What is a 301 Redirect?A 301 redirect is an HTTP response status code that tells browsers and search engines that a URL has permanently moved to a new location. When Googlebot or a user requests the original URL, the server responds with a 301 status code and the new URL, automatically directing them to
What is a 301 Redirect?
A 301 redirect is an HTTP response status code that tells browsers and search engines that a URL has permanently moved to a new location. When Googlebot or a user requests the original URL, the server responds with a 301 status code and the new URL, automatically directing them to the new destination. Unlike a 302 (temporary) redirect, a 301 signals permanence: Google transfers most (approximately 90-99%) of the original page link equity (PageRank) to the destination URL, effectively consolidating the SEO authority of the old and new URLs.
When to Use 301 Redirects for SaaS Websites
301 redirects are necessary for: (1) URL changes (renaming a blog post slug or restructuring directory paths), (2) Domain migrations (moving from HTTP to HTTPS, from www to non-www, or to a new domain), (3) Page consolidation (merging two related pages into one comprehensive piece and redirecting the removed page), (4) Content deletion (when removing a page, redirecting to the most relevant alternative prevents broken link issues), (5) Product rebranding (changing product names or feature URLs), and (6) Any scenario where a URL that has received external backlinks is being retired or changed. Never delete an indexed page without implementing a redirect to the best alternative URL.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much link equity does a 301 redirect pass?
Google has historically said that 301 redirects pass nearly all link equity, and as of approximately 2016, Gary Illyes confirmed that the historical link equity loss from 301s has been significantly reduced. In practice, treat 301 redirects as passing essentially full link equity for SEO purposes. However, redirect chains (A redirects to B, B redirects to C, C redirects to D) do accumulate some equity loss at each step: always audit and clean redirect chains by pointing sources directly to final destinations without intermediate hops.
What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?
A 301 (Permanent Redirect) signals the URL change is permanent: Google updates its index to use the new URL and transfers link equity. Use for any change you intend to maintain indefinitely. A 302 (Found or Temporary Redirect) signals the original URL will be back: Google continues to index the original URL and does not transfer link equity to the destination. Use for genuinely temporary redirects (A/B test variant pages, temporary maintenance pages) where the original URL will return. Misusing 302 for permanent changes is a common SEO mistake that prevents link equity consolidation and maintains unnecessary duplicate URL confusion in Google index.