Definition
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect: the server tells browsers and search engines that a URL has moved for good and sends them to the new address.
301 redirect explained
When a page's URL changes, a 301 status code with the new location sends visitors and crawlers straight to the new page. According to Google, for permanent redirects (301 and 308) Googlebot follows the redirect and the indexing pipeline uses it as a signal that the target should be canonical. Over time, the old URL is replaced in search results by the new one.
Use a 301 when:
- You change a page's URL, merge two pages or restructure a section.
- You move to a new domain, or from HTTP to HTTPS.
- You consolidate duplicate versions such as www and non-www.
- You retire a page and a closely matching replacement exists.
Google says server-side redirects are the most reliable kind, followed by instant meta refresh redirects, with JavaScript redirects as a last resort. Redirect each old URL to its closest equivalent, not everything to the homepage, update internal links to point directly at the new URLs, and keep redirects in place for the long term.
Example
Your brand renames /services/web-design to /services/website-design. A 301 from the old URL to the new one means visitors from old links land on the right page, and Google transfers the old page's ranking signals to the new address.
Why it matters
Correct 301s keep the rankings, links and bookmarks an old URL earned. Missing or wrong redirects are the most common cause of traffic loss after a URL change.
Related service
301 Redirections
Redirect mapping, chain and loop clean-up so URL changes keep their rankings and links.
301 redirect management servicesSources
- Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search (updated 14 Apr 2026)
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Related terms
- 302 redirectA 302 redirect is a temporary redirect: it sends visitors to another URL while signaling that the original URL should stay the one indexed.
- Redirect chainA redirect chain is a series of redirects where URL A redirects to B, which redirects to C, and so on, instead of A going straight to the final URL.
- Redirect mapA redirect map is a spreadsheet pairing every old URL on a site with the new URL it should permanently redirect to, used to plan migrations.
- Link equityLink equity is the ranking value that links pass from one page to another, which redirects and internal links can preserve or waste.
- Site migrationA site migration is any major change to a website's platform, domain, URL structure or design that can affect how search engines crawl, index and rank it.