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IMSS  /  Services  /  Accounts, Passwords & Access  /  Account Termination  /  Website Redirect Announcement

Website Redirect Announcement

Sometimes websites move from one server or account to another. We have gotten a number of requests for information on how to set up a redirect in the old location to the new location. With some pre-planning, web transitions can go smoothly!

Instructions

Here are the steps recommended by IMSS to assist you in any web transition you may be making:

  • Step 1: Set up your new site
  • Step 2: Back up your old site to removable media (External Hard Drive, CD, DVD)
  • Step 3: Remove your site's files in the old location, replacing at least the main page with an HTML file like the example given below. The example (when you replace www.yournewurl.here with your appropriate new URL, of course!)will put a message with your new URL on the browser's screen for 15 seconds, and then will automatically refresh, showing your new site.
  • Step 4: Notify all of the webmasters of pages which you know link to your old page location of the change, and give them your new URL.
  • Step 5: After some period of time (we recommend 2 to 6 months), remove the replacement main page and the rest of your files from the old site.

The following example HTML file can be tailored to your needs and then placed in the old location of your page for a period of time, until users are made aware of your new URL.

Example HTML:

<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh" CONTENT="15;URL=http://www.yournewurl.here/">
<TITLE>New URL Announcement!</TITLE>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffffff">
<H1 ALIGN=CENTER>New URL Announcement!</H1>
<P>The URL you are looking for has changed. The new URL is:</P>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER>
<A HREF="http://www.yournewurl.here/">http://www.yournewurl.here/</A>
</H2>
<P>You will be taken there automatically in 15 seconds. Otherwise, you can
click on the link right now.
</BODY>
</HTML>