404 or 301 Re-direct

[allsquare]

We have several products that become discontinued over the year and we usually set-up a 301 re-direct to go to an alternative relevent page on the website.

But I'm sure I read somewhere that too many 301 re-directs were bad and they should be left as a 404 error until they eventually get removed from the search engines index.

It seems to me that
301 Re-direct - Good for customer
404 - Good (or better) for search engines

Any thoughts on this?

 

[ITsoldUK]

Forgetting the bots, I ALWAYS opt for a custom 404 with relevant info (not spammy full of links)

Better for the user without question because I HATE sites that redirect me to something I did not ask for, want or am slightly interested in.

If I want a Sony do dah I do not want a compatible argos version.

JMTC

 

[Duncan_W]

301 redirects have always been seen as best practice from a search engine perspective.

Where did you read that they were not a good solution?

ITsoldUK has a point though, so why not redirect them to a page explaining that the product is discontinued , with some suggestions as to alternatives

 

[ITsoldUK]

301 redirects have always been seen as best practice from a search engine perspective.

Where did you read that they were not a good solution?

Only for a NEW page with the same product...ie moved from .html to .php 301 would be perfect.

Forget the bot, they do not buy from you...IMHO

 

[Duncan_W]

Only for a NEW page with the same product...ie moved from .html to .php 301 would be perfect.

Forget the bot, they do not buy from you...IMHO

With the majority of traffic coming for search engines I don't think you can "forget the bot".

I do however agree that there is no point in someone finding your page on a search engine if when they click on it they are disappointed by what they find.

But assuming that you know your market, the idea of telling them that Sony do da A is discontinued but LG Do Da B is a great alternative with links to a few reviews and comparisons of the two would seem to keep both bots & humans happy, and reinforces the fact that you know what you are talking about.

 

[ITsoldUK]

With the majority of traffic coming for search engines I don't think you can "forget the bot".

I do however agree that there is no point in someone finding your page on a search engine if when they click on it they are disappointed by what they find.

But assuming that you know your market, the idea of telling them that Sony do da A is discontinued but LG Do Da B is a great alternative with links to a few reviews and comparisons of the two would seem to keep both bots & humans happy, and reinforces the fact that you know what you are talking about.

Excellent point well made but allow me to retort....lets get something straight from the OFF.

My statement forget the bot is a GENERALISED statement and was written to explain to the OP that work with what is BEST for your customer.

Secondly, the generic use of 301 is not best practice as it would soon become a mammoth task to implement and manage AND would not help me, as a potential paying customer.

Redirecting to a page does not prove to me you know what the seller is talking about, it just tells me that the link was old/wrong/spammy and I am out of here (bet many do that coz I know do)

In this instance, a 404 page, explaining that the was an OLD link and if you visit our homepage OR search our store you may either

a) find the exact product on a different page or
b) find an alternative if you wish to view

It is about GIVING the choice not TELLING them what they want IMHO.

In addition to this, when you have implemented the best practice for your visitor I am pretty certain that the GB would be happier than following a gazzilion 301's

 

[Duncan_W]

My statement forget the bot is a GENERALISED statement and was written to explain to the OP that work with what is BEST for your customer.

Secondly, the generic use of 301 is not best practice as it would soon become a mammoth task to implement and manage AND would not help me, as a potential paying customer.

Agree on both points. I think the message here is:

1. Always consider the real customer first, there is no point in getting someone to our site if it doesn't meet their needs when they get there

2. There is usually more than one way to skin a cat (as they say) but whichever you choose, implement it intelligently.

You might find this page on HTTP Status Codes & SEO useful

 

[fisicx]

Even better. If the product is discontinued, change the product page to say just that (with the reasons why) and point to the alternatives.

You keep the ranking for that page, links to the new product and the visitor and SE are happy.

No need for a 404 or a 301.

 

[ITsoldUK]

Even better. If the product is discontinued, change the product page to say just that (with the reasons why) and point to the alternatives.

You keep the ranking for that page, links to the new product and the visitor and SE are happy.

No need for a 404 or a 301.

Even better....now that makes perfecto sense old bean

 

[Duncan_W]

Even better. If the product is discontinued, change the product page to say just that (with the reasons why) and point to the alternatives.

You keep the ranking for that page, links to the new product and the visitor and SE are happy.

No need for a 404 or a 301.

Or you could do that! Sometimes I think we do over complicate things

 

[david64]

I would do what fisicx suggests; but also add a rel canonical to your homepage so you are syphoning off any link juice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonical_link_element

 

[webgeek]

Even better....now that makes perfecto sense old bean

The reason you 301 to the new page is so that the new page, which has products for sale, takes on all the old link juice and rankings from the dead page which only says "I'm sorry, go try one of our other pages".

Which page do you want ranking 1st?
1) New page with product for sale
2) Old page with no product for sale

Not a very tough choice!

301 the old to the new, everyone is happy. There's NOTHING wrong with 301'ing a page that has moved. That's why the 301 was invented....

 

[fisicx]

But the page hasn't moved. The product has been discontinued. That's why the 301 isn't the best solution.

 

[webgeek]

I understand your perspective, but disagree about giving people the bail-out chance.

Personally, if I'm in the business of selling stuff, and I have a popular page about little blue widgets, then stop selling little blue widgets, and instead start selling medium sized blue widgets, or little green widgets, I'd rather put the rankings onto a page with the product I expect them to buy, instead of having all those links and ranks go to waste on a "discontinued" page.

The more times you say sorry and force someone to click, the more funnel abandonment you're going to have.

Put them directly into the funnel whenever possible, and let them bail only if it's really not what they wanted.

 

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[eventdomain]

We have several products that become discontinued over the year and we usually set-up a 301 re-direct to go to an alternative relevent page

As a user/buyer, I want to see your current products - not ones you aren't doing anymore.

 

[fisicx]

So you do a search on google for green plastic widgets. Find a nice site and click the link. But the 301 takes me to green rubber widgets. My needs are not met and I go back to google.

But if I landed on your old page and you explained that the old plastic widgets were now made of rubber I might be tempted to buy the alternative.

 

[eventdomain]

But if I landed on your old page and you explained that the old plastic widgets were now made of rubber I might be tempted to buy the alternative.

Why not simply delete the old products and add the new improved rubber widgets with a payment/contact link.

 

[Chunkford]

But if I landed on your old page and you explained that the old plastic widgets were now made of rubber I might be tempted to buy the alternative.

Why not simply delete the old products and add the new improved rubber widgets with a payment/contact link.

Mix them together and you have a unique page selling the same product, double whammy, a match made in heaven

 

[fisicx]

Exactly. Don't remove or 301, use it to upsell, cross sell and any other type of sell.

 

[webgeek]

Reason #237 to promote category pages rather than individual project pages

 

[frida_adams]

301 redirect is permanent redirect and 404 is not found eror. who said that 404 like by search engine. Google will not crawl your website if found 404.