301 Redirect

Definition

A 301 redirect is an HTTP response code where the server tells browsers or search engine bots that "the requested URL has permanently moved to a new URL."

When users access the old URL, the browser automatically moves to the new URL, and search engine bots transfer PageRank and backlink authority from the old URL to the new one. It is an essential technical SEO foundation for changing URLs or migrating sites without SEO loss.

Summary

301 essentials: ①Configure HTTP 301 from old URL to new URL on server → ②Google transfers PageRank to new URL → ③Do not confuse with 302 (temporary move) — 301 is permanent, 302 is temporary → ④Minimize redirect chains (A→B→C) → ⑤Always use for HTTPS migration, URL structure changes, and domain moves. Monitor new URL indexing and errors in GSC after migration.

5 Situations Requiring 301

1. HTTP → HTTPS Migration

When installing SSL and switching an HTTP site to HTTPS. 301 redirect all HTTP URLs (http://example.com/*) to HTTPS (https://example.com/*). PageRank concentrates on HTTPS URLs and browser "Not secure" warnings are removed.

2. www ↔ non-www Unification

If both http://www.example.com and https://example.com are accessible, duplicate domain problems occur. Choose one canonical domain and 301 redirect the other.

3. URL Structure Change

Path changes such as /category/product-name → /products/product-name. Existing backlinks and bookmarks keep working, and Google updates the index to the new URL structure.

4. Domain Migration

Domain change from old-domain.com → new-domain.com. Set 301 redirects across the entire domain to transfer existing domain authority and backlinks to the new domain. Google may take months to fully recognize the change.

5. Connecting Deleted Pages to Replacement Pages

Send traffic and backlinks from deleted pages to the most relevant replacement page. 410 (Gone) is more precise, but 301 is SEO-favorable when a replacement page exists.

301 vs 302 vs Other Redirects

[COMPARISON_TABLE: Redirect type SEO impact comparison]

301 (Moved Permanently)

• Meaning: Permanent move
• PageRank transfer: ✅ ~99%
• Cache: Browser caches permanently
• SEO impact: Full move to new URL
• Use cases: Permanent URL changes, domain migration

302 (Found / Moved Temporarily)

• Meaning: Temporary move
• PageRank transfer: ⚠️ Uncertain (Google may treat as 301)
• Cache: Browser does not cache
• SEO impact: PageRank may remain on old URL
• Use cases: A/B tests, temporary maintenance pages

307 (Temporary Redirect)

• Meaning: Temporary move preserving HTTP method
• PageRank transfer: ⚠️ Uncertain
• Use cases: Temporary moves requiring POST preservation

308 (Permanent Redirect)

• Meaning: Permanent move preserving HTTP method
• PageRank transfer: ✅ Same as 301
• Use cases: Permanent moves requiring POST preservation (rare)

See HTTP Status Codes for details.

301 Implementation Methods

Apache (.htaccess)

# Redirect specific URL
Redirect 301 /old-page/ https://example.com/new-page/

# Redirect entire domain
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^old-domain\.com [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://new-domain.com/$1 [R=301,L]

Nginx

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;
    return 301 https://example.com$request_uri;
}

Next.js (next.config.js)

module.exports = {
  async redirects() {
    return [
      {
        source: '/old-page',
        destination: '/new-page',
        permanent: true, // 301
      },
    ]
  },
}

Minimize Redirect Chains

Redirect chains (A → B → C → D) increase response time at each step and may dilute PageRank. Connect old URLs directly to final URLs when possible.

Chain audit: Screaming Frog or Ahrefs can detect redirect chains during site crawls.

Korea Market Application

Korean Hosting Environments

Domestic hosting on Cafe24, Gabia, DotHome, etc. provides redirect settings in admin panels. When Apache/Nginx access is difficult, use plugins or hosting control panel settings.

301 and Naver SEO

Naver bot (Yeti) follows 301 redirects and transfers PageRank to new URLs. After domain migration, register the new domain in Naver Search Advisor and update sitemaps from the old domain to the new domain.

Confirming Domain Migration Completion

After domain migration in Google Search Console:

1. Register new domain and verify ownership
2. Use Address Change Tool
3. Submit new domain sitemap
4. Monitor indexing status (takes months)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How long after setting 301 does Google switch to the new URL?
A. Individual pages may take days to weeks; full site migration may take months. Google recognizes 301 on each crawl and gradually updates the index. Use GSC "URL Inspection tool" to check indexing status for specific URLs and "Request indexing" to encourage crawling.

Q. Does 301 redirect transfer PageRank from existing backlinks?
A. Google’s official stance is that "almost all PageRank is transferred." Past belief held some PageRank loss on redirect, but Google improved this and now treats it nearly equivalent to direct links. However, multi-step chains may cause minor loss at each step.

Q. What happens if I accidentally use 301 instead of 302?
A. For plans to return to the original URL later (A/B tests, temporary maintenance), using 301 can cause browsers to cache 301 permanently and create caching problems when returning. Conversely, using 302 for permanent moves causes incomplete PageRank transfer and SEO disadvantage. Use the code matching intent.

Q. Is redirecting deleted pages to the homepage bad?
A. Google calls this "soft 404" and evaluates it negatively. Redirecting to an unrelated homepage dilutes PageRank and harms user experience. Link to a relevant page, or use 410 if no replacement exists.

Q. How do I fix a redirect loop?
A. Circular redirects like A → B → A show browsers "too many redirects." Trace the chain in server logs or Screaming Frog to find the loop point and break it with direct connections. HTTPS enforcement and www unification settings often conflict — verify both do not duplicate-handle the same request.

Related Sources

• Google Search Central (2024). HTTP 301 redirect SEO. Google Developers.
• Moz (2024). 301 Redirects: Everything You Need to Know. Moz Blog.
• Ahrefs (2024). 301 vs 302 Redirects: What's the Difference? Ahrefs Blog.