Wordpress: SEO Friendly URL Redirects

SEO-friendly URL management is critical for maintaining search engine rankings, especially during site redesigns or migrations. This snippet provides a method for creating SEO-friendly redirects directly within WordPress.

Using the template_redirect hook, the snippet checks for old URLs and redirects them to their new counterparts using a 301 redirect, which signals to search engines that the move is permanent.

The snippet includes a simple mapping of old to new URLs and can be expanded to handle complex redirection patterns, such as dynamic URL parameters or category changes.

Best practices for implementing redirects without affecting site performance are discussed, along with tips for monitoring the impact of redirects on SEO.

Additional considerations for keeping track of redirected URLs and managing them over time are provided, ensuring that the site maintains optimal search engine visibility and user experience.