301 redirects in Headway based WordPress Site

Question

I have a site built with Headway theme. Currently, URL of each of my blog posts is simply

http://example.com/blog-post-name

I'd like to add a folder so the URL would be:

http://example.com/blog/blog-post-name

If I add that folder, will the existing URLs automatically redirect to the new URLs which include that folder name, or would I have to manual create 301 redirects for each one?

Answer 1

First of all, Headway is not the issue, if Headway itself doesn't deal with any kind of 301 redirect.

And answer to the question is:
After having the folder in action if you change the "WordPress Address (URL)" and "Site Address (URL)" in your /wp-admin/options-general.php (Admin » Settings » General) to the new address like:

http://example.com/blog/

Then the whole site will work with the new URL. (After the change you will just need to reenter the admin panel once - and that's all)

So, the first issue is solved.

But there could be an underlying issue with hard-coded inner links used in a blog. Suppose you linked one of your post with a simple text link (<a href="http://example.com/blog-post-name-1">My blog post 1</a>) — after the folder URL such links will generate 404, and that will be the problem. A similar issue is cited in one of my Question:

• Permalink redirection from 'Day and name' to 'Post name' - WPSE

So in that case you will need a .htaccess 301 redirection. But most of us are not so expert about .htaccess, so there are some plugins, can help us in our way.

Yoast have a good URL redirection plugin that can assist you in achieving this. And there are more on this category:

• Permalink Redirect Plugin — Yoast.com
• Simple 301 Redirects — WordPress Plugins
• Redirection — WordPress Plugins
• Blogger 301 Redirect — WordPress Plugins
• [...]

With your input they will write .htaccess with right codes on your behalf.