Redirects are one of the most consequential technical SEO decisions you will make. A properly implemented redirect preserves rankings, link equity, and user experience during URL changes. A poorly implemented one can crater your organic traffic overnight. Our technical SEO services include redirect auditing as a core component because the mistakes we find are among the most damaging -- and among the most fixable.
This guide covers every redirect type relevant to SEO, when to use each one, how to handle site migrations, and the common mistakes that cost sites traffic.
Types of Redirects
301 Redirect (Moved Permanently)
A 301 tells search engines and browsers that a URL has permanently moved to a new location. It is the default redirect for SEO purposes.
When to use it:
- A page URL has changed permanently.
- Two pages are being consolidated into one.
- A domain is changing (rebrand, TLD migration).
- HTTP URLs are being redirected to HTTPS.
- Non-www is being redirected to www (or vice versa).
SEO behavior: Google passes the vast majority of link equity (PageRank) through 301 redirects. While Google has stated that 301, 302, and 307 redirects all pass link equity, the 301 clearly communicates permanent intent, which helps Google update its index faster.
302 Redirect (Found / Temporary Redirect)
A 302 tells search engines the move is temporary and the original URL should remain in the index.
When to use it:
- A/B testing where the original URL will return.
- A page is temporarily unavailable (maintenance, seasonal content).
- Geolocation-based redirects where the canonical URL should remain the original.
SEO behavior: Google keeps the original URL in the index rather than replacing it with the redirect target. If you use a 302 when you mean a 301, Google may eventually treat it as permanent anyway, but you are relying on inference rather than explicit instruction -- which can delay index updates.
307 Redirect (Temporary Redirect, HTTP/1.1)
A 307 is functionally identical to a 302 but with stricter HTTP method preservation. A 302 may change a POST request to GET; a 307 guarantees the method is preserved.
When to use it:
- Temporary redirects where preserving the HTTP method (POST, PUT, DELETE) is important.
- API endpoints or form submission flows that need method-safe redirection.
SEO behavior: Google treats 307s the same as 302s. For standard web page redirects, a 302 and 307 are interchangeable from an SEO perspective.
Meta Refresh Redirect
A meta refresh is an HTML-level redirect, not a server-level one:
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=https://www.example.com/new-page/">
When to use it: Essentially never for SEO. Meta refreshes are slower than server-side redirects, provide a poor user experience (especially with a delay), and may not pass link equity as reliably. They are sometimes the only option on platforms that do not allow server configuration, but they should be considered a last resort.
JavaScript Redirects
window.location.href = "https://www.example.com/new-page/";
When to use it: Only when no server-side option exists. JavaScript redirects are the least reliable for SEO because they depend on Google rendering JavaScript, which adds processing time and uncertainty. Google can follow JavaScript redirects, but there is a delay compared to server-side redirects.
Redirect Chains and Loops
Redirect Chains
A redirect chain occurs when URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C (and potentially further). Each hop adds latency and can leak link equity.
Example of a chain:
http://example.com/old-page
-> 301 -> http://www.example.com/old-page
-> 301 -> https://www.example.com/old-page
-> 301 -> https://www.example.com/new-page
Google will follow up to 10 redirect hops, but each hop is wasteful. The fix is to update every redirect to point directly to the final destination:
http://example.com/old-page -> 301 -> https://www.example.com/new-page
http://www.example.com/old-page -> 301 -> https://www.example.com/new-page
https://www.example.com/old-page -> 301 -> https://www.example.com/new-page
Redirect Loops
A loop occurs when URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects back to URL A. The browser will display an "ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS" error, and the page becomes completely inaccessible.
Common causes:
- Conflicting redirect rules in
.htaccessand application code. - A CMS plugin redirecting to URL A while the server redirects URL A back to the plugin's target.
- CDN or reverse proxy rules that conflict with origin server rules.
Fix: Trace the full redirect path using curl -I -L <url> or a redirect checking tool. Identify the conflicting rules and remove the one that creates the loop.
Redirect Mapping for Site Migrations
Site migrations (redesigns, replatforming, domain changes) are the highest-stakes redirect scenario. Every old URL that receives organic traffic or has backlinks must redirect to the most relevant new URL.
Step-by-Step Redirect Mapping Process
- Crawl the old site. Use Screaming Frog or a similar crawler to generate a complete list of URLs.
- Export traffic and backlink data. From Google Analytics and Search Console, identify which old URLs have traffic and backlinks. These are your highest-priority redirects.
- Map old URLs to new URLs. Create a spreadsheet with columns for old URL, new URL, and notes. Match each old URL to the most relevant equivalent on the new site.
- Handle unmapped URLs. Pages that have no equivalent on the new site should redirect to the most relevant parent page or category, not the homepage (unless no better option exists).
- Implement and test. Load your redirect mapping into your server configuration or CMS. Test every high-priority redirect before launch.
- Monitor post-launch. Check Search Console daily for the first two weeks. Watch for 404 errors caused by missing redirects.
Migration Redirect Best Practices
- Use 301 redirects for all permanent URL changes. A migration is, by definition, permanent.
- Redirect at the most granular level possible. Page-to-page redirects preserve more equity than page-to-category or page-to-homepage redirects.
- Do not redirect everything to the homepage. This is treated as a soft 404 by Google and provides no ranking benefit.
- Keep old redirects active indefinitely. There is no expiration date on the need for redirects. Backlinks pointing to old URLs may persist for years.
- Update internal links to point to new URLs directly. Do not rely on redirects for internal navigation. Update your templates, menus, and content to reference the new URL.
Our local SEO audit process includes a migration-readiness assessment for businesses planning platform changes, ensuring no traffic is lost in the transition.
Common Redirect Mistakes
1. Using 302 When You Mean 301
This is the most frequent redirect mistake. A 302 tells Google the move is temporary, which can delay the transfer of rankings to the new URL. If the change is permanent, use a 301.
2. Redirecting All Old Pages to the Homepage
When multiple pages redirect to the homepage, Google treats them as soft 404s. The link equity from backlinks to those pages is effectively lost. Always redirect to the most specific relevant page.
3. Not Updating Internal Links After Redirecting
If your navigation, footer, or content still links to the old URL, every user and bot click triggers a redirect. This adds latency and wastes crawl budget. After implementing redirects, update all internal references.
4. Creating Chains Through Incremental Changes
Over time, sites accumulate redirect chains as URLs change multiple times. URL A was redirected to B two years ago, and now B is being redirected to C. Instead of creating a chain, update the original A-to-B redirect to point A directly to C.
5. Forgetting HTTPS and WWW Variants
Every URL has up to four variants:
http://example.com/pagehttp://www.example.com/pagehttps://example.com/pagehttps://www.example.com/page
All non-canonical variants must redirect to the single canonical version. Missing any variant can result in duplicate content or lost link equity.
Monitoring Redirects Over Time
Redirects are not a set-and-forget item. Ongoing monitoring ensures they remain functional:
- Crawl monthly to detect new redirect chains or loops introduced by content updates.
- Check Search Console for redirect-related crawl errors.
- Audit server performance. A large number of active redirects can affect server response time. Periodically clean up redirects for URLs that no longer receive any traffic.
- Log file analysis. Review how Googlebot interacts with your redirects. If the bot is spending significant crawl budget on redirect chains, it needs attention.
FAQ
How long should I keep old redirects active?
Indefinitely, unless you are certain no external links or bookmarks point to the old URL. In practice, high-value redirects (pages with backlinks or historical traffic) should remain active permanently. Low-value redirects can be removed after two or more years if no traffic is reaching them.
Do 301 redirects pass 100% of link equity?
Google has stated that 301 redirects pass full PageRank, with no "dampening factor" applied. In practice, the destination page should receive the vast majority of the original page's link equity. However, relevance matters -- redirecting a page about plumbing to a page about roofing will not transfer rankings effectively regardless of the redirect type.
Can too many redirects slow down my site?
Individual redirects add minimal latency (typically 10-50ms per hop). However, redirect chains multiply this delay, and a very large number of redirect rules in your server configuration can slow rule processing. Keep your redirect list clean, eliminate chains, and use efficient matching patterns.
Should I use redirects or canonical tags for duplicate content?
Use redirects when you want users and bots to be sent to a different URL (the old URL should not be accessible). Use canonical tags when both URLs should remain accessible but you want Google to treat one as the primary version. For example, use a redirect after a URL change, and use a canonical tag for parameter-based duplicates.
Get Your Redirects Right the First Time
Whether you are planning a site migration or cleaning up years of accumulated redirect debt, the stakes are high.
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