Redirects ensure that visitors who use an old article URL are automatically sent to the correct page. HelpdeskHero manages redirects for you, but you can also view and manage them manually.
How Redirects Are Created
When you change an article URL handle (slug) in the article editor, you see a toggle asking whether to redirect the old URL to the new one. If you enable this, a redirect is automatically created. This means any bookmarks, search engine results, or external links pointing to the old URL will still work.
The Redirects Page
Navigate to Redirects in your dashboard sidebar to see all active redirects. Each entry shows:
- The old URL slug that visitors might use
- An arrow pointing to the article it redirects to
- The current slug of that article
- The date the redirect was created
Editing Redirects
You can edit the old slug of a redirect by clicking the pencil icon. This is useful if you want to change what URL triggers the redirect. Press Enter to save or Escape to cancel.
Removing Redirects
Click the trash icon to remove a redirect. When you remove a redirect:
- Visitors using the old URL will see a 404 page instead of being redirected
- The old URL handle becomes available for use by other articles
Only remove redirects if you are sure no one is using the old URL, or if you want to repurpose that URL for a different article.
Why Redirects Matter
Redirects are important for SEO and user experience. Search engines index your article URLs, and changing them without redirects can hurt your search rankings. Redirects tell search engines that the content has moved, preserving your SEO value. They also prevent broken links for visitors who have bookmarked or shared your articles.