301 Redirect

A 301 (Moved Permanently) status code tells browsers and search engines that a resource has permanently moved to a new URL. When a server responds with 301, most clients automatically follow the redirect and search engines transfer the majority of the original URL's link signals to the target.

Why it matters: Use a 301 when a page has been permanently relocated or consolidated, not for temporary changes. Ensure every redirect serves a single-hop, direct mapping; long redirect chains waste crawl budget, slow users down, and can dilute link signals. Update internal links, sitemaps, and canonicals to point directly to the final URL. Monitor Search Console for redirect errors and soft-404s caused by redirecting to irrelevant pages.