Technical SEO
Redirect
A technique that automatically sends users and search engines from one URL to another, most commonly a 301 (permanent) or 302 (temporary) redirect.
What Is Redirect?
A redirect is a server-side or client-side instruction that automatically sends a visitor (and a search engine crawler) from one URL to a different one. The two most common types carry meaningfully different signals: a 301 redirect indicates the move is permanent, and search engines will generally consolidate ranking signals from the old URL onto the new one over time; a 302 redirect indicates the move is temporary, and search engines are meant to keep the original URL indexed and not transfer ranking signals in the same way, since the expectation is the original URL will return. Redirects are used constantly in normal site maintenance: consolidating www and non-www versions of a domain, moving content to a new URL structure, merging duplicate pages, or handling a site migration or domain change. Using the wrong redirect type (a 302 for what's actually a permanent change, for example) or building up long redirect chains (A redirects to B, which redirects to C, which redirects to D) are common technical SEO mistakes that can slow crawling and dilute the ranking signal transfer that redirects are meant to preserve.
Why Redirect Matters for SEO
Preserves ranking signals during legitimate URL changes
A correctly implemented 301 redirect consolidates the old URL's accumulated authority onto the new one, rather than losing it entirely.
Prevents broken links and duplicate content
Redirects are the standard fix for both a moved page (avoiding a broken link) and legitimately duplicate URL variants (avoiding duplicate content confusion).
Redirect type matters for how search engines respond
Using 301 versus 302 incorrectly can affect whether search engines transfer ranking signals or continue indexing an outdated URL.
A Simple Example
A company rebrands and changes its domain from `oldbrand.com` to `newbrand.com`. Implementing 301 redirects from every old URL to its corresponding new URL preserves the accumulated backlink and ranking value built up over years at the old domain, rather than starting over from zero at the new one.
Best Practices
- Use 301 redirects for any genuinely permanent URL or domain change.
- Reserve 302 redirects for truly temporary situations, such as short-term maintenance.
- Redirect directly to the final destination URL rather than building up chains through intermediate redirects.
- Update internal links to point directly to the new URL rather than relying on the redirect indefinitely.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a 302 redirect for a permanent change, preventing proper ranking signal consolidation.
- Allowing long redirect chains to accumulate instead of pointing directly to the final URL.
- Forgetting to set up redirects at all when deleting or moving pages, creating broken links.
- Redirecting many unrelated old URLs to a single generic page (like the homepage) instead of the most relevant equivalent.
Key Takeaways
- A redirect sends users and crawlers from one URL to another automatically.
- 301 redirects signal a permanent move and consolidate ranking signals; 302 signals a temporary one.
- Redirects are the standard fix for moved content, merged duplicates, and domain changes.
- Redirect chains and incorrect redirect types are common, avoidable technical SEO mistakes.