech expert, you may be wondering what an HTML redirect is. Essentially, HTML redirects, also known as meta refreshers, are a way of telling the web browser that it needs to automatically refresh the page and take the user to a different URL website page.
Time Delay
One of the major assets that is important to be aware of is the time delay setting. This means that you can set your redirect to a certain time period before it refreshes the page to a different URL. Why is this an asset? It allows you to display a picture, message, graphic, etc. quickly in the allotted time before the page refreshes. So, you are essentially able to play a free advertisement or something similar on the page. Luckily, it shows before the user is able to leave and click out of it.
HTML redirect can seem confusing on the surface, especially if you do not know much about tech and coding. However, this article will explain, in just a few short steps, how to start using HTML redirects on your website to take control of your internet traffic.
Meta Tag
First, in order to connect an HTML page to another redirect page, you must add what is known as a <meta> tag inside the head (the head looks similar to where the URL is on a page, but this one is invisible to viewers of your website ) section of the original page. Essentially, the code for a meta tag is going to look like this:
<meta http-equiv=”Refresh” content=”0; url=’https://www.w3docs.com'” />
Where the tag says “content=0”, this is referring to your HTML time delay before the page refreshes (in seconds). If you want three seconds, for example, you would simply change that 0 to a 3 in the tag.
Now that you understand the backend of how to implement an HTML redirect on your website, let’s discuss some more benefits.
Clean Content
Aside from the time delay feature, another strong advantage of using these redirects is that it makes it so much easier to keep your website looking fresh, up to date on the latest edits and bug fixes and so much more. If you are someone who prioritizes web design and is always making changes and rebranding yourself, then this is the perfect and easiest avenue to incorporate those links to the new pages without having to completely throw out all your work.
Backups
Another benefit of incorporating redirects is that they are almost like backups “just in case” for your marketing efforts. For example, if there is a bug issue on your website or your newsletter includes an erroneous link, you can fix those issues instantly by simply adding a redirect to the intended page. This keeps customers from becoming frustrated by a faulty website and leaving your site.
Not only does it come in handy when you have any errors or site issues, but it also makes it easier to retain customers. For example, let’s say you want to switch your website’s domain site for one reason or another. This can be tricky. Sometimes when companies do that, they lose the customers and traffic from the old domain who were once loyal to them. With an HTML redirect, however, customers can still click on the site through the old domain. Then, they are automatically sent to the new, correct domain. This allows you to gain new traffic as well as retain the old traffic you had.
Final Thoughts
Overall, HTML redirects provide a great way to leverage the simple technology tools at your fingertips. Take the time to familiarize yourself with this simple form of backend coding. You can benefit your customers and your business by creating a strong website free of frustrating issues.
