301 Redirect

  • 301 Redirect: A permanent redirect from one URL to another. It is often used when a webpage has been moved to a new location and you want any visitors (and search engines) who are trying to access the old page to be automatically sent to the new page. This helps maintain the SEO value of the original page and prevents users from encountering a 404 error.
image briefly showing what a 301 redirect is via two yellow road signs that read (on the left) YourOldURL.com and (on the right) YourNewURL.com. Sign saying "we have moved" with an arrow pointing to new url displays the move

Why 301 Redirect Matters to Marketers

From a marketing perspective, 301 permanent redirects are crucial for maintaining a website’s search ranking when pages are moved or deleted. The primary use of a 301 permanent redirect is to ensure that if a page has been moved, any traffic directed to the old URL (from search engines, bookmarked links, etc.) will be rerouted to the new location. This way, you don’t lose any potential visitors. Additionally, a 301 redirect passes most of the SEO value from the old page to the new one, which helps maintain your website’s search ranking.