Contact
What are you interested in?
301 Redirect.
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from one URL to another. Visitors and search engines are sent to the new address automatically, and most of the old page's ranking signals are passed on to the new one.
301 Redirect — Explained in Detail
The 301 is an HTTP status code meaning 'Moved Permanently': the page requested is now, and for good, at a different address. Browsers and crawlers follow it automatically, so no visitor ever notices the change. What matters for SEO is that Google passes most of the authority and ranking signals of the old URL to the new one — which is why a relaunch handled with clean 301s keeps its visibility, and one handled without them does not.
Typical cases: moving to a new domain, switching from HTTP to HTTPS, a relaunch with a new URL structure, merging two similar pages, or tidying up old campaign URLs. Without proper redirects, existing rankings and every link anyone ever shared run into nothing. The result is a wall of 404 errors, lost backlink value and visitors who bounce straight back to the search results — usually into a competitor's listing instead.
Keep the 302 clearly apart from it. A 302 signals a temporary move and does not transfer ranking signals permanently, so Google keeps the old URL in the index. If a page has moved for good, use a 301. Also avoid long redirect chains such as A to B to C to D: each hop costs load time and dilutes signals. Map A straight to D instead, and re-point internal links at the final destination rather than relying on the redirect.
An example: a company renames its service page from /leistungen/webseiten to /webdesign-zuerich. A 301 from the old to the new URL keeps existing backlinks, bookmarks and rankings intact, and nobody lands on an error page. Before going live, the safe routine is a full list of old URLs from the sitemap and Search Console, a one-to-one mapping to the new addresses, and a crawl afterwards to confirm that every single one resolves with a 301.
Related Page
URL StructureFrequently Asked Questions About 301 Redirect
A 301 signals a permanent move and passes most ranking signals to the new URL — the standard tool whenever something moves for good. A 302 signals a temporary move, so Google keeps the old URL in the index because the change is meant to be reversed at some point. If a page is being relocated permanently, always use a 301.
With cleanly implemented 301s, most ranking signals carry across and rankings stay largely intact. After a larger relaunch you may see mild fluctuation for a few weeks while Google processes every redirect. What matters is a one-to-one mapping from old to new, no long redirect chains, and internal links updated to point at the final URL rather than through the redirect.
Ready for Your Project?
Apply this knowledge to your website — DLM Digital will help you.