How can we redirect traffic from non-SEO pages on our root domain to Webflow while preserving the complex database queries and high traffic of those pages on our self-hosted website?
TL;DR
- Set up a reverse proxy to direct SEO/static pages (e.g., homepage, blog) to Webflow and dynamic/database-driven routes (e.g., /app, /api) to your server.
- Keep your root domain on your own server and proxy specific routes to Webflow, avoiding DNS changes and preserving backend control.
You want to redirect non-SEO pages to Webflow, while keeping database-heavy pages on your current server. This can be done by reverse proxying and careful domain routing, allowing Webflow to control frontend SEO and static content, while your server handles complex backend tasks.
1. Use a Reverse Proxy Setup
- Set up a reverse proxy on your self-hosted web server (e.g., NGINX, Apache).
- Route all traffic for SEO/design pages (e.g., homepage, product landing pages) to Webflow’s published site, while keeping endpoints (e.g., /api, /dashboard) served by your infrastructure.
- For example, requests to
/or/about-usgo to Webflow; requests to/accountor/searchstay on your server.
2. Configure Domain Setup Appropriately
- Keep your root domain (e.g., domain.com) pointing to your own server.
- From there, internally proxy selective routes to Webflow. This avoids switching DNS between platforms.
- Do NOT connect the root domain directly to Webflow hosting, or you’ll lose control over your backend routes.
3. Publish Webflow as a Subdirectory via Proxy
- Webflow doesn’t natively support publishing to subdirectories (e.g., domain.com/blog), but you can reverse proxy Webflow content to appear as subdirectories on your domain.
- Requires custom configuration in NGINX (e.g., proxy_pass rules), maintaining cookies and headers for tracking/SEO fidelity.
Example:
/blog→ Proxied to Webflow/app→ Served by your server
4. Use Webflow Only for Static and SEO-rich Pages
- Host only static, design-heavy pages on Webflow, such as:
- Homepage
- About
- Services
- Landing Pages
- Keep high-traffic or dynamic app/database pages on your own infrastructure, such as:
- Login/account areas
- eCommerce/backend logic
- Search filters or dashboards
5. Watch for Potential Limitations
- Webflow CMS limits include API rate limits, item limits, and lack of direct database querying.
- SEO considerations must ensure canonical URLs and meta data are maintained even in reverse proxy setups.
- Ensure Webflow site assets are allowed to load correctly (fonts, JS, images) through the proxy.
Summary
To split traffic between Webflow and your server: keep your self-hosted server on the root domain, use a reverse proxy to send static/SEO pages to Webflow, and continue serving database-driven pages locally. This balances performance, design flexibility, and infrastructure control.