Pew Research recently revealed that 38% of websites that existed ten years ago no longer exist, and thus, much previously recorded human experience is no longer available. However, what about all the websites that link to those pages? 

What happens if someone links to your website if you have shifted the URL of a page for any reason? After all, you don’t want a potential customer to be unable to progress. 

Keep reading to learn the answer to the question, “What is a 301 redirect?” and how to use them to move users from one URL to another without causing confusion. Discover the best way to preserve the equity of backlinks and rankings when changing a URL or content and how 301s can prevent major UX problems. 

Well-managed redirects can prevent your previous SEO efforts from being wasted when revitalizing your website. So, get ready to implement practical 301 examples and keep your success intact.

What Is a 301 Redirect?

The 301 is a server-side response code to a request for a specific web page or resource. It informs a computer that the link’s permanent URL has moved, prompting a browser to look in a new location. Users attempting to access the old URL will automatically redirect to the new one without interruption.

Using a 301 helps a search engine understand this, allowing a crawler to inform the search engine that a link will likely need to change to a new URL.

What Is the Purpose of a 301 Redirect?

A 301 permanent redirect avoids the confusion of explicitly informing people that they must visit a new website for the same content. It also clearly states to an SEO crawler that a website has moved from one location to another. 

As a user moves around a site after arriving from a search engine, the visiting user will spread the link equity or “link juice” from the old URL to the new one. As such, the old SEO performance of the page will transfer to the new site, meaning you do not need to start again from nothing.

With well-implemented 301 redirects, you can ensure that:

• The search engine results page (SERP) deindexes the old URL
• The SERP displays the new URL instead
• Duplicate content does not confuse the crawler as to the purpose of each page
• You retain your site authority on the new page

According to UXCam, 88% of users are less likely to return to a website after a bad user experience. A 301 redirect helps you avoid such a disaster. Individuals will see your new website without having to make a single extra click, meaning their click purpose has remained and preventing confusion.

When Would it be Necessary to 301 Redirect

The Springfield Business Journal recently discussed how users form an opinion within half a second of visiting a site. If they first see a failure to connect, how do you think that impacts their opinion of your business?

As such, use a 301 redirect during significant changes to your website to avoid traffic loss. Examples of when you might want to do this include:

• Redirecting broken or outdated URLs to new valuable content
• Simplifying complex URL structure
• Merging duplicate pages and consolidating fragmented content
• Transferring those viewing date-specific blog posts to more relevant content
• Moving people from non-www to www versions of a homepage
• Consolidating HTTP and HTTPS versions of your site into HTTPS URLs
• Managing region-specific URLs or hreflang tags for global audiences

When implemented well, a 301 redirect can act as a safety net. It can direct users and search engines to your most relevant and up-to-date content, protecting your traffic and brand reputation. 

301 Redirect Example

Imagine you have an outdated product page related to “Cactus Spines” with the URL www.example.com/cactus-spines. After you redesign your site, you create a more detailed product page you want to link to instead at www.example.com/shop/cactus-spines. Of course, you do not want users to encounter a 404 error when visiting your old page link, so you leverage a 301 redirect instead.

When the user clicks on the old link:

1. The server responds by issuing the user’s browser with a 301 status code and redirecting the user to the new URL
2. The user’s browser finds and moves to the new URL without interruption or prompting
3. The user continues their journey, often not even knowing they have jumped from one potential URL to another

The process is seamless. As such, the user can continue engaging with your site without interrupting their thought process, meaning you do not need to design specifically for this possibility.

Best Practices for 301 Redirect SEO

Instead of implementing 301 links without planning, carefully map out your post-301 website. This step can prevent human error, such as inputting the wrong transfer URL or misremembering the purpose of a page. 

Also, avoid creating a chain of redirects before the user lands on a website. Not only can this look problematic to a server and potentially cause issues for a user, but it can also dilute the link equity as the user visits more pages.

Once you have completed the redirect process, make sure you also submit the new sitemap to Google. The search engine can then use it to better understand your site, including where redirects are supposed to occur, boosting the ranking of the linked-to page over the old one.

Leverage Tools Like 301s to Boost Your SEO

What is a 301 redirect? A vital tool in the belt of anyone focused on SEO. 

They preserve the SEO value of each page on your website, especially during major changes, and can ensure you maintain your rankings. 

If you are unsure how to implement them or need to focus on other areas of your business, contact our experts at Rose & Cactus SEO. We can help you optimize your website and leverage 301 redirects to give visitors the best website experience possible.