301 Redirect

What is a 301 Redirect?

301 redirects are a way of letting browsers and search engines know that a page has moved permanently to a new address. In cases where someone tries to visit the old URL, the 301 will instantly forward them on to the new one.

Crucially, for SEO purposes, the redirect will also tell Google and other search engines to treat the new URL as the replacement for the old.

Why 301? This number is the HTTP status code that the server returns to signal “moved permanently.”

Why do 301s matter when it comes to SEO? Because this type of redirect protects the status of your page and its earned backlinks. When your pages get backlinks over the years, they point to a specific URL. If you were to delete the page or move it without a redirect, all the value that you’ve gained through those backlinks would disappear in an instant and your leads would run into a 404 error brick wall instead.

By properly setting up 301 redirects, you can pass the vast majority of your link equity to the new page you’ve created, ensuring that your rankings and accumulated authority follow the content to its new home.

It’s for this reason that your redirects are arguably the most important tool to have when it comes to any form of site migration.

When to Use a 301 Redirect

There are several everyday situations where you’re likely to use a 301 redirect, and common occurrences include:

• Moving your website to a new domain
• Consolidating two similar pages into one
• Switching from HTTP to HTTPS

In a nutshell, think of 301s as your method of preserving what you’ve built online. When deployed correctly, your visitors won’t even notice the change and your rankings will largely remain intact.

Here’s an example of it:

Common Pitfalls

However, it’s also important to keep in mind that there are a few traps that marketers can easily fall into when setting up 301 redirects. Falling into redirect chains, where one URL will redirect to another and then another, and so on, can dilute equity and slow down loading times. With this in mind, it’s always best to point old URLs straight to their eventual intended destination.

You should also focus on redirecting your pages to relevant targets. If you redirect a product page back to your homepage instead of a relevant category, Google could interpret it as a ‘soft 404,’ which may cause you to lose favour with the search engine.

Choosing 301s and 302s

It’s also important to avoid mixing up a 301 with a 302 redirect, which signals a temporary move. An accidental 302 can stop Google from transferring equity entirely because it assumes the old URL will eventually return.

If you’re a website owner, using 301 redirects can be simple. If your page has moved or been replaced for good, a 301 can point search engines and users alike in the right direction.

For any form of migration, be sure to map out every old URL and match them to their new versions before you activate your new site. Failing to cover this part of the process properly and patching up missed redirects can be a long and arduous process if left until it’s too late.