Definition

A redirect sends users and search engines from one URL to another — permanently (301) or temporarily (302/307).

Detailed Explanation

301 — permanent; passes most link equity. Use for domain moves, permalink changes, HTTP→HTTPS.

302/307 — temporary; use for A/B tests or short-term maintenance.

Redirect chains (A→B→C) waste crawl budget and dilute equity — aim for one hop maximum.

Nepal Context

Common during .com.np domain migrations and WordPress permalink changes. Map old URLs in a spreadsheet before switching — broken redirects lose years of local SEO equity.

Practical Examples

  • Moving from example.com to example.com.np: every old URL 301-redirects to the matching new URL, not to the new homepage.
  • Changing WordPress permalinks from /?p=123 to /service-name/: map each old ID to its new slug.
  • A temporary 302 to a maintenance page during a two-hour server update, removed afterwards.

How to Check It

  1. Paste a URL into a redirect checker (or run curl -I on it) and confirm a single 301 hop to the final URL.
  2. In Search Console, review Pages → Page with redirect to make sure the listed URLs are ones you meant to redirect.
  3. After a migration, crawl the old URL list and confirm none returns 404 or chains through several hops.

Key Takeaways

  • One redirect hop preferred
  • Update internal links to point to final URL
  • Monitor GSC “Page with redirect” coverage

Common Mistakes

  1. Redirect chains longer than 2 hops
  2. 302 when 301 is appropriate
  3. Redirecting all 404s to homepage (soft 404)