Pattern redirects are a powerful tool that use JavaScript in the browser to detect and reroute broken URLs that match a specific structure.
They can redirect to a fixed destination, like your homepage, or dynamically rebuild the target URL based on the original broken link such that each broken link is redirected somewhere slightly different. This allows you to redirect multiple URLs that follow a shared structure without needing to create individual rules.
Pattern redirects use 'wildcard tokens' which act as placeholders for any content in a given part of the URL. You can use up to 5 wildcard tokens in a single pattern.
For example, a Redirect from URL of /products/⑴ would redirect any broken product page, where ⑴ is a wildcard token representing any product name URL slug.
Visits to pattern redirects use up your plan allowance. Learn more about usage allowances and changing your plan.
Note: Pattern redirects override automatic redirects but are superseded by manual 301s.
Want to know which broken URLs are actually being visited?
With the Enterprise plan, you can use the Pattern Matches feature to see which customer visits are triggering your pattern redirects. This allows you to:
- Review and prioritise high-traffic matches
- Convert them into 301 redirects for improved SEO
This combines the speed and flexibility of pattern redirects with the SEO benefits of permanent redirects.
Now you know how pattern redirects work you can learn when to use them or get started and create one.