Redirects and URL changes: how to move pages without losing SEO

Why this matters

When you move pages or change URLs, search engines and visitors need to find the new location. Redirects tell them where to go.

Done properly, redirects preserve SEO value and prevent broken links. Done poorly, they can hurt rankings and frustrate users.

When you need redirects

Redirects are needed when:

• Moving pages: Content moves to a new URL.
• Restructuring: Changing site structure or navigation.
• Platform migration: Moving from one CMS to another.
• URL cleanup: Fixing messy or inconsistent URLs.
• Removing pages: Content is removed or consolidated.

For more on migrations, see content migration without breaking everything.

Types of redirects

301 redirects (permanent)

301 redirects tell search engines the page has moved permanently. They pass SEO value from the old URL to the new URL [1]Source 1 .

• Use for: Permanent moves, restructuring, platform migrations.
• SEO impact: Passes link equity and rankings to the new URL.
• When to use: When the old URL will never be used again.

302 redirects (temporary)

302 redirects tell search engines the move is temporary. They do not pass SEO value as strongly as 301s.

• Use for: Temporary moves, A/B testing, maintenance pages.
• SEO impact: Does not pass link equity as strongly.
• When to use: When you plan to use the old URL again.

For permanent moves, always use 301 redirects.

How to set up redirects

1) Map old URLs to new URLs

Before making changes, create a list of all URL changes.

• List all pages: Every page that is moving or changing.
• Map old to new: Old URL → New URL for each page.
• Check for traffic: Which pages get the most traffic? Prioritise these.
• Check for links: Which pages have external links? These need redirects.

2) Set up redirects

How you set up redirects depends on your platform:

• Static sites: Redirect rules in hosting configuration (Netlify, Vercel, etc.).
• WordPress: Plugins like Redirection, or .htaccess rules.
• Server-level: .htaccess (Apache) or nginx configuration.

3) Test redirects

After setting up redirects, test them:

• Visit old URLs: Do they redirect to the new location?
• Check redirect type: Are they 301s (permanent) or 302s (temporary)?
• Test important pages: Especially pages with traffic or external links.
• Check for redirect chains: Old URL → Intermediate URL → New URL (avoid these).

Common redirect mistakes

• Using 302 for permanent moves: Use 301s for permanent moves to preserve SEO value.
• Redirect chains: Old URL → URL 2 → URL 3. Redirect directly to the final URL.
• Missing redirects: Forgetting to redirect important pages with traffic or links.
• Redirect loops: Page A redirects to Page B, which redirects back to Page A. Avoid these.
• Too many redirects: Redirecting every old URL, even ones with no traffic or links.

Redirects and SEO

How redirects affect SEO

Proper redirects preserve SEO value:

• Link equity: 301 redirects pass link value from old URL to new URL.
• Search rankings: Rankings gradually transfer to the new URL.
• Indexing: Search engines update their index to point to the new URL.

What to monitor

• Search Console: Check for crawl errors or indexing issues [3]Source 3 .
• Traffic: Monitor traffic to old URLs (should drop) and new URLs (should increase).
• Rankings: Check if rankings transfer to new URLs.
• Broken links: Fix any internal links that still point to old URLs.

Redirects during migrations

During platform migrations or major restructures:

• Map all URLs: Create a complete list of old → new URL mappings.
• Prioritise important pages: Pages with traffic, rankings, or external links.
• Set up redirects before launch: Have redirects ready when the new site goes live.
• Test thoroughly: Test all redirects before and after launch.
• Monitor after launch: Watch for issues and fix quickly.

For more on migrations, see content migration without breaking everything.

When not to redirect

Sometimes redirects are not the right solution:

• Duplicate content: If you have duplicate pages, use canonical tags instead of redirects.
• Low-value pages: Pages with no traffic or links might not need redirects.
• Temporary pages: If a page is truly gone and not needed, a 404 might be fine.

For canonical tags, see search engine optimisation basics.

Summary

Redirects preserve SEO value when URLs change: use 301 redirects for permanent moves, map old URLs to new URLs before making changes, test redirects thoroughly, monitor traffic and rankings after changes, and avoid redirect chains and loops.

Common mistakes: using 302 for permanent moves, redirect chains, missing redirects for important pages, redirect loops, too many redirects.

If you need help with redirects or URL changes, see SEO services or website build services. For migrations, see content migration without breaking everything. You can also get in touch to discuss your redirect needs.