301 redirects: what they are, how they work & when to use them

A 301 redirect (also called a 301 permanent redirect) tells browsers and search engines that a URL has permanently moved to a new location. It automatically forwards users to the new page and passes most of the original page’s SEO value, backlinks and ranking signals to the updated URL.

Use a 301 redirect whenever you make a permanent URL change, such as:

• Updating page URLs, slugs or site structure.
• Migrating from HTTP → HTTPS.
• Moving to a new domain.
• Merging duplicate content.
• Fixing 404 errors by routing to a relevant page.

A properly configured 301 redirect:

• Preserves search rankings (90–99% link equity transfer).
• Helps search engines update their index.
• Prevents broken links and user-experience issues.
• Avoids crawl waste and maintains a clean site structure.

Avoid redirect chains and loops, always point directly to the final URL and keep redirects in place long-term. For scalable, reliable redirect management, platforms like urllo centralize rules, improve governance and provide analytics and error detection.

What is a 301 redirect?

A 301 redirect, often referred to as a 301 permanent redirect, is an HTTP response that uses the 301 moved permanently status code to indicate a resource has been assigned a new, permanent URL. The server returns this 301 status for a client (like a browser, crawler or API consumer) requesting the original URL, followed by a new destination URL in the location header.

A 301 redirect tells user agents and search engines the move is permanent and that any future requests should use the new URL. Most customers will follow the redirect, cache the new address and update the reference stores. A 301 is often seen as a powerful signal to transfer indexing, canonical preference and ranking signals from the old URL to the new URL.

What is the purpose of a 301 redirect?

A 301 URL redirect is basically a way to tell browsers and search engines that a page has moved for good. When someone visits an old link, they’re automatically sent to the new location instead of hitting a 404 page or getting stuck somewhere unexpected.

The main reason to use a 301 is to keep things running smoothly for users and to make sure search engines understand the change. Because it’s a permanent redirect, most of the original page’s search value carries over to the new URL, which helps preserve rankings and traffic.

People use 301 redirects during site updates, reorganizations, rebrands or anytime a URL needs to change. When handled correctly, they help keep a site clean, functional and easy for both visitors and search engines to navigate.

301 redirect vs “URL forwarding.”

A 301 redirect is a specific type of URL forwarding that tells browsers and search engines a page has permanently moved. It’s a form of permanent redirection, which signals that the old address should be replaced in search indexes.

URL forwarding is a broader term and can refer to any method of sending visitors from one address to another, whether temporary or permanent. In other words, all 301 redirects are a kind of forwarding, but not all forwarding uses a 301.

How 301 redirects work

A 301 redirect may look simple on the surface, but there’s a lot happening in the background. When a user visits an old URL, browsers and search engines receive specific signals that tell them where the new page lives and how they should treat it going forward. Here’s a closer look at what happens.

How browsers interpret a 301 redirect

When a browser encounters a 301 redirect, the browser receives a clear message that the page has moved permanently.

Permanent move: Because it’s a permanent 301, browsers treat the change as final and cache the new location. The browser understands that this isn’t a temporary change. Once it sees the 301 status, the browser automatically sends the visitor to the new URL you’ve specified.

Cached behavior: Because a 301 is permanent, most browsers cache the redirect. This means future visits go straight to the new URL without the browser checking the old one first, leading to faster load times and less server overhead.

How search engines interpret a 301

Search engines analyze a 301 redirect differently than a user’s browser. They use the 301 redirect as a strong signal that the new URL should replace the old one in their index.

Transfer of link equity: Most of the authority, backlinks and ranking signals from the old page typically carry over to the new URL. This helps preserve search visibility during a permanent move.

Index change: Over time, Google and other search engines remove the old URL from their index and replace it with the new destination URL.

Crawl signals: A 301 tells crawlers that they should stop trying to access the old page and focus on the new one. This helps them understand your site’s preferred structure and cuts down on wasted crawl budget.

Common use cases for 301 redirects

301 redirects come into play whenever a URL needs to change permanently. They keep traffic flowing to the right place, preserve search visibility and prevent users from hitting outdated or broken pages. If an old product or article is removed, sending visitors to a more relevant 301 page helps maintain a smooth experience. Here are the most common scenarios where a 301 redirect is the right choice.

Website redesigns & URL structure changes

When sites are updated or reorganized, old URLs often change. A 301 ensures both users and search engines understand where the new version lives.

Typical cases include:

• Updating page slugs to improve clarity.
• Changing folder structures.
• Rebuilding navigation menus or categories.

Merging duplicate content

If multiple pages cover the same topic, combining them into one stronger page improves SEO and user experience.

301 redirects help by:

• Consolidating authority into a single URL.
• Preventing keyword cannibalization.
• Guiding users to the most complete version of a page.

Moving from HTTP → HTTPS

Migrating to HTTPS is a common security upgrade. A 301 redirect tells search engines to treat the secure version as the primary URL.

You’ll typically redirect:

• http://example.com → https://example.com.
• All old HTTP paths to their HTTPS equivalents.

Domain migrations

During a rebrand or acquisition, entire websites may move to a new domain. A 301 redirect ensures all link equity is passed properly on a page-by-page basis, allowing the new domain to inherit the old one’s authority.

This often includes:

• Redirecting every page on the old domain to its new location.
• Handling subdomains, blogs and legacy URLs.
• Preserving backlinks and organic traffic.

Fixing broken pages (404 → 301)

If a page is removed or renamed, redirecting it prevents users from running into dead ends.

Good candidates include:

• Outdated product pages.
• Expired promotions.
• Old blog posts or resources.

Marketing campaigns and vanity URL consolidation

Short, memorable URLs are often used for ads, print materials or offline campaigns. A 301 redirect sends them to the final destination page.

Examples include:

• Redirecting brand.com/sale to a seasonal landing page.
• Using vanity URLs for tracking campaigns.
• Updating old promotional URLs to new campaigns when the old offer expires.

How do 301 redirects affect SEO?

301 redirects play an important role in SEO, especially when URLs change permanently. While the full breakdown lives in our “Do 301 Redirects Hurt Web Page Rankings” guide, here’s a quick overview of how they affect search visibility.

Do 301 redirects hurt search rankings?

No, 301 redirects do not harm rankings when implemented correctly. When done correctly, a redirect 301 helps preserve rankings and consolidates link equity. They’re the recommended method for permanent URL changes and help search engines understand where your content has moved to.

Link equity transfer (90–99%)

When you use a 301 redirect, most of the original page’s link authority is passed to the new URL. This helps preserve your search performance after updates, restructures or migrations.

How long does Google take to process a 301 redirect

Google typically picks up on 301 redirects fairly quickly, but the full transfer can take days to weeks, depending on crawl frequency, site size and how many URLs are changing. Keeping redirects active long-term ensures search engines have time to update their index completely.

Why redirect chains harm SEO

A redirect chain occurs when one redirect leads to another before reaching the final page. Chains slow down users, weaken the transfer of ranking signals and make it harder for search engines to understand your site’s structure. Updating redirects to point directly to the final URL avoids these issues.

Redirect loops and crawl issues

A redirect loop happens when URLs point back to each other, creating an endless cycle. Loops stop crawlers from accessing content, waste crawl budget and can remove pages from the index entirely. Testing redirects regularly helps catch and fix these problems early.

301 vs 302 redirects

Understanding the difference between 301 and 302 redirects helps you choose the right option for each situation.

The core difference

A 301 redirect signals that a page has moved permanently, while a 302 redirect indicates that the change is temporary. With a 301, you’re telling browsers and search engines to update their records and treat the new URL as the long-term destination. A 302 keeps the original URL as the primary version because the move isn’t meant to last.

SEO differences at a high level

301 redirects usually pass most of the original page’s ranking signals to the new URL, helping preserve search visibility over time.

302 redirects generally do not transfer those signals because search engines expect the original page to return.

Using the wrong type can lead to indexing issues, inconsistent rankings or diluted link equity.

When to use which

Use a 301 redirect when the change is permanent, such as a site migration, URL update, rebrand or content consolidation.

Use a 302 redirect when the change is temporary, like short-term marketing campaigns, A/B tests, seasonal pages or maintenance periods.

For a deeper breakdown, see the full 301 vs 302 redirects guide.

Types of 301 redirect implementations

301 redirects can be created in several different locations, depending on how your website is hosted and managed. Each option has its own strengths, level of control and ideal use cases. Here’s an overview of the most common implementation methods.

Server-level (Apache, Nginx, etc.)

Server-level redirects are created directly in your web server’s configuration files, such as .htaccess for Apache or the server block configuration in Nginx. This method gives you full control and allows you to manage redirects at the lowest, most reliable layer of your infrastructure.

When it’s appropriate:

• You need high-performance redirects.
• You’re working with a custom hosting environment.
• You want redirects to fire before application logic.
• You’re managing large-scale migrations or URL rewrites.

Server-level redirects are a powerful option when performance and precision matter, but they require careful configuration and ongoing maintenance.

CMS-level (WordPress, Shopify, etc.)

Many content management systems allow you to create redirects within their admin dashboards or through plugins and apps. This approach is user-friendly and doesn’t require server access, making it ideal for teams that prefer simple, UI-based management.

Best for:

• Marketing teams or editors managing pages.
• Smaller sites or stores that frequently update content.
• Quick fixes without technical intervention

Redirect performance can vary depending on how the CMS handles routing, so it’s important to test your rules.

CDN-level (Cloudflare, Fastly)

CDNs can apply redirects at the edge, before the request ever hits your server. This results in fast, globally distributed redirects and allows you to enforce rules consistently across regions.

Best for:

• Websites with international traffic.
• Large volumes of redirects.
• Situations where performance and geographic reach matter.

CDN redirects are powerful but require careful management by technical people to avoid conflicts with server or CMS rules.

Redirect platforms (like urllo)

Dedicated redirect platforms centralize all your redirects in one place, independent of your CMS, server or CDN. They’re designed for organizations that need precision, reliability and governance across multiple domains and teams.

Key advantages include:

Consistency: All redirects follow the same logic and formatting, reducing errors and ensuring predictable behavior across your entire domain portfolio.

Governance: Teams can manage roles, approvals and permissions, preventing unauthorized changes and improving operational control.

Analytics: You get full visibility into redirect usage, clicks, sources, patterns and potential issues like spikes in 404s or unexpected traffic paths.

Scale: Platforms like urllo handle high volumes of redirects, complex rules, multi-domain configurations and enterprise-grade uptime without relying on your internal infrastructure.

301 redirect best practices

Keep redirects simple and avoid chains

Redirects should send visitors directly from the old URL to the final destination in a single step. Extra hops slow down page loads, increase the risk of errors and can weaken SEO signals, so always update redirects to point straight to the final URL whenever possible.

Avoid redirect loops

Redirect loops occur when two or more URLs redirect to each other, trapping visitors and crawlers in an endless cycle. These loops can break pages entirely and cause indexing issues. Carefully test new redirect rules to make sure every URL has a clear, one-way path.

Keep redirects in place long-term

Because a 301 redirect signals that a move is permanent, it should stay active well after the change is made. Removing it too early can cause broken links, lost traffic and confusion for search engines. Ideally, keep your redirects indefinitely, especially for URLs that have earned backlinks.

Use consistent URL matching rules

Make sure your redirect patterns follow a clear and predictable structure. Inconsistent rules, such as mismatched trailing slashes, uppercase/lowercase variations or unexpected wildcard behavior, can cause errors or create unwanted redirect chains. Define a system and apply it consistently across your site.

Always use HTTPS on destination URLs

Ensure that all redirect targets point to secure HTTPS pages. Redirecting from HTTP to HTTPS is standard practice, but redirecting to an insecure destination can create mixed-content warnings or cause browsers to block the page entirely.

Monitor analytics and crawl errors

Redirects aren’t a “set it and forget it” task. Use analytics and crawl reports to watch for spikes in 404 errors, unexpected redirect chains or URLs receiving more traffic than expected. Early detection makes it easier to fix issues before they impact users or rankings.

Common mistakes people make with 301 redirects

Even though 301 redirects are simple in concept, small errors can lead to broken user experiences and SEO issues. Here are some of the most common mistakes and why they matter. Make sure you're aware of scenarios in which you should avoid a 301 redirect.

Redirecting everything to the homepage

Sending all old URLs to your homepage may seem like a quick fix, but it creates confusion for both users and search engines. Visitors lose context and Google may treat the redirects as soft 404s. It’s best to redirect each URL to the most relevant page whenever possible. If no equivalent page exists, serving a 404 error is ok and better than redirecting the user to your homepage or a non-relevant page.

Using 301 for temporary content

A 301 tells search engines the change is permanent. If the move is only temporary, such as a limited-time campaign, test or maintenance page, a 302 redirect is a better choice. Using a 301 in these cases can cause search engines to replace your original URL in the index prematurely.

Redirect chains

Redirect chains occur when one redirected URL points to another redirect before reaching the final destination. These chains slow down load times and dilute ranking signals. The best practice is to update old rules so the original URL always points directly to the final page in a single step.

Mismatched language/region redirects

Automatically redirecting users to a different language or region version of your site based solely on IP can lead to a poor experience, especially for multilingual audiences. Search engines may also struggle to understand which version to index. It’s better to guide users with clear options instead of forcing hard redirects.

Case-sensitivity issues

Some servers treat URLs as case-sensitive. A mismatch in uppercase vs lowercase letters can create redirect loops, broken links or duplicate pages. Standardizing your URL format (usually all lowercase) helps avoid these headaches.

Wildcard misuse

Wildcard redirects, including those that rely on RegEx (regular expressions) or partial path matching, are powerful but easy to misuse. When configured incorrectly, they can unintentionally redirect entire sections of a site, match URLs you didn’t intend or route traffic to the wrong destination. Always test wildcard and regex-based rules thoroughly, understand exactly which URL patterns they match and use them only when simpler, one-to-one redirects aren’t practical.

301 redirect examples

Seeing real-world examples makes it easier to understand when and how to use a 301 redirect. Here are a few common scenarios that show how 301s help users and search engines reach the right destination.

Example #1 — moving a blog post

Old URL: /blog/how-to-build-redirects-2020

New URL: /blog/how-to-build-redirects

When you update or modernize content, the original URL may no longer fit. A 301 redirect sends visitors from the old URL to the new, improved version without losing search rankings or existing backlinks.

Example #2 — domain migration

Old URL: http://www.oldbrand.com/pricing

New URL: https://www.newbrand.com/pricing

During a rebrand or domain change, every page needs to move to the new domain. A 301 ensures that traffic, links and SEO value from the old site seamlessly carry over to the new one.

Example #3 — fixing a 404

Old URL: /products/winter-jacket-blue (page removed)

New URL: /products/winter-jacket

If a product or page is retired, redirecting the old URL to the closest relevant page prevents users from hitting a 404. It also helps consolidate authority into an active page rather than losing it entirely.

Example #4 — consolidating product pages

Old URLs: /products/headphones-pro /products/headphones-lite

New URL: /products/headphones

When multiple pages cover similar items or variations, merging them into one high-quality page can improve search performance. A 301 redirect sends all traffic and ranking signals to the new consolidated page.

301 redirect tools and testing

Testing your 301 redirects is an important part of making sure everything works the way you expect. Tools like redirect checkers make it easy to confirm that a 301-redirect is configured correctly. Whether you use built-in browser tools or a dedicated redirect platform, checking your redirects regularly helps catch errors early and keeps your site performing smoothly.

How to test a 301

Using browser dev tools

Most browsers let you inspect network requests as a page loads. Open the Developer Tools, refresh the page and look for the status code returned by the old URL. A correct 301 should show a “301” status followed by the new destination URL.

Using curl

For a quick command-line check, you can use curl -I to view the response headers. Curl will show the 301 status code along with the Location header that indicates where the redirect is pointing.

Using redirect checker tools

There are many free online tools that let you enter a URL and instantly see the redirect path. These tools are especially useful for spotting redirect chains, loops or unexpected hops that may not be obvious in your browser.

How redirect management platforms help

Redirect platforms offer a more reliable, scalable way to manage redirects, especially when dealing with multiple domains, teams or large volumes of URL changes.

Global reliability: Redirects are served from multiple points of presence, ensuring fast, consistent performance worldwide.

Automatic SSL: Platforms like urllo automatically handle SSL certificates, making every redirect secure without extra configuration.

Redirect analytics: You can monitor clicks, patterns, user behavior and track lost traffic to understand how your redirects are being used.

Auditability: Clear logs and versioning help teams track changes, manage approvals and maintain oversight.

Key takeaways on 301 redirects

301 redirects play a crucial role in keeping your site organized, user-friendly and search-ready as it evolves. Whether you’re updating URLs, managing a redesign or guiding visitors through a domain change, implementing redirects correctly helps preserve SEO value and ensures a smooth experience for every user.

If you want a faster, more reliable way to manage redirects across all your websites and domains, urllo simplifies the entire process. From automated SSL and global delivery to analytics, lost traffic detection and governance tools, urllo gives you complete control without the operational headaches.

Learn how urllo can streamline your redirect management and keep your site running at its best.

Frequently asked questions about 301 redirects

What is a 301 redirect?

A 301 redirect is a permanent way to send users and search engines from an old URL to a new one. It tells browsers that the page has moved for good and automatically forwards visitors to the updated location.

What is the purpose of a 301 redirect?

A 301 redirect keeps links working when a URL changes. Its main purpose is to guide people to the correct page, prevent 404 errors and help search engines understand that the move is permanent.

Do 301 redirects hurt SEO?

When used correctly, 301 redirects do not harm SEO. They are the recommended method for permanent URL changes and typically transfer most of a page’s ranking signals to the new URL.

How long does a 301 redirect last?

A 301 redirect is meant to be permanent. Once set, it will continue forwarding traffic until you remove the rule.

How long should I keep a 301 redirect active?

Keep a 301 redirect in place for as long as possible, ideally indefinitely. At a minimum, it should remain active for at least one year, but best practice is to keep the redirect live as long as it’s getting traffic.

Do 301 redirects pass link equity?

Yes. Most link authority (often referred to as “link equity”) is passed through a 301 redirect. This helps preserve SEO value when updating or restructuring URLs.

How many redirects are too many?

A single redirect is fine. Problems arise when there are chains, meaning multiple redirects in a row. Any chain longer than one or two hops can slow down users, confuse crawlers and dilute ranking signals.

Should I use a 301 or a 302 redirect?

Use a 301 redirect when the change is permanent. Use a 302 redirect when the change is temporary and you expect to restore the original URL. If you’re not sure, your “301 vs 302” guide can help you choose the right option.

Related guides and resources

These resources dive deeper into specific redirect topics and best practices. If you’re looking for step-by-step instructions, technical explanations or guidance for more complex scenarios, explore the additional articles below:

• 301 vs 302 redirects: Understand the key differences and how each option affects SEO and user experience.
• How to build redirect rules: A practical walkthrough for setting up consistent, scalable redirect logic.
• Handling 404 errors: Best practices for fixing broken pages and improving site experience.
• Domain migration strategy: A roadmap for moving domains without losing traffic or search visibility.
• Redirect analytics: See how to measure performance, track user behavior and identify redirect issues.

By Sean Pasemko

SEO & Growth Marketing Specialist

Sean is an SEO and growth marketer who’s passionate about helping businesses get found and grow faster. Sean blends search strategy, content planning and analytics to uncover opportunities that turn traffic into revenue.