301 redirect

A 301 redirect tells a browser or other client that a resource has permanently moved to another URL. The response provides the new location so the request can continue there.

For a business website, redirects are particularly important when pages are renamed, sections are reorganised or a site moves to a different domain. They help preserve a useful route for people following older links.

What happens when someone follows a redirected URL?

The visitor requests the old address. The server responds with a permanent redirect and identifies the destination. The browser then requests that destination.

In a straightforward implementation, the person arrives at the new page without needing to choose another link. They may notice that the address has changed.

The destination still needs to work. A redirect to a missing, irrelevant or restricted page does not complete the journey successfully.

When should you use a 301 redirect?

A permanent redirect is appropriate when a resource has moved permanently and there is a suitable replacement. Examples include changing a service page's slug or moving an article into a new section.

The decision should reflect the content relationship. A new page covering the same service is a plausible replacement. A generic homepage may not answer what the visitor was trying to find.

When a page has no relevant replacement, consider the appropriate removal behaviour rather than automatically redirecting every old address somewhere else.

301 versus temporary redirects

Permanent and temporary redirects communicate different intentions. A 301 describes a permanent move, while temporary redirect responses describe a destination change that is not intended to replace the original address permanently.

Choose the type based on the actual situation. A short-lived operational change and a completed migration are different cases.

For application requests involving methods and submitted data, redirect behaviour needs additional technical consideration. This guide focuses on the common website navigation and migration use case.

Redirects and search engines

Google uses permanent redirects as a signal about the representative destination for moved content. A redirect does not guarantee a particular ranking or an immediate search update.

The new page still needs to be accessible and useful. A technically valid response cannot establish relevance where the destination no longer serves the original need.

See canonical URLs for the distinction between expressing a preferred version and moving a request to another address.

How do you plan redirects for a redesign?

Start with an inventory of current URLs. Include important service pages, articles, products and other destinations people may reach through search, bookmarks or external links.

Map each changing URL to the most relevant new destination. Record the reason for the mapping, especially where several old pages are being consolidated.

Prepare this before launch. Trying to reconstruct the old structure after it disappears can make it harder to identify what moved and which journeys need preserving.

Why relevance matters

Someone following a link to a technical guide expects that subject. Sending them to the homepage forces them to search again and may leave them unable to find the information.

A redirect plan should therefore be an editorial exercise as well as a technical one. Understand what the old page did and whether the new page fulfils the same role.

If several pages become one stronger guide, make sure the new guide actually covers their useful material. Consolidation should improve the answer rather than simply reduce the page count.

What are redirect chains and loops?

A chain occurs when one redirect leads to another before reaching the final destination. A loop occurs when the route circles back and cannot complete normally.

During a migration, aim for clear routes to the intended destination. If the final address is known, update the mapping and internal links accordingly rather than preserving unnecessary intermediate steps.

Test the full sequence. Checking only that the first URL returns a redirect can miss a problem further along the route.

Should you update internal links too?

Yes, where practical, internal links should use the intended destination directly. Redirects remain useful for older external links and bookmarks, but the website does not need to send its own visitors through avoidable moves.

Update navigation, content links and relevant sitemap entries as part of the same release. Check templates as well as individual pages.

This also makes future maintenance clearer. Editors can see the current information structure instead of continuing to copy an address that has already been replaced.

How do you test a redirect?

Check the old URL, the returned response and the final destination. Confirm that the content is appropriate and the page works across the expected conditions.

Include representative patterns and important individual pages in the review. A rule affecting an entire folder can have wider consequences than one explicit mapping.

Monitor after launch for missed routes, unexpected errors and destinations that were mapped incorrectly. Keep the original redirect inventory so findings can be compared with the plan.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid deleting the old information structure before the mapping is prepared. Do not assume that changing a slug automatically creates the correct redirect in every platform or configuration.

Also avoid treating a redirect plan as proof that a migration is complete. Page content, indexing controls, canonical settings and functionality need their own checks.

For the HTTP definition, see MDN's 301 reference. For search handling, see Google's redirect guidance. Explore Linford websites for the wider redesign process.