EN

What is 301 Redirect?

Back

HTTP 301, "Moved Permanently" means that a web resource has been permanently moved to a different URL. This response status informs clients (such as browsers and search engines) that they should use the new URL. The old URL is no longer valid, and users and bots are automatically redirected to the new address.

This status is commonly used when a webpage has been moved, when the URL structure changes, or when a domain name change is required. A 301 redirect is especially important for search engine optimization (SEO), as search engines transfer the value of the old URL to the new one.

How to Implement a 301 Redirect?

On Apache Servers (with .htaccess)

  1. Edit the .htaccess File: Open or create the .htaccess file in the root directory or target directory of your server.
  2. Write the Redirect Rule:

    Redirect 301 /old-url /new-url In this example, /old-url represents the old resource, and /new-url represents the new address.

  3. Save the Changes: Save and upload the file to activate the redirect.

On Nginx Servers

  1. Edit the Configuration File: Open the Nginx configuration file.
  2. Add the Redirect:

    location /old-url { return 301 /new-url; }

  3. Restart the Server: Restart Nginx to apply the redirect rule.

Using a CMS (e.g., WordPress)

  • Content management systems like WordPress make it easy to implement redirects through plugins or built-in tools. For example, you can use a "Redirect" plugin to link the old URL to the new one.

Impact on SEO

A 301 redirect, when used correctly, benefits SEO:

  • Transfer of Link Value: The authority and ranking power of the old URL are transferred to the new URL.
  • User Experience: It ensures that users are directed to the correct content from broken links.
  • Content Consistency: It prevents duplicate content issues when the same content exists under different URLs.

Things to Keep in Mind:

  • The content should be consistent. Redirecting to different content can negatively affect user experience.
  • Avoid excessive redirect chains, as they can negatively impact performance.

In conclusion, a 301 redirect helps both users and search engines adapt to content changes on your website. However, redirects should be carefully planned and tested.