301 Redirect
A 301 redirect automatically sends visitors and search engines from an old URL to a new one. It preserves your SEO value when you move or rename pages.
A 301 redirect is an instruction that tells browsers and search engines, "This page has permanently moved to a new address." When someone visits the old URL, they get automatically forwarded to the new one. It happens so fast most people never notice.
Think of it like mail forwarding when you move to a new house. You don't want your mail going to the old address. A 301 redirect makes sure all your website "mail" (visitors, link value, search rankings) follows you to the new location.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Broken links lose you customers and hurt your search rankings. If you redesign your site and your old pages stop working, anyone who bookmarked your page, shared it on social media, or found it on Google will hit a dead end. That's a terrible experience.
A 301 redirect prevents this. It also tells Google to transfer the SEO value from the old page to the new one. Without it, you're starting from scratch with Google every time you change a URL. Businesses that skip redirects during a site redesign often see their search traffic drop by 50% or more overnight.
The Basics
When to use one. Anytime you change a page's URL, delete a page, move to a new domain, or redesign your site. If the old URL ever had visitors or search rankings, set up a redirect.
301 vs. 302. A 301 is a permanent redirect. A 302 is temporary. For almost every small business situation, you want a 301. It tells Google to pass the ranking power to the new URL. A 302 doesn't do that reliably.
How it works with your sitemap. After setting up redirects, update your sitemap to include the new URLs and remove the old ones. This helps Google discover the changes faster.
Preserve your backlinks. If other websites link to your old pages, those backlinks are valuable. A 301 redirect makes sure the SEO value of those links flows to your new pages instead of being wasted on a dead link.
Don't chain them. Redirect A to B is fine. Redirect A to B to C to D is a problem. Each hop adds loading time and Google may stop following after a few jumps. Keep redirects clean and direct.
Check your work. After setting up redirects, test them. Visit the old URLs yourself and make sure they land on the correct new pages. Tools like Screaming Frog or even just typing the old URL into your browser will confirm everything works.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I set up a 301 redirect?
It depends on your platform. On WordPress, plugins like Redirection make it simple. On Squarespace and Wix, there are built-in URL redirect settings. If your site runs on a custom server, your developer can add redirects to the server configuration file. Your web developer or CMS platform should be able to handle this in a few minutes.
Will a 301 redirect hurt my SEO?
No. In fact, not having one will hurt your SEO. Google has confirmed that 301 redirects pass nearly all ranking value to the new URL. There may be a small, temporary dip while Google processes the change, but it recovers quickly. The alternative (a broken page returning a 404 error) is far worse.
How long should I keep a 301 redirect active?
Indefinitely, or at least as long as anyone might still visit the old URL. Old links live in emails, social media posts, printed materials, and other websites. There's no reason to remove a working redirect. Keep them running and you'll never lose traffic to a dead page.