SEO Redirect
An SEO redirect is a URL forwarding rule that sends users and search engines from an old URL to a new, more relevant URL, usually to preserve visibility when pages move or change.
What I’d do first
- Map every old URL to a specific, relevant destination.
- Use 301 for permanent moves; 302 only for temporary.
- Avoid redirect chains — point directly to the final URL.
- Test each redirect after implementation.
- Update internal links and resubmit sitemap after major changes.
Here's the playbook I use every time.
The path I'd take
- Audit current URLs — find all pages with traffic, backlinks, or rankings that need redirecting.
- Build the redirect map — old URL → type → destination URL. Keep it in a spreadsheet.
- Implement at the right layer — server (htaccess, nginx), CMS plugin, or CDN. Pick one layer to avoid conflicts.
- Test every redirect — check status code (301 vs 302) and final destination. Fix any chains or loops.
- Update internal links — change links in your content to point directly to the new URLs.
- Resubmit sitemap and monitor — submit the updated sitemap in Search Console, watch for crawl errors or ranking drops.
Watch-outs
- Using 302 for permanent moves — 302 doesn't pass link equity. Google treats it as temporary.
- Redirecting everything to the homepage — you lose relevance and confuse users. Always find the closest match.
- Creating redirect chains — old → intermediate → final. Consolidate to old → final.
- Conflicting rules — if you set a redirect in both the CMS and the server, you might get unexpected behavior. Stick to one layer.
- Forgetting to test — I've seen redirects that loop or land on 404s. Always verify.
What I got wrong
Early on, I redirected a whole blog category to the homepage because I thought 'close enough.' It wasn't. Traffic dropped, and I spent weeks rebuilding relevance. Now I always map to the most specific page — even if it means creating a new archive page. Also, I used to skip testing redirect chains. A chain of three might work for users but wastes crawl budget. Now I flatten everything to one hop.
Next step
Quick answers
What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?
A 301 is permanent and passes most link equity; a 302 is temporary and does not. Use 301 for permanent moves, 302 for A/B tests or seasonal pages.
Can I redirect multiple old URLs to one new URL?
Yes, but only if the content is truly consolidated. Avoid dumping unrelated URLs onto one page — it confuses users and search engines.
How do I check if a redirect is working?
Use a browser dev tools network tab, a redirect checker tool, or Screaming Frog to confirm the status code and final destination.
Sources
Primary documentation is linked directly. Anything commercial is marked nofollow.
- Google Search Central — Primary guidance on redirects and how Google Search treats moved URLs.
- Google Search Central — Helpful for understanding crawl behavior and why clean URL handling matters.
- Moz Learn SEO — Well-known practitioner reference covering redirect types and common SEO use cases.
- SEO Clarity — Concise technical overview with practical guidance on relevance and avoiding chains.
Notes from Callum Bennett.