Redirect
Sending users and crawlers from one URL to another.
Redirect in plain English
A redirect sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another automatically. Server-side redirects are the most reliable: 301 and 308 signal a permanent move, while 302 and 307 signal a temporary one. Meta refresh and JavaScript redirects also exist but are less dependable. Google's redirects guide covers each type.
How to check a redirect on your site
Type an old URL into your browser and see where you end up. For a bulk check, a free crawling tool or an online redirect checker shows the status code and every hop. Search Console's page indexing report lists pages with redirects, which helps you spot chains and loops.
A worked example
A builder renames his "Extensions" page to "House extensions" and the URL changes. Old links from a local magazine and his own blog now return a 404. Adding a permanent redirect from the old address to the new one restores the path for visitors and Google.
Where it usually goes wrong
- Redirecting every old page to the home page instead of the closest match.
- Creating chains where one redirect leads to another and another.
- Using temporary redirects for permanent moves.
- Removing redirects too soon after a migration. Google suggests keeping them for at least a year.
Why a small site should care
Every time a page's address changes, through a redesign, a new platform, a renamed service or a move to HTTPS, the old URL needs to redirect to the new one. Otherwise visitors hit errors, links from other sites stop helping and rankings built up over years can be lost.
Small businesses often change URLs without realising it, for example by renaming a page in their website builder. Many builders change the address automatically, so a quick check after edits is worth doing.
Connected technical terms
- 301 redirect: A permanent redirect, commonly used in migrations.
- Site migration: Moving URLs, hosts or platforms while preserving search equity.
- 404: Page not found response that should be fixed or thoughtfully redirected.
- Canonical URL: The preferred URL for duplicate or similar content, declared with rel=canonical.
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