What is an SEO Redirect and how is the redirection properly implemented?

1. What is a redirect?
2. What role do redirects play in SEO?
3. What SEO redirects are there?
4. 302 vs. 301 Redirect in SEO
5. Other 30x redirects
6. Differences of SEO redirects 404 and 410
7. How are SEO redirects created? What should be considered?
8. Which SEO tools can be used to check and create redirects?
9. What frequently made redirection errors should be avoided?
10. SEO redirect: 3 best practices in overview
11. Conclusion

If URLs cannot be found or do not exist, error messages such as 404-status codes. In the long term, error messages are counterproductive for search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience. Redirects (also: redirects) offer the possibility to redirect from deleted URLs to intact URLs. Thus, website operators maintain their traffic after domain changes and URL changes.

The article explains when to use which redirect, what impact on SEO a redirect can have on Google and other search engines, how to implement redirects and more knowledge – you can expect all this in this guest post by Timo Specht.

What is a redirect?

A redirect (german: Forwarding; diversion) directs from one URL to another. The most commonly used redirect is the 301 redirect. This is used, among other things, when the URL of a website changes or the entire website is moved due to a domain change.

Without a redirect, users would try to access a website via the previous URL and find no content. Thanks to the 301 redirect, when the old URL is called up, it is instead redirected to the new URL. With this function, redirects like the 301 redirect contribute to an optimization of the User Experience (UX) and to an improved Search engine optimization (SEO).

Considering the importance for SEO, we also talk about "SEO redirects" and "SEO redirections". In terms of SEO, redirects (redirects) are relevant for both On-page optimization and Off-page optimization.

What role do redirects play in SEO?

An important part of off-page SEO is the creation of backlinks. If website operators have acquired a link from another website as part of a link purchase, exchange, or rental, they have the right to have that link work. If a broken backlink arises because a URL no longer exists, then this link no longer benefits off-page SEO.

Non-functional backlinks are fatal when you consider how crucial the Pagerank as a quality criterion of a website is. Especially in the beginning, website operators usually invest a lot of time and money in building the backlink profile. Broken links (also: dead links) do not pass on Linkjuice and no pagerank, which is why when building the backlink profile it should be ensured that all backlinks are still functional.

If broken links come into your own website, the website operators should be contacted and pointed out. These ideally set up a 301 or 302 SEO redirect for backlinks or adjust the URL to make the link functional again. One should act in the same way and ensure the functionality of all links that go from one's own to a foreign website.

In addition to off-page SEO, redirects are in demand in on-page SEO: as soon as temporary or permanent changes are made to the URLs or the entire domain, redirects play a central role. For example, if a URL that cannot be found or has been deleted and is not marked with a redirect, error messages appear. Users receive the browser display that the URL cannot be found or has been deleted.

At this point, it is important to realize that only a small amount of error messages may occur; a few error messages do not demonstrably have a negative impact on the ranking of the website. But a large amount of error messages leads to the possibility that the search engine crawlers could evaluate the website as poorly maintained. The possible consequence would be a deterioration of the ranking of the entire website and its subpages. Therefore, it is generally advised to avoid 404 errors and instead use redirects.

The theory that too many error messages would indicate a poorly maintained website and potentially worsen the ranking is supported by the fact that In 2021, Google introduced "Page Experience" as a new ranking factor. Although Google's explanations do not take any position on the relevance of error messages in connection with the "Page Experience", it can be assumed that a noticeable accumulation of error messages would be noticed by the crawlers and would have a negative impact.

What SEO redirects are there?

There exist 8 different SEO redirects. These are referred to as 30x redirects; the "x" here stands for an indefinite digit, because after the "3" and "0" there is another digit that varies with the type of redirect. The following table lists the five most important 30x redirects and provides further information on the categorization of redirects.

In addition, the table includes the 404 SEO redirect and the 410 SEO redirect. Although both are not redirects but error messages, they are usually listed and explained in connection with redirects.

When should which SEO redirect be set up?

The use of SEO redirects depends on two factors. On the one hand, the reason for the redirect is decisive in order to use the right SEO redirect. On the other hand, it is relevant whether the SEO redirects are used permanently or temporarily. This matter can be best illustrated using two of the best-known types of redirect: the 301 and 302 redirect.

302 vs. 301 Redirect in SEO

If we compare the 302 vs. 301 redirect in SEO, it becomes clear: Although both redirects are used for the same reason, they still have a difference. While the 301 SEO redirect is used to permanently redirect to another URL, the 302 SEO redirect is only used for temporary URL changes.

For example, if you are moving your website or individual subpages permanently receive new URLs, the 301 redirect for SEO is the right choice. For temporary URL changes, the 302 SEO redirects should be used. The URL changes associated with the 302 SEO redirect and limited in time are widespread in online shops with seasonal offers: If you run an online shop and have a summer campaign, for example, you can redirect from the actual product page to a special website in the summer design for the duration of this campaign via a 302 redirect.

You might be wondering if it doesn't matter which of the two redirects you use, because obviously both types of redirect fulfill the same purpose: They redirect from one URL to another. This thought is justified and correct. However, the two types of redirects have a different impact (engl. Impact) on SEO. The difference is in data caching.

The SEO impact of the 301 redirect is comparable to that of any URL: Apart from the click and crawling depth, which is negatively affected by the implementation of a redirect, the pagerank is forwarded in its entirety, which is positive for the target page. In addition, data caching takes place.

Unlike the SEO impact of the 301 redirect, no data caching occurs with a 302 SEO redirect, which means: When users visit the website for the first time, no elements are stored in the Google cache and it takes longer for users to call up the page again. This reduces the bandwidth usage of the website, worsens the user experience (UX) and minimally increases server load.

Considering this aspect, it becomes clear why a 301 redirect for SEO is the better choice in the long term and is used in the aforementioned permanent URL changes: Data caching ensures that users can access and use the new URL faster in the long term. In contrast, with a temporary redirect – assuming that the redirect will be lifted soon anyway – data caching is considered a pointless measure and is not carried out.

Search engines like Google do not classify the 301 SEO redirect better than the 302 SEO redirect. However, data caching indirectly ensures that the 301 redirect has a larger SEO impact than the 302 SEO redirect.

Other 30x redirects

The other 30x redirects are:

• 303 SEO Redirect
• 304 SEO Redirect
• 305 SEO Redirect
• 306 SEO Redirect
• 307 SEO Redirect
• 308 SEO Redirect

Less important are the redirect types 304, 305 and 306. The 304 SEO redirect informs the client and possibly the users that nothing has changed on the website since the last visit of the URL – a largely useless information. The 305 redirect is a notification that the content under the URL can only be accessed via a proxy; one should refrain from using this type of redirect. Finally, there is the 306 redirect, which has no usage purpose and is reserved for new types of redirects.

From the less important 30x redirects now to the more important redirects, starting with the 303 redirect: The 303 redirect has no influence on SEO. Nonetheless, it plays an important role for website operators as it can have positive effects on conversion rates and the user-friendliness of a website. This redirect ensures that the requesting client (e.g. the web browser) accesses a different storage location than was originally the case. To elaborate this using an example:

• Users fill in certain fields during the ordering process in the online shop and make filter settings.
• If a 303 redirect is active, then all data entered and settings made are saved.
• When users visit the URL again, they do not have to enter their data again. As a result, they have a higher level of comfort due to the easier ordering process in the shop. This increases the likelihood of a purchase, which increases the conversion rate in the web shop.

Without the 303 redirect, the data and filter settings would have to be re-entered by users each time they visit the URL again. This would have the advantage of higher data protection, as the user data would not be stored in the browser history and on the web server without encryption, as is the case with a 303 redirect. Ultimately, when deciding for or against a 303 redirect, the data protection of users and the user-friendliness of the website must be weighed against each other.

It remains an explanation for the 307 SEO redirect and 308 SEO redirect: These two redirects are equivalent to the 301 and 302 redirect with the difference that the security and data protection of 307 and 308 are higher. The 307 redirect is used as an alternative to the 302 redirect and the 308 redirect is used instead of the 301 redirect.

The higher security and data protection of these two types of redirect are based on the fact that the client is prohibited from switching from a POST to a GET request. Under POST and GET are two request methods to understand that are available for HTTP protocols. To understand the difference between the two request methods, the previous explanations of the 303 redirect are helpful:

• The inputs and settings of users can only be saved in 303 redirects because the client is allowed to switch from a POST to a GET request.
• In the latter, the data to be sent to a server is entered in the URL. This is how the data is saved, but data protection is lower.
• On the other hand, a POST request stores the data in a non-visible HTTP request: the security and data protection for users are higher, but the data must be re-entered every time the URL is visited again.

In summary: While a 303 redirect allows the switch from a POST to a GET request and changes to the request method are not to be ruled out in the 301 and 302 redirects, the 307 SEO redirect and the 308 SEO redirect clearly block this switch of the request method.

Differences of SEO redirects 404 and 410

In the above table, the reasons for the application of the SEO redirects 404 and 410 are described as follows:

• 404: "URL cannot be found"
• 410: "URL does not exist"

With a 410 redirect, website operators set an explicit note in the header of the respective subpage that a URL has been deleted. This way the search engine crawlers know right away that the URL no longer exists. Consequently, the URL is quickly removed from the index. Due to the quick removal of the URL from the index, the SEO redirect 410 is classified as a temporary redirect or error message.

The situation is different with the 404 message: This message is the most common error message on the web. Here, the website operators decide against pointing out the deletion of a URL, or they forget to give this hint. Because the search engine crawlers do not know whether the URL was permanently deleted or is temporarily not findable, the message is given over a longer period of time that the URL cannot be found. Eventually this URL will also be removed from the index if it is not filled with new content and reused, but it takes much longer to remove it from the index than with a 410 message, which website operators place independently in the header of the respective page.

410 messages are good and should definitely be used if a URL is no longer needed. This quickly removes the page from the index and avoids automatic 404 messages. The fewer 404 error messages a website displays, the more positive this is in terms of SEO and user experience.

In some cases, despite the general recommendation to use a redirect, it may make sense to set a 410 hint in the header or to temporarily allow an automated 404 message. The following graphic provides clues as to when which of the redirects or status messages is appropriate:

How are SEO redirects created? What should be considered?

For users of CM and shop systems, we make it short and sweet: For WordPress websites, there are specialized redirect plugins for managing redirects on the one hand and comprehensive SEO plugins that include an integrated redirect management as one of many functions on the other hand.

Examples of WordPress plugins are e.g. Yoast SEO Redirect and Rank Math. There are also corresponding plugins for other CM systems. With the CMS Contao for example, Terminal 42 is helpful for easily integrating redirects. The plugins make it possible for users without technical knowledge to easily redirect. In shop systems like Magento Open Source and Shopify, the redirect managers are already integrated into the feature set, so plugins do not have to be downloaded first.

Without the plugins or integrated functions for redirect management, it is necessary to implement the redirects and 410 messages yourself in the header. How this process works in detail depends, among other things, on the web server and the type of the redirects. In the following, we offer an overview with two examples each for redirects on two different servers:

It becomes clear that the implementation of redirects clearly differs from server to server. Also between the other types of redirects there are clear differences; for example, a subdirectory can be redirected to a new domain, which requires a completely different code than redirecting from one URL to another URL. Therefore, the SEO URL redirects should be carried out by SEO experts or agencies in case of doubt, otherwise the risk of errors in the code and resulting negative effects on SEO significantly increases.

Which SEO tools can be used to check and create redirects?

Specifically with regard to the verification of redirects, the following SEO toolsare recommended:

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Yoast

PageRangers

Sitechecker

Ryte

Up to a certain volume of websites, the Screaming Frog Spider and the Sitechecker are free. Professional website operators with a large website or several websites cannot avoid expanding the SEO tools with paid functions.

All tools are based on the fact that websites are searched for 404 errors. In addition, it is checked whether the redirects – from 301 to 308 – are set correctly. Most tools are not only 404 and SEO redirect checkers, but also offer a function with which you can set redirects and status messages: quite simply and without you having to have technical knowledge. An example: The Yoast SEO Redirect crawls the website for 404 errors; if any are detected, the tool contains a function to easily implement redirects and 410 status messages in the code.

In addition to these introduced tools, a look at our list of SEO off-page tools is also worthwhile. These programs, among other things, help you to recognize broken backlinks to your website and to contact the link givers in order to make the backlinks functional again using SEO redirect and optimize your off-page SEO.

What frequently made redirection errors should be avoided?

One of the most frequently made redirection errors is redirection chains. If one URL is redirected to another and later from the other URL again to another and this pattern continues over 4-5 URLs, it is called a redirection chain. The problem here is that there is a step-by-step redirection from URL to URL to reach the target page.

Redirection chains make crawling difficult for search engine crawlers. In addition, the loading speed of the website is extended, which affects the UX on the website. One of the most important SEO measures is optimizing the loading speed of the website and all subpages (keyword: Page Speed), which is why the presented SEO tools should also be used to identify and fix redirection chains. The fix is easy: It is only necessary to update the SEO redirect so that it leads directly from the first URL to the target page. This makes the redirect SEO-friendly, which means that the URL redirection for SEO no longer has any negative effects.

In addition to redirection chains, a common mistake in SEO is that no cannonical tags are used and instead the redirects are used. Cannonical tags, however, should definitely be used if there are pages with similar content: If the pages with similar content are to remain and not be deleted, a cannonical tag is implemented in the header. The cannonical tag refers to a main page that should be indexed while the subpages should still be accessible and should be crawled. This makes sense for online shops with similar products to prevent duplicate content. Shop operators who use the permanent SEO 301 redirect to only redirect to the main page instead of the cannonical tag cause the subpages to be visited by the users, which is not in the sense of UX.

SEO redirect: 3 best practices in overview

SEO: Domain redirection using 301

In SEO, domain redirection is essential, for example, when changing the domain and moving from HTTP to HTTPS. If a company changes its brand name or switches from HTTP to HTTPS, a 301 redirect must be made. This permanent SEO redirect ensures that the company remains accessible to its existing customers despite the new branding.

In addition, when redirecting the domain for SEO, the Google address change tool should be used – with some exceptions: For example, when moving from HTTP to HTTPS, the use of this Google tool is not required. Google itself provides more information on this page.

Apart from domain redirection, a 301 SEO redirect is also used when consolidating two or more domains. If it makes sense for companies in terms of SEO strategy to merge domains, this step is carried out using a 301 redirect and the Google address change tool is used again.

A/B tests on the website

A/B tests are useful to check how different versions of websites are received by your own target group. If, for example, two versions of a landing page for advertisements have been created, it can be checked using A/B testing which version has higher conversions.

Until it is clear which page will be released as a landing page for all customers, and as long as the two versions are being tested, temporary 302 redirects are used. These redirect from the URLs for the A/B tests to the later target URL. There are special tools for conducting website tests like A/B tests, where either no redirects are necessary or the redirects are automatically implemented through the functions of the tools.

Renovation of low quality websites

Let's say an investor buys a web project. This web project has a high quality domain name, however the homepage and all subpages are of poor content and technically weak. However, as the website structure and the sitemap are cleverly designed and the URLs are well named, the investor leaves the basic structure as it is and first of all improves the homepage and the first subpages.

In view of the increasing visitor streams on the website, the URLs that have not yet been improved are temporarily deleted, because the users should only be offered excellent SEO content. In the course of the improvement of the low quality web pages, the URL remains deleted and an automated 404 error message is issued. After the optimization of the pages, the URL is reactivated and the new, optimized contents become accessible again for the users.

Conclusion

Redirects are an important tool for website operators to maintain traffic while still making long term and short term changes to their own website. Redirects must be clearly distinguished from cannonical tags, which are used to prevent duplicate content on similar content pages.

Through correctly used redirects – the type of redirect and its technically flawless implementation in the code must be right – website operators correctly redirect the users and maintain their existing customers as well as regular readers who might otherwise get lost in the long run without redirects.

Search engines like Google rate redirects like other URLs, which means that their effects on SEO – apart from the poorer crawling depth – are the same as with any other URL: The pagerank is passed on to the target URL. In order to ensure optimal forwarding of the pagerank and to impair the crawling depth as little as possible, redirection chains must be avoided strictly.