301 Redirect
A 301 redirect is an HTTP status code that tells browsers and search engines a URL has moved permanently to a new address. You use it to preserve traffic and rankings when a page or domain changes location.
Start here
- Map old URLs to the closest match, not the homepage.
- Use 301 for permanent, 302 for temporary.
- Avoid chains and loops—test before going live.
- Update internal links after the redirect is in place.
- Monitor Search Console for unexpected redirect behavior.
What I'd do first
- Map every old URL to its best new match. Don't guess—use a spreadsheet.
- Redirect to the closest relevant page, not the homepage. Homepage redirects are lazy and confuse users.
- Use 301 for permanent moves only. If you're A/B testing or running a seasonal campaign, use 302.
- Check for redirect chains before going live. A → B → C is bad. A → C is better.
- Test with a browser or curl. One broken redirect can tank a page's rankings.
Plain-English take
A 301 redirect is like a change-of-address form for your website. When you move a page to a new URL, you put up a sign that says "I've moved permanently—follow me." Search engines see that sign and transfer most of the old page's authority to the new one. Users get sent along automatically. It's the standard way to avoid 404 errors and keep your SEO intact when you restructure a site, merge pages, or switch domains.
How it shows up
You'll see a 301 redirect in action when you type an old URL into your browser and land on a different page. The address bar updates to the new URL. In your server logs or browser dev tools, the response status code will be 301. In Search Console, you might see old URLs listed under "Indexing" with a redirect status. If you use a redirect checker tool, it'll show the chain of hops from old to new.
Tradeoffs
The big one: 301s pass most link equity, but not all. Google has said a small amount can be lost in long chains. So you trade a clean site structure for a tiny signal loss. I've also seen cases where a 301 to a slightly different page (like a category page instead of the exact product) confuses users and drops conversions. The tradeoff is between SEO preservation and user experience. Sometimes the best redirect is no redirect—just fix the 404 with a good 410 or a custom page.
What I got wrong
Early on, I redirected every deleted page to the homepage. Thought I was being safe. Instead, I diluted the homepage's relevance and confused users looking for specific content. I also once set up a redirect loop by accident—A → B → A. Took me an hour to find it. And I used 301 for a temporary promotion. That promotion's page outranked the main product page for months. Use 302 for temporary stuff. Learn from my mistakes.
Next step
Quick answers
Does a 301 redirect lose SEO value?
No. Google has stated that 301 redirects pass most link equity and ranking signals to the destination URL, though a small amount may be lost in very long chains.
What is the difference between 301 and 302 redirects?
A 301 indicates a permanent move and passes SEO value; a 302 indicates a temporary move and does not transfer ranking signals.
How do I implement a 301 redirect in WordPress?
Use a plugin like Redirection or Yoast SEO, or add code to your.htaccess file. Many hosting control panels also offer redirect tools.
Can a 301 redirect hurt my SEO?
No, but incorrect implementation—like redirect chains, loops, or redirecting to irrelevant pages—can cause issues.
Sources
Primary documentation is linked directly. Anything commercial is marked nofollow.
- Google Search Central — Primary Google guidance on when to use 301 redirects and how search systems treat them.
- Google Search Central: Migrations — Best-practice source for site moves, URL changes, and redirect mapping.
- MDN Web Docs — Authoritative technical definition of the 301 HTTP status code.
- Bing Webmaster Guidelines — Useful secondary search engine guidance on redirects and site changes.
Notes from Callum Bennett.