SEO Redirect
Tells a search engine which URL is the real one when the same page sits at several addresses, preserving ranking signals and user access.
If you have ever redirected every old page to your homepage and wondered why traffic dropped, you already know the destination matters as much as the redirect itself.
Key points
- Use a 301 for permanent moves and a 302 or 307 for temporary ones.
- Point each redirect to the most relevant destination page, not just any working URL.
- Consolidate redirect chains so the old URL goes directly to the final URL.
- Test important redirects to confirm the status code and landing page are correct.
- Resubmit sitemaps and monitor Search Console after major URL changes.
A site migration with 500 old URLs
A retail site moved from /shop/ to /products/ and set up 301 redirects for all 500 old URLs. The SEO team built a redirect map in a spreadsheet, mapping each old URL to its closest new equivalent. They tested 50 critical URLs with a redirect checker and found two loops. After fixing those, they resubmitted the sitemap. Within three weeks, organic traffic recovered to pre-migration levels.
Three ways it goes wrong
- Wrong status code Using a 302 for a permanent move tells search engines the change is temporary, so they keep indexing the old URL and do not transfer ranking signals to the new one.
- Homepage dumping Redirecting many old URLs to the homepage instead of the closest relevant page dilutes relevance and confuses users who expect specific content.
- Redirect chains Leaving a chain of two or more redirects wastes crawl budget and delays signal transfer. Consolidate so the old URL points directly to the final destination.
Three situations that change your decision
- Temporary vs permanent If a page is down for maintenance, use a 302 or 307. If content has moved for good, use a 301. Google treats the two differently for indexing and link equity.
- Migration scale For a small site with ten URLs, a manual redirect map works. For hundreds of URLs, automate with a spreadsheet and test a sample to catch errors early.
- Domain forwarding When forwarding a domain, use a 301 to preserve SEO value. Domain forwarding without a redirect can lose backlinks and organic traffic.
Common questions
What is the difference between a 302 redirect and a 301 redirect?
A 301 is permanent and transfers ranking signals; a 302 is temporary and keeps the old URL indexed.
How do I fix a 302 status code?
Change the server rule to a 301 if the move is permanent, or leave it if the redirect is genuinely temporary.
Do 301 redirects hurt SEO?
No, when done correctly they preserve rankings and traffic. Problems come from wrong destinations or chains.
Sources
- Google Search Central Official guidance on 301 redirects and their effect on indexing
- Moz Learn SEO Overview of redirect types, best practices, and common mistakes
- SEO Clarity Detailed pillar page on URL redirects and implementation