How to Redirect www to non-www (or vice versa) in .htaccess: Canonical SEO Guide
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Publisher ID: ca-pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (Configured in config.php)Search engines treat "www.gardenwargame.online" and "gardenwargame.online" as two distinct websites unless unified. Learn how to configure a 301 redirect to enforce a single canonical domain version.
✔ Rapid Direct Solution
To enforce non-www: add RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.(.+) [NC] -> RewriteRule ^ https://%1%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L] inside your .htaccess file. This strips "www" seamlessly while maintaining full URL paths and query parameters.
📋 Guide Table of Contents
1. Problem Diagnosis & Symptoms
Split domain traffic dilutes inbound backlinks across two different hostname variants.
2. Primary Root Causes
- Cause: Missing hostname unification directives.
3. Step-by-Step Diagnostic Fixes
1
Add non-www Rewrite Rule
Edit .htaccess:
APACHECONF
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.(.*)$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%1/$1 [R=301,L]
</IfModule>4. How to Verify the Resolution
- Open https://www.gardenwargame.online and confirm it redirects to https://gardenwargame.online.
5. Diagnostic Troubleshooting Matrix
| Symptom Observed | Root Cause | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| SSL certificate error on www subdomain | SSL certificate issued only for root domain without www SAN | Re-issue SSL certificate covering both @ and www |
6. Critical Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Leaving both versions accessible without canonical 301 redirection.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is non-www better for SEO than www?
Google treats both equally; consistency is what matters for link consolidation.
Official Technical References
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