Avoid URL Redirects

We mentioned it in the previous section as a potential solution to avoid users seeing a 404-error message, but a URL redirect automatically redirects users to a page that may have been removed or to a page that is now more relevant. This helps users by putting them in front of content that is more relevant to them, so they do not have to go searching for it. Redirects can also occur inside JavaScript, CSS, or HTML code. Redirects also help to maintain search engine results rankings, so URL redirects provide benefits for both users and the business. Within the HTTP status codes, the 3xx level codes are designated as the code for redirections.

While redirects are a better alternative to a user than getting a 404 error, they do pose a slight performance problem by adding a delay between the user and the destination. And as we have mentioned, any slight roadblock or delay to the user is annoying. Obviously, one way to avoid redirects is to completely avoid them, but websites continually change and evolve, so URL redirects are sometimes required. However, if you can remove them, you should. For example, mobile devices now make up a majority of how people use and browse the Internet. However, in some cases, if a company is not using a responsive design layout for their website, they may have a redirect set up to switch users from the desktop version to the mobile version, which again, adds additional HTTP requests and page rendering time.