What Is a Redirect? Different Types & Best Practices

Key takeaways: 

• Redirects prevent broken links and guide users to the right pages when URLs change. 
• There are different types of redirects, such as 301, 302, 303, 307, 308, meta refresh redirect, and JavaScript redirect.  
• 301 redirects are used for permanent moves, while 302 redirects handle temporary ones. 

If you’ve ever updated a URL, restructured your site, or changed domains, you know how easy it is for users and search engines to get lost. And that confusion can come at a cost. Studies show that broken links and poor redirects are among the top causes of lost traffic and lower rankings after a site migration. 

Redirects help prevent that outcome by guiding visitors and search engines to the right destination. But not all redirects work the same way, and using the wrong redirect type creates new problems instead of solving them.

In this guide, you’ll learn the differences between redirect types, when to use each one, and how to implement them to protect your SEO and create a smooth user experience.

What is a redirect?

A redirect is a way to automatically send a website user from one web address to another. If a page has been moved, renamed, or replaced, a redirect makes sure that the browser sends visitors to the right content. 

It also uses specific HTTP response codes, such as 301 or 302, to inform the browser that it should load a different page. 

There are a few common types of redirects, which we’ll discuss shortly. But the big idea is this: redirects help keep your site organized, your SEO intact, and your user experience smooth.

Redirecting vs. domain forwarding 

Both redirecting and domain forwarding help send visitors from one place on the web to another, but they work a bit differently. 

Web forwarding usually happens at the domain level. In this process, you’re like setting up a forwarding address for your entire domain, so if someone types in oldsite.com, they automatically end up at newsite.com.

On the other hand, redirects work at the page or URL level. They’re server instructions that tell browsers and search engines to send users from one specific webpage to another. 

For example, if you rename a page or move it to a new location, a redirect ensures visitors and search engines land in the right spot without running into errors.

Why are redirects important for SEO and user experience? 

Redirects play a much bigger role than just pointing visitors from one page to another. They help keep your website user-friendly, search-friendly, and error-free should you make a lot of changes on your website. 

Here’s how redirects help protect your traffic, rankings, and user experience: 

• They prevent broken links and lost traffic. 
• They preserve your SEO value. 
• They help search engines find and index your new pages.

They prevent broken links and lost traffic  

Have you changed a URL or deleted a page? A redirect makes sure visitors land on a live, relevant page instead of a frustrating 404 error message.  

Over 66% of links become broken within 9 years. If you don’t want to be part of that statistic, create redirects to keep your visitors from hitting dead ends and leaving your site. 

They preserve your SEO value 

About 75% of searchers never go past the first page of Google results. This just means that if you lose your page’s ranking after a URL change, most users simply won’t find your site at all. 

Without proper redirects, search engines may treat your new URL as a completely new page. As such, your previous ranking, backlinks, and authority won’t carry over. Put simply, you risk losing valuable traffic and search visibility. 

They help search engines find and index your new pages 

Google processes over 15 billion searches per day. When you update or move a page, redirects tell search engines exactly where your updated content lives. 

This helps your new pages get properly indexed and prevents them from being confused with duplicate content. Without redirects, search engines miss your updates or treat your new pages as copies, which can hurt your rankings.

When should you create redirects? 

Redirects are useful anytime a URL on your site changes and you want to avoid losing visitors or traffic. Below are specific situations where setting up a redirect is just the right thing to do: 

• When you’re moving your site to a new domain 
• When you’re deleting a page and want to point visitors to a relevant alternative 
• When you’re changing a URL for SEO 
• When you’re reorganizing your site structure (like adding categories or subfolders) 
• When you’re switching your site from HTTP to HTTPS 
• When you’re merging duplicate pages into one 
• When you’re running a limited-time promo or A/B test 
• When you’re temporarily taking a page offline for maintenance 

Redirects aren’t just for maintaining SEO, website changes, and site traffic. They can also be helpful when guiding users in apps (like deep linking) or sending visitors to region-specific pages.

Types of redirects 

Redirects come in different types, mainly categorized as either permanent or temporary. It’s important to choose the right one based on how long you expect the change to last and whether you want search engines to pass SEO value to the new page. 

• Permanent redirects tell browsers and search engines that a page has moved for good. These redirects pass most of the original page’s SEO value to the new location. Use them when you want to keep your rankings and direct all traffic to a redirect target URL permanently. 
• Temporary redirects indicate that the move is short-term. They don’t always pass full SEO value because search engines expect the original URL to come back. Use temporary redirects during site maintenance, testing, or when you plan to bring the old URL back soon. 

Redirects also differ in how they are implemented: 

• Server-side redirects are handled on the server, before the page is loaded. These are preferred for SEO because search engines can easily follow them. 
• Client-side redirects happen in the user’s browser after the page starts loading. These can be slower and aren’t always reliably interpreted by search engines. 

Below is a table comparing the main types of redirects: 

Redirect Type	Status Code	Permanent/Temporary	Server/Client	SEO Impact
301 Redirect	301	Permanent	Server-side redirect	Passes most SEO value
302 Redirect	302	Temporary	Server-side redirect	No SEO value passed (in most cases)
303 Redirect	303	Temporary	Server-side redirect	Minimal SEO impact
307 Redirect	307	Temporary	Server-side redirect	Same as 302, preserves HTTP method
308 Redirect	308	Permanent	Server-side redirect	Passes SEO value, preserves HTTP method
Meta Refresh	N/A	Temporary	Client-side redirect	Weak SEO value
JavaScript Redirect	N/A	Temporary	Client-side redirect	Unreliable for SEO

301 redirect 

A 301 redirect, also known as a “permanent redirect,” is a status code that tells search engines and users that the page has been permanently moved to a new domain and ensures they are sent to the correct redirected page. 

Using this status code prevents duplicate content issues by signaling to search engines that the original page should no longer be indexed. This is important for maintaining your site’s ranking power, as it allows you to retain visibility in search engine results for the same keywords it already ranked for. 

For instance, you’re rebranding your business and updating oldpage.com to match the new brand. You can set up a 301 server-side redirect pointing it to newpage.com. This way, visitors and search engines are automatically sent to the correct page, and your site’s traffic, backlinks, and SEO value are preserved 

302 redirect

A 302 redirect, often known as a “temporary redirect,” notifies search engines and users that the current URL has been temporarily moved. This suggests that the original page is likely to resurface in the future. 

For example, if you’re running a temporary promotion or testing a new site layout, you can use a 302 redirect to temporarily redirect users from the old page to the temporarily relocated page. This strategy lets search engines index the original page while redirecting readers to the new site. 

303 redirect 

A 303 redirect, also known as “303 See Other,” is typically used after a form submission or data entry. When a user clicks the submit button, the server responds with a 303 redirect and sends them to a new URL, which is usually a confirmation or thank-you page. 

Unlike some other redirects, a 303 always tells the browser to fetch the next page using a GET request (even if the original was a POST). That’s helpful because it prevents users from accidentally resubmitting a form if they refresh the page. 

For example, after someone fills out a contact form, a 303 HTTP redirect can take them to a page that says “Thanks for reaching out!” 

307 redirect

A 307 redirect is a type of temporary HTTP redirect that sends users to a different URL—but it keeps the original request method (like GET or POST) exactly the same. 

That detail matters. Say someone submits a form or logs in to your site. If you temporarily redirect them using a 307, the browser won’t change the method. It’ll resend the request just as it was. This helps avoid unexpected behavior, especially when you’re handling sensitive data or user actions. 

For instance, you’re updating your payment processing page, but don’t want to interrupt active sessions. A 307 redirect can temporarily send users from yourstore.com/checkout to yourstore.com/checkout-temp without breaking the process or resubmitting data the wrong way. 

308 redirect

A 308 redirect is a permanent redirect that tells browsers and search engines: “This page has moved permanently. Use the new URL from now on.”  

But what makes it different from a 301? 

Like a 301, a 308 passes full SEO value to the new page. But it goes one step further. It preserves the original request method (like POST, PUT, etc.). This matters if the original action included submitted data (like a form or API call), because the browser has to resend that request exactly the same way. 

Let’s say your site has an upload form at yoursite.com/upload, and you permanently move it to yoursite.com/files/upload. If you use a 308, any file being uploaded through POST will still reach the right place—and in the right format. 

Some developers prefer 308s over 301s for sensitive operations because they avoid method-switching issues that can lead to bugs or security loopholes.

Meta refresh redirect 

A meta refresh redirect is a type of redirect that happens on the page itself, not on the server—so it’s considered client-side. You’ve probably seen one before: a page loads and then suddenly jumps to a different URL after a few seconds. 

Unlike 301 or 302 redirects, which are handled on the server and preferred for SEO, Meta Refresh redirects rely on a small piece of HTML code in the page’s <head> section. This makes them less reliable, and sometimes slower. 

Meta refresh redirect has two types: 

1. Instant meta refresh redirects. These trigger immediately when the page loads. Google generally treats them as permanent redirects. Here’s what the HTML tag looks like:

<meta http-equiv=”refresh” content=”0; url=https://example.com/” />

This tells the browser: “As soon as this page loads, jump to this new URL.” 

2. Delayed meta refresh redirects. These wait a few seconds before sending the user to another page. Google typically sees them as temporary redirects. For example:

<meta http-equiv=”refresh” content=”5; url=https://example.com/” />

This one says: “Wait five seconds, then send the user to the new page.”

JavaScript redirect 

A JavaScript redirect is a way to send visitors from one URL to another by running code inside their browser after the page starts loading. Unlike server-side redirects, which happen before the page loads, this type of redirect happens on the client side (in the user’s browser). 

While they can move visitors to the right page, JavaScript redirects aren’t ideal for SEO because search engines might not always execute the code properly. If the redirect isn’t seen by Google, the old URL could still appear in search results, which can hurt your site’s visibility. 

Because of this, Google recommends using JavaScript redirects only when server-side or meta refresh redirects aren’t possible. 

Here’s a simple example of a JavaScript redirect: 

<!doctype html>  <html>    <head>  <script>    window.location.href = “https://www.networksolutions.com/newpage”;  </script>

When to consider a 301 redirect  

Since a 301 redirect is a permanent redirect, you must carefully think about when to use it. There are several instances where it’s a better option to use a 301 redirect, such as when: 

• Consolidating outdated URLs 
• Canonicalizing multiple URLs 
• Moving to a new domain name 
• Migrating from HTTP to HTTPS 
• Changing the URL structure of your website 
• Deleting a page or moving its content to a new URL 
• Redirecting traffic from an old marketing campaign 

Consolidating outdated URLs  

When you merge content, like combining two web pages or migrating an entire website, a 301 ensures that users and search engines are directed to your desired page. You can use the 301 redirect to guide all traffic from the old URL to the new one.   

This prevents losing your site’s ranking power and makes sure that search engines can only see updated and relevant content.   

Canonicalizing multiple URLs 

If your site can be accessed by many URLs (for example, both through www.example.com or example.com), a 301 redirect can route all traffic to a single preferred or canonical URL. This prevents duplicate content issues, provides consistent user experience, and integrates your page authority on a single URL.  

Moving to a new domain name  

It feels like starting from scratch if you move your site to a new domain. Using a 301 redirect helps you make a smooth transition and redirect users from your old domain to your new one.   

It also ensures that your site visitors won’t be redirected to the wrong page and that search engines will pass your ranking value to the new domain. That way, you can keep your SEO momentum going.  

Migrating from HTTP to HTTPS  

Security is one of the top priorities when you have a website. Because of this, most websites are opting for HTTPs instead of HTTP for a safe connection.  

A 301 redirect signals to search engines that the previous, unsecured pages have been moved permanently to safe counterparts.   

This ensures that your visitors are always directed to the safe version of your website and that search engines index the appropriate URLs.   

Changing the URL structure of your website  

You can utilize 301 redirects to organize pages into subdirectories or categories. This will help you create a stronger site architecture, which refers to how site pages are organized. Having your web pages organized and tidy can help you improve your SEO rankings.   

Deleting a page or moving its content to a new URL  

Deleting a page could negatively impact your backlink profile and organic traffic flow. Using a 301 redirect is crucial when you’re cleaning your site by deleting outdated web pages or moving content to a new URL.   

Redirecting traffic from an old marketing campaign  

You may have created landing pages for a limited-time offer. It’s important that you redirect customers from these pages once the promotion period ends. A 301 redirect can help usher prospective customers to current product promotions.

When should you choose a 302 redirect?  

302 tells search engines that the website is just offline temporarily, and the value of the page should remain intact rather than be passed on to another URL.  

Although a 302 redirect doesn’t distribute SEO, there are a few scenarios where it actually makes more sense to use one, specifically when: 

• Redirecting traffic to a limited-time promotion 
• Running an A/B test 
• Temporarily moving content to a new URL  

Redirecting traffic to a limited-time promotion  

Using a 302 redirect is the best option when advertising a limited-time promotion. It will effectively lead users toward this offering, and when the period ends, you can easily remove it from the promotion page.   

In a similar way, you can use a 302 redirect when a product is not available. You can redirect customers to a similar product or to a page. This lets them know that the product they are looking for is currently or temporarily unavailable.   

Running an A/B test 

An A/B test is when you create two versions of a website page to see which one performs better. You can measure performance based on the metrics you’re aiming for, such as generating more email newsletter sign-ups or increasing product purchases.   

A 302 redirect allows you to generate a variant (B) of your original page (A).   

You can then experiment with other items on the new page to see whether they improve the metrics you’re tracking.  

Temporarily moving content to a new URL  

You can use a 302 redirect if you need to temporarily move content to your preferred URL for the following reasons:   

• Broken web page. When your website page is broken and you want to resolve it without affecting your user experience, you can use a 302 redirect instead of sending your site visitors to a 404 error message page.  
• Making major updates. You can opt to use a 302 redirect if you are having major updates on your website, but you don’t want to disrupt organic traffic or harm your search rankings.   
• Check how your page will look. You’d want to preview how the page will look with the improvements in place. You can make these modifications to the original page while redirecting visitors to the temporary one.

Does the 301 vs. 302 redirect affect search engine rankings?  

In SEO, the distinction between permanent vs. temporary modification is important. If you’ve completely migrated a page to a new URL, a 301 redirect is the ideal option because it preserves the page’s ranking potential.   

However, if the transfer is merely temporary, a 302 redirect is perfect because it maintains the original page’s position while you run tests or promotions.  

Using the appropriate redirect guarantees that your SEO strategy remains consistent and that your users can easily access the correct page. Choosing which redirection you will use can effectively help you avoid difficulties such as ranking loss, duplicate content, and decreased visibility.

How to implement redirects   

There are several methods to manage redirects. Depending on your hosting environment, you can set them up through your CMS or directly in server configuration files like the .htaccess file. 

Here are some common ways to implement redirects: 

• Using the .htaccess file   
• Using a free WordPress plugin 
• Using CMS tools 
• Using the DNS zone 

Using the .htaccess file 

If your site is hosted on an Apache server, you can implement redirects through the .htaccess file. An Apache server is a free and open-source hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) cross-platform web server that is commonly used on Linux and Microsoft Windows platforms.   

Implementing redirects through the .htaccess file gives you precise control at the server level. This allows you to ensure a smooth user experience while directing search engine spiders to the right page.  

Using a free WordPress plugin  

A free WordPress plugin offers customers a simple, code-free solution for managing URL forwarding. Several plugins have been made to make it easier for you to install 302 and 301 redirects easily.   

This solution is excellent for individuals who like to control redirection straight from their WordPress dashboard without requiring access to files or server settings.   

Using CMS tools  

Redirect management solutions are integrated into many content management systems (CMS). These tools make it easy to establish and maintain redirects without requiring you to manually alter files or utilize additional plugins, whether using WordPress, Joomla, or another CMS.  

Using the DNS zone

Forwarding can also be implemented at the DNS level. Redirects can be set up using your DNS zone and are useful for forwarding traffic between domains or for relocating domains. Although this method guarantees that all traffic to the original domain is correctly redirected, it might not be as flexible as other alternatives.

Redirect best practices (and common mistakes to avoid) 

Setting up redirects might seem simple. But if done carelessly, they can lead to broken links, lost SEO value, or endless redirect loops.  

Below are best practices to help you manage redirects and avoid common mistakes that could hurt your website’s performance: 

• Redirect to a relevant page 
• Avoid redirect chains 
• Watch out for redirect loops 
• Update internal links after redirecting 
• Consolidate duplicate URLs 
• Fix broken pages with backlinks 
• Use server-side redirects when possible 
• Regularly test your redirects 
• Minimize redirect hops across devices 
• Document your redirects 

Redirect to a relevant page 

Always send users to a page that closely matches the content or intent of the original. Redirecting to an unrelated page (like a homepage or a generic blog feed) can frustrate visitors and lead search engines to treat it as a soft 404. 

When that happens, search engines may treat the redirect as a “soft 404,” meaning the page technically loads but isn’t considered useful. This can hurt your rankings and indexing. 

If you don’t have a closely matching page, it’s better to serve a helpful 404 error than force an irrelevant redirect. 

Avoid redirect chains

A redirect chain happens when URL A redirects to B, and B then redirects to C. These extra steps slow things down and may reduce the SEO value that’s passed between pages. 

Instead, simplify the path. Redirect A directly to C whenever possible. This creates a cleaner and faster experience for users and search engines alike. 

Watch out for redirect loops

A redirect loop is when URLs keep pointing back to each other.  

For example: URL A redirects to B, and B redirects back to A. This creates an endless cycle that prevents the page from loading at all. 

To fix a loop, make sure each redirect points to a final destination that doesn’t redirect again.

Update internal links after redirecting 

Redirects help keep visitors from hitting dead ends, but that’s only half the job. If you’ve redirected a page, go back and update any internal links that point to the old URL. 

Linking to a redirected page adds unnecessary steps, and over time, can lead to chains or slower load times.  

Use a crawling tool or Search Console to scan your site for outdated internal links and update them directly to the new URL. 

Consolidate duplicate URLs 

It’s common for a site to have multiple versions of the same page, like: 

• http://example.com vs. https://example.com 
• www.example.com/page vs. example.com/page 
• example.com/page vs. example.com/page/ 

Search engines may treat each version as separate content, which dilutes your SEO efforts.  

Use 301 redirects to point all variations to your preferred version.

Fix broken pages with backlinks 

Got several pages returning 404 errors that still have backlinks pointing to them? You’re losing potential SEO value. 

Instead of letting that happen, set up a 301 redirect to send those backlinks to a relevant, working page. 

Use backlink tools like Google Search Console or SEMrush to identify broken pages with inbound links and redirect them as needed. 

Use server-side redirects when possible 

Client-side redirects, like JavaScript or meta refresh, don’t always work reliably for SEO. Search engines may fail to follow them, or they might interpret them as lower quality. 

Whenever you can, use server-side redirects such as 301 or 302. These are faster, more dependable, and better supported by search engines.

Regularly test your redirects

After making redirect changes, especially after a website migration or URL restructuring, use redirect testing tools to check for: 

• Broken redirects 
• Redirection loops 
• Chains with too many hops 

Tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console can help identify and resolve these issues early. 

Minimize redirect hops across devices 

The more hops a redirect has, the slower it loads, especially on mobile devices. This can affect both user experience and SEO performance. 

To keep the process fast, aim for one-to-one redirects without extra steps in between. 

Document your redirects 

If you’re managing a large site or frequently updating URLs, keep a log of redirects you’ve implemented. This makes it easier to track what’s been set up, catch conflicts early, and streamline future updates. 

Simplify redirects with Network Solutions’ tools and services  

Configuring redirects can be difficult, but having the right tools and guidance makes it manageable. Network Solutions offers a range of services that simplify redirect management while helping maintain your site’s performance and SEO.   

Web hosting services 

Reliable hosting is the foundation for implementing redirects smoothly. With Network Solutions’ hosting services, you can: 

• Set up 301 or 302 redirects through a user-friendly control panel 
• Implement redirects for your site without downtime 
• Optimize redirects to reduce delays for visitors and search engines 

Domain transfer services

Network Solutions’ domain transfer services also provide powerful tools to make redirecting simple and quick as possible. This means you can: 

• Set up 301 or 302 redirects using web forwarding directly from your domain management dashboard 
• Migrate your domain with 301 redirects to maintain SEO value and ranking authority 
• Manage URL redirects for permanent changes, like HTTP to HTTPS, or temporary redirects for seasonal promotions  

Security features 

Network Solutions’ security features help you keep your redirect process secure by allowing you to: 

• Safeguard your personal details from being exposed publicly with Domain Privacy + Protection 
• Protect your investment and your domain with Domain Expiration Protection  

Use a redirect to send your customers to the right place

A redirect is simply a way to send visitors and search engines from one URL to another automatically. They play a major role when you move pages, reorganize your site, or make other changes online. 

There are different types of redirects, and choosing the right one is really important. If you pick the wrong redirect, you could end up with lost visitors, broken links, or lower search rankings. 

Make sure you understand the options so you can direct your visitors correctly and protect your site’s SEO. 

If you want reliable tools and expert support to set up redirects the right way, Network Solutions can help simplify the process for you. 

Frequently asked questions