301 Redirect SEO

Tells search engines a URL has moved permanently to a new address, transferring ranking signals and user traffic to the replacement.

If you think a 301 redirect preserves all your rankings exactly as they were, you already know the outcome depends on relevance, crawlability, and how the new page competes.

Key points

Point each redirect to the most relevant equivalent page, not the homepage.
Avoid redirect chains and loops — each hop costs crawl budget and delays indexing.
Update internal links, XML sitemaps, and canonical tags after the move.
Use 302 for temporary moves; reserve 301 for permanent changes only.
Check the server returns HTTP 301, not 302 or meta refresh, to confirm permanence.

Moving a page and losing half the traffic

An online magazine changed its URL structure from /p123 to /article-title. The old URL held 2,000 monthly visits. The team set a 301 redirect to the new page but left internal links and the sitemap pointing to the old address. Google found the redirect chain, crawled slowly, and the new URL took four months to regain 1,200 visits. Updating the internal links and sitemap after the move could have halved that delay.

Three things a 301 redirect is not

Not a ranking guarantee A redirect passes some link equity, but the new page must still have strong content, relevance, and internal links to rank well.
Not automatic for users If the redirect is set incorrectly — like a 302 or a JavaScript redirect — users may not land on the correct page, affecting behaviour and trust.
Not a substitute for canonical tags For duplicate content, a canonical tag (as used by Yoast) signals the preferred URL without moving users, unlike a redirect which sends all traffic away.

Four mistakes that undermine a redirect

Redirecting every old URL to the homepage A generic homepage redirect loses relevance. A visitor expecting a specific article gets a landing page with no context, increasing bounce rate.
Creating redirect chains Setting a URL to redirect to another redirected URL adds latency. Google may stop following the chain before reaching the final page, wasting crawl budget.
Forgetting to update internal links Old internal links still point to the redirected URL, forcing every click to go through a redirect. That slows navigation and dilutes link equity.
Using a 301 for a temporary launch A temporary landing page or A/B test should use a 302 redirect. A 301 tells search engines the change is permanent, which can cause indexing issues when you revert.

Three checks before a site migration

Verify the server response Use a 301 redirect checker to confirm the old URL returns HTTP 301, not 302 or a soft 404. A wrong status code confuses both crawlers and users.
Plan for domain forwarding SEO When moving a domain, set up 301 redirects at the DNS level (domain forwarding). This preserves search visibility and prevents duplicate content issues.
Monitor crawl errors after migration Check Google Search Console for 404s or redirect errors after the move. Unresolved issues can block indexing and cost you organic traffic.

Common questions

HTTP 301 vs 302 — what is the difference?

A 301 redirect is permanent and passes link equity, while a 302 is temporary and retains the original URL as the canonical address.

How to do a 301 redirect in WordPress?

Use a plugin like Yoast SEO or Redirection to set a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one, or edit the .htaccess file manually.

Do 301 redirects hurt SEO?

A single correct redirect does not hurt, but redirect chains, loops, or pointing to irrelevant pages can slow crawls and reduce ranking signals.

Sources

Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search Official documentation on how Google processes 301 redirects.
Google Search Central: URL moves and site migration guidance Best practices for domain and URL structure changes.
Moz: Redirects, SEO Impact & Types Overview of redirect types and their SEO implications.