301 Redirects: Complete Guide to Preserving SEO Value
Bad redirects destroy 15-30% of your rankings. This guide shows how to implement 301 redirects without losing SEO value.
TL;DR
301 redirects permanently move one URL to another while preserving 90-99% of SEO value. But most people screw them up--causing massive traffic losses during site migrations, redesigns, and URL changes. This guide covers proper implementation, redirect chains, testing, and the 7 fatal redirect mistakes that tank rankings.
What Is a 301 Redirect (And Why It Matters)
A 301 redirect is a permanent server-side redirect that tells browsers and search engines:
- "This page has permanently moved to a new URL"
- Passes 90-99% of link equity to the new URL (Google confirmed)
- Updates search results to show the new URL instead of the old one
- Preserves user experience by automatically sending visitors to the right page
Without 301s, changing URLs means starting from scratch in rankings.
301 vs 302 vs 307: Which Redirect to Use
- 301301 Moved Permanently:
Use for permanent URL changes. Passes link equity. Google updates index. This is what you want 95% of the time.
- 302302 Found (Temporary):
Use for temporary moves only. Does NOT pass full link equity. Google keeps indexing old URL. Use for A/B tests, seasonal pages, or maintenance.
- 307307 Temporary Redirect:
HTTP/1.1 version of 302. Preserves request method (POST stays POST). Rarely needed for SEO.
Rule of thumb: If the change is permanent, use 301. If temporary, use 302. Never use 302 when you mean 301--you\'ll lose rankings.
How to Implement 301 Redirects
Implementation depends on your server and platform:
Apache (.htaccess):
# Single page redirect
Redirect 301 /old-page.html https://example.com/new-page/
# Entire directory redirect
RedirectMatch 301 ^/old-directory/(.*) https://example.com/new-directory/$1
# Domain redirect
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^old-domain\.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://new-domain.com/$1 [L,R=301]Nginx:
# Single page redirect
location = /old-page.html {
return 301 https://example.com/new-page/;
}
# Pattern-based redirect
location ~ ^/blog/(.*)$ {
return 301 https://example.com/articles/$1;
}WordPress (Plugin or code):
- Use Redirection plugin for simple redirects
- Or add to functions.php for programmatic redirects
Shopify:
- Online Store → Navigation → URL Redirects
- Or use CSV import for bulk redirects
7 Fatal 301 Redirect Mistakes
- Redirect chains: Old URL → URL 2 → URL 3 → Final URL loses 15% of link equity per hop
- Redirect loops: URL A → URL B → URL A creates infinite loop and breaks site
- Redirecting to homepage: Redirect product pages to relevant category pages, not homepage
- Using 302 instead of 301: Temporary redirects don\'t pass link equity--rankings drop
- Removing redirects too soon: Keep redirects active for minimum 6-12 months
- Not updating internal links: Update internal links to point directly to new URLs
- Forgetting to test: Always test redirects before going live--use redirect checker tools
How to Test 301 Redirects
Never deploy redirects without testing:
- Browser DevTools: Network tab shows exact redirect status codes
- Online redirect checkers: Tools like redirect-checker.org test from external servers
- Screaming Frog: Crawl entire site to find redirect chains and loops
- Google Search Console: Submit new URLs and monitor indexing status
SEOLOGY Manages Redirects Automatically
SEOLOGY detects redirect chains, fixes redirect loops, and automatically implements 301 redirects when URLs change. Never lose rankings to redirect mistakes.
Try SEOLOGY FreeRelated Posts:
Tags: #301Redirects #Redirects #SiteMigration