What is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from one URL to another. It tells browsers and search engines that a page has permanently moved to a new location, and they should use the new URL going forward.

When you set up a 301 redirect, it passes most of the original page's link juice and ranking signals to the new URL. This preserves your SEO value when restructuring your site or moving content.

Why 301 redirects matter

Without proper redirects, changing URLs creates 404 errors that frustrate visitors and waste the SEO value you've built up. All the backlinks pointing to the old URL become dead ends.

A 301 redirect ensures that both users and search engines find your content at its new location. Google transfers most of the old page's ranking power to the new URL, maintaining your search visibility.

When to use 301 redirects

Use 301 redirects when permanently changing a URL structure, merging pages, deleting content that should point somewhere else, or migrating to a new domain. They're essential during site redesigns and migrations.

If you're fixing keyword cannibalization by consolidating similar posts, 301 redirect the old URLs to your main post. This combines their ranking signals into one stronger page.

Common 301 redirect mistakes

Don't chain redirects (A → B → C). Each redirect loses a small amount of link juice and slows down page speed. Redirect directly to the final destination.

Don't redirect everything to your homepage during a site restructure. Match old URLs to relevant new pages. A post about "SEO tips" should redirect to your new SEO content, not your homepage.

Test your redirects after implementing them. Visit the old URLs and verify they lead to the correct new pages with a 301 status code, not a 302 (temporary) redirect. Monitor search engines crawling your redirects to ensure they're processed correctly.