How to Set Up a Domain Redirect

Redirecting One Domain to Another

A domain redirect automatically sends visitors from one domain to a different URL. This is useful when you own multiple domains and want them all to lead to your primary website.

Types of Redirects

• 301 Redirect (Permanent): Tells search engines that the domain has permanently moved. SEO value is transferred to the destination URL. Use this for most situations.
• 302 Redirect (Temporary): Tells search engines the redirect is temporary. SEO value is not transferred. Use this only for short-term redirects.

Method 1: Domain Forwarding in Client Area

1. Log in to your SillyHost client area.
2. Go to Domains > My Domains and select the domain.
3. Click the Forwarding or Redirect tab.
4. Enter the destination URL (e.g., https://www.primarydomain.com).
5. Choose 301 (Permanent) or 302 (Temporary).
6. Save your changes.

Method 2: Using .htaccess

If both domains are on the same hosting account, you can create a redirect using an .htaccess file:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^olddomain\.com$ [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.olddomain\.com$
RewriteRule (.*)$ https://www.newdomain.com/$1 [R=301,L]

Method 3: DNS-Level Redirect

If you are using Cloudflare, you can set up redirects using Page Rules without needing a hosting account for the redirected domain. This is efficient and does not require server resources.

Best Practices

• Always use 301 redirects for permanent changes to preserve search engine rankings.
• Redirect to the full URL including https:// to avoid unnecessary redirect chains.
• Test the redirect after setup to ensure it works correctly.