Delete Pages in a WordPress website can be a necessary step when reorganizing or updating your content. However, if done incorrectly, it can result in broken links and 404 error pages, which can harm your website’s user experience and search engine optimization. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of deleting pages from your WordPress website without creating any 404 pages.
The first step in deleting pages from your WordPress website is to log into your dashboard. From there, you can access the pages section in the menu on the left-hand side. Once you’re on the pages section, you can select the page you want to delete by clicking on its title.
Once you’ve selected the page you want to delete, you’ll be taken to the editing screen for that page. On this screen, you’ll see a trash icon in the top right-hand corner. Clicking this icon will immediately move the page to the trash.
It’s important to note that when you delete a page, it’s not permanently removed from your website. Instead, it’s moved to the trash, where you can restore it if needed. To permanently delete the page, you’ll need to go to the trash section and click on the delete button.
Once the page has been permanently deleted, it will no longer be accessible from your website. This can result in broken links and 404 error pages if you have any links on your website that point to the deleted page. To avoid this, you’ll need to use a plugin that can redirect any links to the deleted page to a different page on your website.
One popular plugin for this purpose is Redirection. This plugin allows you to easily redirect any broken links to a different page on your website. To use the plugin, simply install it from the WordPress repository, activate it, and go to the settings page. From there, you can add a new redirect for any links to the deleted page and choose where you want those links to redirect to.
Another option for avoiding 404 pages is to use a plugin like Broken Link Checker. This plugin scans your website for broken links and alerts you when it finds any. You can then use the plugin to redirect the broken links to a different page on your website.
In conclusion, deleting pages from a WordPress website is a straightforward process, but it’s important to avoid creating any 404 pages in the process. To do this, you can use a plugin like Redirection or Broken Link Checker to redirect any links to the deleted page to a different page on your website. By doing this, you can ensure a smooth user experience for your visitors and avoid harming your website’s search engine optimization.