A 301 Redirect is a way to permanently move a web page from one URL to another. It tells browsers and search engines, “Hey, this page has a new home—go there instead.”

If you’ve ever clicked a link and landed on a different page than expected (but everything still worked fine), chances are you’ve been redirected behind the scenes.

Why it matters for your website

301 redirects aren’t just a technical detail—they’re critical for user experience, SEO, and maintaining trust in your brand. Whether you’re rebranding, cleaning up your site structure, or retiring old pages, redirects make sure no one hits a dead end.

Here’s what a 301 redirect does:

• Preserves SEO value: Tells Google to pass most of the original page’s rankings to the new one.
• Avoids 404 errors: Prevents users from seeing a “Page Not Found” message.
• Protects backlinks: Keeps the value of links pointing to your site intact.
• Guides visitors smoothly: Keeps people on track without confusion or frustration.

When you should use a 301 redirect

Some common real-world examples:

• You renamed a service page (e.g., /services/online-marketing → /services/digital-marketing)
• You deleted an old blog post but want readers to land on a newer, related article
• You’re switching domains (e.g., moving from yourbusiness.com to yourbusiness.co)
• You cleaned up messy URLs to make them more readable

Not to be confused with…

• 302 Redirect: A temporary redirect. Use this only if the change isn’t permanent.
• 404 Error: Happens when no redirect exists. You want to avoid these unless the content truly no longer exists.

How to set it up

If you’re using WordPress, there are a few ways:

• A plugin like Redirection makes it easy to manage from your dashboard
• Your developer can add rules to your .htaccess file or server config (more efficient for bulk redirects)

Bottom line

A 301 Redirect is a permanent redirection from one URL to another. Think of it like leaving a forwarding address when you move—anyone visiting your old address (URL) is automatically and seamlessly sent to the new one.

It’s one of the most important tools for preserving SEO value, fixing broken links, and guiding users to the right content—especially during website updates, redesigns, or domain changes.

Why it matters

When a page on your website changes (maybe you rename a blog post, restructure your URLs, or delete outdated content), people or search engines might still try to visit the old URL. Without a redirect, they’ll hit a 404 error (page not found), which is bad for both user experience and SEO.

A 301 redirect prevents that. It tells browsers and search engines:

“This page has permanently moved to a new location—go here instead.”

And most importantly, it passes on most of the SEO value from the old URL to the new one.

When to use a 301 redirect

• Changing a page’s URL
  If you update your URL for SEO or readability, set up a redirect from the old to the new version.
• Migrating to HTTPS
  Moving from http://yourdomain.com to https://yourdomain.com requires 301 redirects to preserve rankings and guide traffic.
• Site restructuring
  If you’re merging pages, changing your permalink structure, or redesigning your navigation, you’ll likely need multiple 301s.
• Domain change
  If you change your main domain (e.g. from oldbrand.com to newbrand.com), 301 redirects from every old URL to its new equivalent are critical.
• Cleaning up duplicate content
  Redirects can help consolidate different versions of the same page (like with or without trailing slashes or “www”).

SEO impact of 301 redirects

A well-implemented 301 redirect:

• Preserves link equity (the “SEO value” of backlinks)
• Tells Google the change is permanent
• Prevents traffic and ranking loss
• Reduces crawl errors in Google Search Console

But don’t overdo it. Redirect chains (A → B → C) or loops (A → B → A) can confuse both users and search engines. Always aim for a clean, direct path.

How to implement a 301 redirect

Depending on your setup:

• WordPress plugins: Tools like Redirection, Rank Math, or Yoast let you manage redirects easily from your dashboard.
• Server configuration: You can set redirects manually in your .htaccess file (Apache), nginx.conf, or through your hosting panel.
• Cloudflare or CDN: Some platforms offer redirect rules at the network level.

If you’re not sure, ask your developer—or your hosting provider may handle it for you.

Bottom line

301 redirects are a small technical fix with big long-term value. Whether you’re revamping your site or just tweaking a few URLs, they ensure your traffic, search visibility, and user experience stay intact. Every time a URL changes, a 301 redirect should be part of the conversation—it’s the digital equivalent of putting up a helpful sign that says “This way instead.”