Redirects are essential for maintaining SEO equity when you move, rename, or restructure pages. A 301 (permanent) redirect tells Google that a page has permanently moved — transferring its accumulated ranking signals to the new URL.
301 vs 302 Redirects
301 = permanent redirect (use for all SEO-critical moves). 302 = temporary redirect (use for true temporary moves like maintenance pages). Google passes link equity through 301 redirects fully but historically retained some on 302s — treat all permanent page changes as 301 redirects.
When to Use 301 Redirects
Page URL changed, content merged from multiple pages to one, domain migration (HTTP to HTTPS, old domain to new domain), deleted pages (redirect to most relevant alternative page), and site architecture restructuring.
Redirect Chains
A redirect chain is A → B → C → D. Each hop adds latency and can dilute link equity. Always redirect directly from origin to final destination: A → D. Audit and fix redirect chains — they are extremely common after multiple rounds of URL changes.
Redirect Loops
A redirect loop is A → B → A (circular). This prevents the page from loading at all. Identify and break all redirect loops using Screaming Frog or Ahrefs. Loops are most common when CMS rules are misconfigured.