301 Redirect
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that passes nearly all link equity from the old URL to the new URL, signaling to search engines that content has moved permanently.
Definition
A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines: 'This page has moved forever. Use the new URL.' It is the standard way to handle deleted pages, site migrations, URL restructuring, and domain changes. For SEO, a 301 passes approximately 90-99% of link equity to the new URL, making it the safest way to preserve rankings during site changes.
When to Use 301 vs Other Redirects
Use 301 for permanent moves: site migration, domain change, merging two pages. Use 302 for temporary moves: A/B testing, seasonal landing pages, short-term campaigns. Use 307 as the modern HTTP 1.1 equivalent of 302. Use meta refresh redirects (HTML level) only as a last resort; they pass less equity and degrade user experience.
Redirect Chain Avoidance
A redirect chain occurs when URL A redirects to B, which redirects to C. Each hop dilutes link equity and slows page load. Google recommends keeping redirect chains to a maximum of 3 hops. Better: update all internal links to point directly to the final URL, eliminating unnecessary redirects.
Note
Key takeaways
- 301 redirects pass most link equity to the new URL
- Use 301 for permanent moves, 302/307 for temporary
- Avoid redirect chains longer than 3 hops
At a glance
- HTTP Code
- 301
- Type
- Permanent redirect
- Equity Passed
- ~90-99%
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How 301 Redirect connects
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that passes nearly all link equity from the old URL to the new URL, signaling to search engines that content has moved permanently.
Definition
A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines: 'This page has moved forever. Use the new URL.' It is the standard way to handle deleted pages, site migrations, URL restructuring, and domain changes. For SEO, a 301 passes approximately 90-99% of link equity to the new URL, making it the safest way to preserve rankings during site changes.
When to Use 301 vs Other Redirects
Use 301 for permanent moves: site migration, domain change, merging two pages. Use 302 for temporary moves: A/B testing, seasonal landing pages, short-term campaigns. Use 307 as the modern HTTP 1.1 equivalent of 302. Use meta refresh redirects (HTML level) only as a last resort; they pass less equity and degrade user experience.
Redirect Chain Avoidance
A redirect chain occurs when URL A redirects to B, which redirects to C. Each hop dilutes link equity and slows page load. Google recommends keeping redirect chains to a maximum of 3 hops. Better: update all internal links to point directly to the final URL, eliminating unnecessary redirects.
Note
Do not use 301 redirects for temporary purposes. Using a permanent redirect for a temporary campaign means Google will cache the redirect permanently, potentially causing long-term indexing problems when you want the old URL back.
Key takeaways:
301 redirects pass most link equity to the new URL
Use 301 for permanent moves, 302/307 for temporary
Avoid redirect chains longer than 3 hops