What Is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is how you move a page without setting your SEO on fire. Pages change, sites get rebuilt, URLs get tidied. The 301 is the polite note that tells everyone where the page went.

The short version

A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that sends users and search engines from one URL to another. It passes most of the original page's ranking value to the new location.

When to use one

• You permanently move or rename a page

• You merge two pages into one

• You move to a new domain

• You consolidate duplicate URLs

301 versus 302

A 301 is permanent and passes value. A 302 is temporary and is meant for short term moves. Using a 302 when you meant a 301 is a quiet way to leak ranking value, so pick the right one.

FAQ

Do 301 redirects pass full SEO value?

They pass the large majority of it. The safest approach is to redirect to the most relevant equivalent page, not just the homepage.