What is a 301 redirect?
Simply put, a 301 redirect is a type of URL redirection that involves the permanent redirection of one web page to another web page, preventing the user from ending up on a ‘404 Page Not Found page. It is usually done either through the use of plugins and themes or by adding a piece of code to the .htaccess file.
That’s pretty much it. But if you want a more in-depth understanding of the concept, then keep on reading.
First things first: what’s the point of doing a web page redirect?
There are a number of reasons to do a web page redirect. One could be that you want to change the URL you’re using now to a new one for whatever reason.
Sure, you can just change it and make an announcement via traditional or online media, but there’s no guarantee that all your existing customers would see it. Doing a 301 redirect would ensure that those who don’t still end up on your website.
Another reason could be that you decided to merge two or more different pages on your website into a single one. A 301 redirect would ensure that anyone who goes to the URLs of the old pages is automatically taken to the new one.
You can also use a 301 redirect to send all traffic to your main URL in case you have several different ones.
Now, you may be asking, ‘why would I want several different domains that lead to the same website?’ Well, it is a great way to ensure that you’re able to capture users that make typographical errors while typing your website URL. Instead of hoping that Google figures out that it is your website they are looking for and not someone else’s, you can just take them to your website yourself.
This is exactly why typing ‘gogle.com’, ‘gogel.com’, and ‘gooogle.com’ all lead to google.com.
How does a 301 redirect affect your SEO ranking?
That’s the beauty of using a 301 redirect: it doesn’t affect your SEO ranking in any way. It is specifically designed to let Google, as well as other search engines, know that you have permanently moved everything from the old URL to a new location, passing the link equity of the old page to the new one and prompting search engines to display the latter in their search engine results pages (SERPs) instead of the former.
Long story short, a 301 redirect ensures that all the work you’ve done (and money you’ve spent) so far to get the page in question to rank won’t go to waste just because you decided to move it to a new location.
What do you do when your 301 redirects are not working?
In most cases, 301 redirects only seem broken but are working properly. To verify, you need to clear your browser cache.
Once you have verified that your 301 redirects are in fact not working, simply remove them from their existing location and then put them back in again.
What’s the difference between 301 redirect and 308 redirects?
Both 301 redirect and 308 redirects are a means to permanently redirect one web page to another—which is probably why some people confuse them for one another.
So, how exactly do they differ from each other? Well, if you’re using them for SEO purposes (i.e., keeping the link equity of your pages as you redirect one to another), they’re practically the same. You can use either one with no problems whatsoever.
It is only when the page you are redirecting is designed to collect data via a form that you need to consider using 308 redirect because it is designed to preserve the data collection functionality of a web page.