Pattern-Based Redirects: Redirect Hundreds of URLs in One Go

Managing 404 errors in a growing Shopify store can feel like an endless task. Whether you're migrating from another platform, updating your product URLs, or cleaning up outdated content, broken links are inevitable. But fixing each one manually? That’s time-consuming and inefficient.

Thankfully, there’s a smarter solution: pattern-based redirects using the SM Quick Redirects app. This powerful Shopify 404 redirect app allows you to apply bulk redirect logic to hundreds (or thousands) of URLs using wildcards and regular expressions.

What Are Pattern-Based Redirects?

Pattern-based redirects allow you to use URL patterns or regular expressions (regex) to define rules that match multiple URLs. This means you don’t have to write one redirect per page — a single rule can handle hundreds of URLs.

Examples:

  • /products/old-* → /collections/new-arrivals
  • /blog/* → /articles/
  • /pages/sale-(.*) → /collections/sale

This approach is perfect for large-scale migrations, seasonal campaign redirects, or restructuring your content architecture.

Why Shopify’s Native Redirect Tool Isn’t Enough

Shopify’s built-in URL redirect tool is designed for simple, one-to-one redirects. While it works for a few URLs, it lacks advanced capabilities:

  • No pattern or wildcard support
  • No bulk import with regex logic
  • No automated broken link detection
  • No email alerts or regex testing tools

That’s where SM Quick Redirects comes in.

SM Quick Redirects: The Smart Way to Manage 404s in Bulk

SM Quick Redirects is a Shopify app built specifically to solve the redirect challenges that native tools can’t handle. One of its standout features is pattern-based redirecting using wildcards and regex logic.

Key Features:

  • Create pattern or regex redirects with ease
  • Bulk import pattern rules via CSV
  • Live testing of pattern match logic
  • Email alerts when new 404s are detected
  • Dashboard to view performance of each rule

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Pattern Redirects in SM Quick Redirects

Step 1: Install the App

Head over to the Shopify App Store and install SM Quick Redirects. The app sets up in seconds.

Step 2: Navigate to the "Pattern Redirects" Tab

In the dashboard, go to the “Pattern Redirects” section. You’ll be able to define redirect rules using wildcards or regex syntax.

Step 3: Create a Pattern Redirect Rule

Click “Add Rule” and enter your source pattern (e.g., /products/old-*) and the destination URL (e.g., /collections/new-arrivals).

The app supports both:

  • Wildcards: Using * to match anything after a prefix
  • Regex: Advanced patterns like ^/products/(.*)$

Step 4: Test Your Redirect

Use the built-in redirect tester to verify if your rule works as expected. This prevents redirect loops or mismatches.

Step 5: Save and Activate

Once tested, activate the rule. All matching URLs will now automatically redirect to your specified destination.

When Should You Use Pattern-Based Redirects?

Pattern redirects are most useful in the following scenarios:

  • Platform Migrations: Moving from WooCommerce or Magento and need to redirect legacy URLs
  • Seasonal Product Rotations: Redirecting old promotional pages to active campaigns
  • Site Structure Changes: Changing blog paths, product URLs, or collection formats
  • Cleaning Up Duplicate URLs: Redirecting multiple paths to canonical pages

Real-World Example: Redirecting 1000+ Product URLs

A Shopify merchant had 1,300 old product URLs from a legacy theme format like:

/products/2022-blue-shirt /products/2022-red-hat

Instead of redirecting them individually, they created a pattern rule:

/products/2022-* → /collections/sale

This redirected every URL starting with /products/2022- to a seasonal sale collection in one go — saving days of manual labor.

SEO & Performance Benefits

  • Preserve link equity across all redirected URLs
  • Improve crawl efficiency for search engines
  • Prevent bounce from outdated campaigns or old links
  • Faster page speed with clean 301s and fewer dead ends

Pattern Redirects vs One-to-One Redirects

Feature One-to-One Redirects Pattern-Based Redirects
Manual Effort High Low
Scalability Limited Unlimited
Regex/Wildcard Support No Yes
Use Case Simple URL changes Bulk URL rules & migrations

What Merchants Are Saying

“We used SM Quick Redirects to fix over 2,000 outdated blog links using just three rules. Huge time-saver and zero traffic loss.” — Verified Shopify Merchant

With over 300 reviews and a 5-star rating, merchants appreciate the speed, flexibility, and ease of use this app provides.

Final Thoughts: Save Time & Improve SEO with Pattern Redirects

Pattern-based redirects aren’t just for developers — they’re a practical, scalable way to maintain a healthy Shopify store and protect your SEO rankings. Instead of wasting hours manually adding redirects, you can automate the process with just a few smart rules.

If you're looking for a reliable, merchant-friendly Shopify 404 redirect app, SM Quick Redirects is your go-to tool for pattern logic, automation, and peace of mind.

Try SM Quick Redirects free today and redirect smarter — not harder.

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