What It Is & How It Impacts SEO

What Is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is an HTTP status code that redirects users (and search engines) from one page to another. It indicates that a page has moved permanently. And passes ranking power from the old URL to the new one.

For example:

We updated a blog post and redirected it to a new URL.

From https://www.semrush.com/blog/wordpress-seo-checklist-20-tips/ to https://www.semrush.com/blog/wordpress-seo/.

(If you click on the old URL, you’ll be automatically redirected to the new page).

We did so because we wanted the page to follow URL best practices.

But that’s far from the only reason to use a 301 redirect.

When Should You Use a 301 Redirect?

There are different types of redirects (301, 302, meta refresh, etc.). And each has its own specific use case.

Here’s when (and why) you should use a 301 redirect versus another type.

Permanently Moving a Page to a New URL

For example, from https://www.website.com/old-page-name/ to https://www.website.com/new-page-name/.

Sometimes, you need to change the URL of a page on your site.

Maybe a product name has changed slightly and you need to update the URL. Or want to better categorize your site’s pages. The reasons are endless.

Implementing a 301 redirect will ensure that users and search engines are redirected to the new URL. And help search engines pass the SEO power of the old URL to the new URL.

Deleting a Page

If, for any reason, you want to delete a page on your site, you should redirect it to another relevant...