SEO Glossary

Redirect: Sending Visitors From One URL to Another

A redirect sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another. Learn the redirect types, when to use them, and how they affect SEO.

5 min read

Quick Definition

A redirect automatically sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another, usually because the page moved or merged.

What a Redirect Does

When a URL changes, the old one does not have to vanish. A redirect tells the browser and the crawler: this page lives elsewhere now, go there.

Done right, a redirect carries the old URL's visitors, and most of its ranking strength, to the new location.

301: a permanent move, the standard for SEO changes. It tells engines to treat the new URL as the replacement.
302: a temporary move. The old URL stays the real address, so engines keep indexing it.
307: a temporary HTTP redirect, mostly for technical scenarios like forms.

Chains: A redirects to B, which redirects to C, which redirects to D. Keep it one hop.
Redirecting to a 404, which wastes the old page's value.
Redirecting to the wrong page topic, which confuses both users and engines.
Using a 302 when the change is permanent, so engines never update.

Example in Practice

The change: a site merges two old blog posts into one comprehensive guide.

The setup: both old URLs get a 301 redirect to the new guide.

The reading: crawlers follow the redirects and index the new URL instead.

Why it works: the new guide inherits the links and rankings of both old posts.

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After setting up redirects, revisit them in a few months. Engines only follow redirects for a limited time before they stop returning.

What is a redirect?

A redirect automatically sends visitors and search engines from one URL to another.

What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?

A 301 is a permanent move, and a 302 says the change is temporary and the old URL still matters.

Do redirects lose SEO value?

A single 301 passes most of the ranking strength; long chains of redirects lose more of it.

When should I use a 301 redirect?

When a page moves permanently, is merged, or when consolidating duplicate content.

Redirects are how a site changes without starting over. Use them to keep both visitors and rankings moving.

One clean 301 beats a chain of redirects every time.