Redirect Basics

A redirect is a way to automatically send users and search engines from the URL they requested to another URL. Redirects can be very helpful if you move a page, change a link, or fix broken URLs. Redirects are important because they ensure that the users and search engines are guided to the correct URL and ensure a smooth and seamless browsing experience. They also help your website to maintain rankings and preserve the link equity. Redirects should be used in a few different scenarios. The first would be when there is a URL change or a moved page. This ensures that users and search engines are taken to the new location. Redirects are also best used during website updates or restructuring because it can prevent broken links by guiding users to the updated content. Sometimes sites can have temporary unavailability, so a temporary redirect would be used in this case. Essentially, it would just send users to an alternative page while the original page is offline. This limits the users’ encounters with errors during maintenance or when a service is temporarily unavailable. The last potential scenario for a redirect to be used is during a website migration. This maintains SEO value and content accessibility during a platform or server migration. There are 4 types of redirects that are most commonly used: 301 moved permanently, 302 found, 307 moved temporarily, and Meta Refresh. A 301 redirect is the best for SEO because it is a permanent redirect that passes full link equity to the target page. A 302 redirect is used when changing a resource’s URL for a limited about of time. A 307 redirect is the HTTP 1.1 successor for the 302 redirect. The purpose of this redirect users to a different page without affecting the original URL’s presence in search results. Finally, meta refresh redirects are page-level redirects that often show a countdown alone with a message saying something like “If you are not redirect in 5 seconds, click here.”

Source:

Redirects: How To Use, SEO Impact & Types (301 vs 302) – Moz