What is a 301 redirect?

301 redirect: definition

When a browser requests an address, the web server responds with a status code. Code 301 indicates that the page can now be found permanently at a new address—and provides that address along with it. The browser follows automatically, and visitors usually don’t notice a thing.

For search engines, this is a clear signal: the new URL replaces the old one. Google generally transfers signals such as inbound links to the new destination and gradually replaces the old address in its index. That makes the 301 redirect the most important tool for preserving visibility when URLs change.

When do you need a 301 redirect?

Whenever a URL changes permanently and the old address is already known—through bookmarks, links, promotional materials or Google results. Without a redirect, visitors land on an error page (404), and the value the old page built up over the years is lost. That hurts both user experience and trust.

• Website relaunch with a new URL structure
• Move to a new domain or merging of several domains
• Switch from HTTP to HTTPS
• A consistent address format, for example with or without “www”
• Merging similar pages into one stronger page

How to set up a 301 redirect

Technically, the redirect is configured on the server: on the Apache web server often in the .htaccess file, on Nginx in the server configuration. Many content management systems also offer their own redirect modules. For large relaunches, a mapping table that assigns each old URL to a new one is recommended.

A 301 should be distinguished from a 302 redirect, which signals only a temporary redirect, for example during maintenance work. For permanent changes, 301 is the right choice; the newer status code 308 has a comparable meaning. After setup, every redirect should be checked—for example with a crawler or a header check that shows the status code actually sent.

Common mistakes and a real-world example

Common mistakes include redirect chains with several hops, loops without a destination and blanket redirects of all old pages to the home page. Google often treats the latter like a page that no longer exists. The topically matching destination is always the better choice. Internal links should also point directly to the new address instead of permanently running through the redirect.

Example: an online store renames its “Garden furniture” category to “Outdoor furniture.” The old category URL is redirected to the new one via 301, the menu and internal links are updated, and product URLs remain unchanged wherever possible. For relaunches, Nano Concepts creates complete redirect plans and verifies them with a crawl after go-live.