What Is a Redirect?

A redirect is a way to automatically send visitors and search engines from one URL to another. When a page moves, is removed, or should point elsewhere, a redirect makes sure anyone who visits the old address lands on the right new one. Redirects are essential for keeping a site healthy through changes — but using the wrong type, or chaining too many, can quietly cost you rankings.

Here are the main types of redirects, when to use each, and the SEO pitfalls.

What a redirect does

When a browser or crawler requests a URL that has a redirect, it’s automatically sent to a different URL instead. This keeps the experience seamless (no dead ends) and, done right, tells search engines what happened to the old page so they can transfer its value appropriately. Redirects are how you handle moved pages, changed URLs, site migrations, and consolidations without losing visitors or ranking authority.

The main types of redirects

• 301 (permanent) — the page has moved for good. Passes ranking signals to the new URL. The workhorse for permanent changes and migrations.
• 302 (temporary) — the move is temporary; the original will return. Keeps signals on the original URL.
• 307 (temporary) — a stricter temporary redirect at the HTTP level, similar in effect to a 302 for temporary moves.
• Meta refresh — a redirect done in the page’s HTML rather than the server, often with a delay. Generally not recommended for SEO; server-side redirects are cleaner.

For most SEO purposes, the choice comes down to 301 for permanent, 302 for genuinely temporary — and getting that right is what matters most.

When to use redirects

• Moving or renaming a page — send the old URL to the new one (301).
• Site migration or redesign — map every old URL to its new destination (301).
• Switching to HTTPS or changing domain — redirect old to new (301).
• Consolidating pages — point merged/retired pages to the surviving one (301).
• Temporary situations — A/B tests, temporary pages (302).

The SEO pitfalls to avoid

Here’s where redirects quietly cause damage:

• Wrong type — using a 302 for a permanent move can leave ranking signals stuck on the old URL (see 301 vs 302).
• Redirect chains — A → B → C → D forces extra hops, wastes crawl efficiency, and can dilute signals. Redirect straight to the final destination in one hop.
• Redirect loops — A → B → A traps visitors and crawlers; the page never loads.
• Redirecting everything to the homepage — sending many retired pages to the homepage instead of relevant destinations is treated like a soft 404 and loses the value.
• Broken redirects — pointing to pages that no longer exist.

Why redirects matter for site health

Redirects are core to preserving traffic and authority through any change — a proper redirect map is one of the most important parts of a migration or rebuild, ensuring every old URL’s value flows to the right living page. This is exactly the kind of careful technical work that keeps a site’s rankings intact (or recovers them) when things move. (SEO consulting handles redirect strategy and migrations.)

Frequently asked questions

What is a redirect in simple terms? A redirect is a way to automatically send visitors and search engines from one URL to another. When a page moves, is removed, or should point elsewhere, a redirect ensures anyone visiting the old address lands on the correct new one. Redirects keep a site healthy through changes and, done right, transfer the old page’s value to the new location.

What are the main types of redirects? The main types are the 301 (permanent) redirect, which passes ranking signals to the new URL and is used for permanent moves; the 302 (temporary) redirect, which keeps signals on the original for temporary moves; the 307 (a stricter temporary redirect); and meta refresh redirects done in HTML, which are generally not recommended for SEO. For most cases, it’s 301 for permanent and 302 for temporary.

When should I use a redirect? Use a redirect when moving or renaming a page, migrating or redesigning a site, switching to HTTPS or a new domain, or consolidating pages — using a 301 in these permanent cases. Use a 302 for genuinely temporary situations like A/B tests or temporary pages. Redirects ensure visitors and search engines reach the right destination without hitting dead ends.

What is a redirect chain? A redirect chain is when one URL redirects to another, which redirects to another, and so on (A to B to C to D) before reaching the final page. Chains force extra hops that waste crawl efficiency and can dilute ranking signals. The fix is to redirect each old URL directly to its final destination in a single hop rather than through intermediate steps.

Which redirect is best for SEO? For permanent moves, a 301 redirect is best because it passes ranking signals to the new URL. For genuinely temporary moves, a 302 is correct because it keeps signals on the original. There’s no single best redirect — the right one depends on whether the move is permanent or temporary. Using the wrong type is a common cause of lost rankings.

Do redirects hurt SEO? Proper redirects don’t hurt SEO — they preserve it by sending visitors and authority to the right pages. Problems come from misuse: using the wrong type, creating long redirect chains or loops, redirecting everything to the homepage, or pointing to broken pages. Used correctly, with the right type and direct single hops, redirects are essential and beneficial for maintaining a healthy site.

What happens if I redirect all old pages to my homepage? Redirecting many retired pages to the homepage instead of relevant destinations is generally treated by Google like a soft 404, meaning the value of those redirects is largely lost. Google expects redirects to point to genuinely equivalent or relevant content. To preserve authority and user experience, map each old URL to the most relevant matching page rather than defaulting to the homepage.

Written by Bryan Collins, SEO & AEO strategist. Migrating or rebuilding a site? See an SEO engagement or run a free site audit.