Tackling Orphaned URLs Post-Migration: A Crucial Consideration for SEO
Hello everyone,
We recently transitioned our Hong Kong website from Magento 1 to Magento 2, and I wanted to share some insights regarding our experience—particularly concerning the issue of orphaned URLs.
The Migration Transition
When we were operating on Magento 1, our internal links to product pages included specific file paths. For example, a product page URL might look like this:
example.com/football/football-goals/6-x-4-football-goal
These URLs had corresponding canonical tags pointing to:
example.com/6-x-4-football-goal
However, things have changed with our migration to Magento 2. Now, all internal links direct straight to the canonical URL:
example.com/6-x-4-football-goal
This means that every link for product pages is now the same as their canonical equivalent, effectively streamlining the URL structure.
The Orphaned URLs Dilemma
Despite this improvement, the old URLs from the Magento 1 setup still persist, leading to a situation where we have multiple URLs for each product, differing mainly in their file paths. Unfortunately, these older versions have become orphaned, meaning they no longer appear in any internal links according to our recent site crawl.
This raises an important question: Should we implement 301 redirects for all these legacy product URLs, given that they all currently canonical to the streamlined root version?
Evaluating the Impact of 301 Redirects
In my view, it certainly seems prudent to set up 301 redirects for these outdated URLs. However, justifying this task will require an understanding of its potential impact on our SEO performance. Implementing redirects can help preserve link equity and provide a better experience for any users (or search engine crawlers) that might still stumble upon these older links.
Which leads me to another inquiry: If a link points to a longer URL while the canonical directs to the root version, how is link equity distributed? Does it consolidate solely with the canonical URL?
Conclusion
As we navigate through this migration, ensuring that we manage our URLs effectively is key to maintaining our site’s SEO health. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the best approach for handling these orphaned URLs and any experiences you might have regarding similar situations.
Thank you for your insights!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
2 responses to “New Site has about 5,000 orphaned URLs – but the canonical to non-orphaned URLs – is it an issue?”
Migrating a site can often bring uncertainties, especially regarding URL structures and SEO implications. Let’s break down the concerns you’ve raised about orphaned URLs, the use of canonical tags, and the potential benefits of implementing 301 redirects for the old URLs.
Understanding Orphaned URLs and Their Impact
Orphaned URLs typically refer to links that do not have any inbound internal links pointing to them. These can be problematic for several reasons:
Canonical Tags and SEO
In your situation, since the canonical URLs point to the main product page without extra parameters, the canonical directive indicates to search engines which page is the preferred version:
The Case for 301 Redirects
Utilizing 301 redirects for the old URLs may be beneficial for several reasons:
Preserving Link Equity: Even if the orphaned URLs are not currently indexed, if they had backlinks from other domains, a 301 redirect will ensure that any link equity from those old links is passed to the canonical URL. Over time, this can enhance the authority of your primary product URLs.
User Experience: Users clicking old links (from bookmarks or anywhere else) would be redirected seamlessly to the relevant product page, improving the user experience and potentially reducing bounce rates.
Crawl Budget Optimization: By implementing redirects for these old URLs, you could improve how efficiently search engines crawl your site. When the old URLs are 301 redirected, they won’t be crawled as often, allowing more focus on the pages you want to rank.
SEO Safeguard: There’s a low risk of potential confusion for search engines discerning duplicated content between the old and new URLs. Redirecting will help in maintaining a clean and consistent structure as your site matures.
Practical Advice for Implementation
Audit Existing URLs: Create a comprehensive list of your orphaned URLs and analyze if they have inbound links (e.g., use tools like Ahrefs or Google Search Console).
Implement 301 Redirects: If you find that the old URLs do have some backlinks or if they were previously indexed, setting up 301 redirects to their canonical counterparts would be a prudent move.
Monitor Performance: After implementing the redirects, monitor Google Search Console for any crawl errors and track your website’s performance. Look for changes in traffic to the canonical pages and decreased referral traffic to the old URLs.
SEO Justification: When discussing the implementation of these redirects with your team, focus on the benefits of preserving link equity, improving crawl efficiency, and enhancing user experience.
Conclusion
In summary, while the orphaned URLs point to canonical URLs, it is wise to implement 301 redirects for the old pages, especially if they have any historical significance or backlinks. Redirecting these URLs can help consolidate SEO efforts, assure a healthy site structure, and ultimately enhance performance as you move forward with your site on Magento 2.
Thank you for sharing your insights on the challenges faced during your migration to Magento 2! The issue of orphaned URLs is indeed a critical one, especially for maintaining SEO integrity. I completely agree that implementing 301 redirects for your old URLs is not just wise but essential for preserving any existing link equity and ensuring a seamless user experience.
To address your question about link equity distribution: when you have a canonical URL, search engines generally attribute the link equity to that canonical version rather than the orphaned URLs. However, if users or crawlers land on the old URLs, they might not be able to navigate effectively, resulting in a loss of potential traffic and conversions. This reinforces the need for 301 redirects to redirect users and crawlers appropriately. By doing so, you enhance the user experience and ensure that any “juice” is effectively passed to the canonical URL.
Additionally, I’d suggest considering a thorough analysis of your site’s backlinks. If any significant external links point to the orphaned URLs, implementing the redirects becomes even more important to maintain your site’s authority and visibility in search results. As you migrate, keeping an eye on metrics such as 404 errors and organic traffic will also provide valuable data that can inform your ongoing SEO strategies.
Looking forward to hearing how your migration progresses and any further insights the community might offer on this subject!