Redirect
A redirect automatically sends a request for one URL to another URL.
Redirects are commonly used when content moves, URLs change, or duplicate URL variations need to resolve to one preferred location.
What It Means in Practice
If:
example.com/old-page
has permanently moved to:
example.com/new-page
a redirect can send both users and crawlers from the old address to the new one.
The old URL continues to work as an entry point while clearly communicating that the destination has changed.
How It Works
Redirects can be permanent or temporary.
Common server-side examples include:
- 301 / 308: permanent redirects
- 302 / 307: temporary redirects
Permanent redirects are normally appropriate when a URL has moved for good.
Temporary redirects are useful when the original URL is expected to return.
Redirect behaviour is communicated through HTTP status codes.
Why It Matters
Redirects preserve functioning paths through a site when URLs change.
They are especially important during:
- Website redesigns
- CMS migrations
- Domain changes
- URL restructuring
- Page consolidation
- Content removal
Without them, old internal links, bookmarks, external links, and search results can lead to errors.
Common Problems
Common redirect problems include:
- Redirect chains
- Redirect loops
- Redirecting unrelated removed pages to the homepage
- Temporary redirects used for permanent moves
- Internal links continuing to point at redirected URLs
- Redirect targets returning errors
- Large redirect maps created without checking whether the destination is actually relevant
How to Improve
Redirect directly from the old URL to the final relevant destination.
Then update internal links, XML sitemaps, canonical URLs, and other references so the redirect does not become part of normal site navigation.
Keep a redirect only when it continues to serve a useful purpose.