Renaming a page, restructuring categories or moving an article into a different section? A URL change is not finished when you publish the new address. Bookmarks, search results and links from other websites may still point to the old location. Redirects help maintain a sensible journey, provided you choose the right status code and destination.
This guide covers the practical decisions behind a site reorganisation: when to use a 301 redirect, when a 302 is appropriate, and how to check that visitors reach the intended page.
1. 301 or 302: what you are telling the browser
A redirect is a server response that points to another address. The browser follows that destination, while search engines use the signal to understand the relationship between the URLs. The essential distinction between 301 and 302 is whether the move is permanent or temporary.
When to use a 301 redirect
A 301 status indicates a permanent move. Use it when the new address permanently replaces the old one: you correct a URL, rename a service or combine two articles into an updated resource. It gives search engines a strong signal that the new address should be treated as the main location.
A 301 redirect does not guarantee unchanged search rankings or an immediate index update. The relevance of the destination, page accessibility and other changes made at the same time all matter. Permanent redirects can also be cached, so test carefully before publishing them.
When to use a 302 redirect
A 302 status indicates a temporary move. It is appropriate when you send visitors to an alternative page for a limited period and intend to restore the original address. For example, you might temporarily direct an event overview to an updated page for the current edition.
Do not choose 302 simply because it seems easier to reverse. Base the decision on your actual intention and review the rule later. Search engines consider several signals, and a temporary redirect left in place for a long time may eventually be treated as a permanent move.
2. Choose a destination that meets the same need
Before setting up a redirect, ask what someone visiting the old URL wanted to find. A page about a particular service should lead to that service's new description, not an unrelated offer. An article you have merged into another resource can point to the page that genuinely incorporates its information.
- Is there a direct replacement? Redirect to that page.
- Have you combined several pages? Choose the destination that meaningfully covers their content.
- Have you removed content without a replacement? A 404 or 410 response may be more appropriate than a forced redirect.
- Is the proposed destination a category? Use it only if it offers a useful next step for the visitor.
Do not redirect every removed page to the homepage. Visitors lose the context they expected, and search engines may interpret an irrelevant redirect as a soft 404. A useful error page with navigation and relevant suggestions can sometimes provide a clearer experience.
3. Map old and new addresses before reorganising
For a site reorganisation, prepare a list of existing addresses and their proposed destinations. Start with your XML sitemap, navigation, traffic reports and an internal link crawl. Include pages that receive visitors from external sources, not just those featured in your main menu.
- Record the old URL, final URL and reason for the change.
- Choose a 301 or 302 status for each situation.
- Check that the destination exists, loads and contains the right information.
- Identify existing rules so that you do not introduce overlaps.
- Decide how to restore the previous configuration if problems arise.
Check trailing-slash variations, HTTP and HTTPS addresses, and the domain variants your site uses. If URLs include filtering, language or campaign parameters, decide explicitly which ones should be preserved. An overly broad rule can discard information that the destination needs.
4. Keep redirect rules manageable
Redirects can be managed at server level, within the application or through an intermediary service. Choose a method supported by your infrastructure and avoid defining the same move in several places. Duplicate or conflicting rules make troubleshooting harder.
If you use WordPress, check application rules and plugins as well as any server settings. Changing the permalink structure does not mean every old address will automatically be handled correctly. For information about the platform-specific service, see WordPress hosting, while keeping hosting choices separate from redirect management.
For rules covering entire groups of URLs, test specific examples before applying them broadly. A pattern that matches too much may redirect the destination itself or affect pages that should remain unchanged. Keep a copy of the existing configuration and, where possible, test in a separate environment.
5. Check the full route: status codes, chains and loops
Seeing the final page load is not enough. Use the network section of your browser's developer tools or an HTTP checking tool to inspect the initial status, the Location response header and every intermediate step. The final destination should respond normally, usually with a 200 status for an accessible page.
Redirect chains
A chain occurs when address A redirects to B, and B redirects to C. This often develops after successive site reorganisations. Where you control the rules, update A to point directly to C. This removes unnecessary steps and makes maintenance simpler, without relying on the history of earlier moves.
Redirect loops
A loop occurs when the route returns to an address it has already visited: A redirects to B, and B redirects back to A. Conflicts between HTTPS rules, domain variants or application settings can also cause loops. Eventually, the browser stops following redirects without displaying the intended page.
- Test old and new URLs, not just the homepage.
- Check address variants and important parameters.
- Use a client without previously cached responses when investigating.
- Confirm that pages without replacements return the error status you selected.
6. Update internal links and monitor the changes
Once the rules are active, update links in menus, articles, buttons and other elements you control so that they point directly to the final URL. Update the XML sitemap and, where relevant, canonical references and links between language versions. Redirects remain useful for old references, but they should not become the normal route through your internal navigation.
Monitor crawl errors, indexing reports and redirect destinations after publishing. Do not remove permanent rules automatically after an arbitrary period: external links and bookmarks may continue to use the old addresses. For guidance on managing services, consult the frequently asked questions; for clarification about the configuration available to you, use the contact page.
The practical takeaway: decide whether the move is permanent or temporary, choose a relevant destination and test the entire route. Complete the URL change by updating internal links. These technical SEO checks help keep your site structure coherent, without unnecessary detours or destinations chosen merely to hide removed pages.
