A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from one URL to another. It signals to search engines and to users that a page has moved for good.
Anyone opening the old URL is sent to the new page automatically.
When is a 301 redirect used?
301 redirects are common whenever URLs change or pages move.
Typical examples:
- relaunching a website
- changing the URL structure
- moving to a new domain
- merging several pages into one
- deleting old content
- switching from HTTP to HTTPS
Without a redirect, users would often land on a 404 error page.
Why 301 redirects matter
A 301 redirect passes rankings, backlinks and existing SEO signals on to the new URL.
That means less visibility is lost when pages change or move. It also improves the experience, because visitors reach the right page automatically.
During website relaunches or domain moves in particular, 301 redirects are essential if you do not want to lose traffic and rankings.