Redirects are a common part of running a website. You change a page URL or move to a new layout, and the redirect makes sure visitors end up in the right place.
Simple enough, right?
Well… not always.
The wrong type of redirect—or even too many of them—can quietly chip away at your SEO. And the worst part is, you might not notice until your rankings start to dip.
Here’s what you need to know, explained in plain English.
What Is a Redirect?
A redirect is like a forwarding address for your website. If someone clicks an old link, they’re automatically taken to the new page instead.
You’ll often use one when:
- You delete a page
- You change a product or service
- You rebrand or update your site’s structure
- You combine similar pages into one
Done right, it keeps things smooth for users and search engines. Done badly, it can create a mess behind the scenes.
The Different Types of Redirects (And Why They Matter)
301 Redirect (Permanent)
This tells Google, “Hey, this page has moved for good.” It also passes most of the SEO value from the old page to the new one.
302 Redirect (Temporary)
This says the move is only temporary. The original page is still the “main” version in Google’s eyes. If you use this by mistake, it could affect your rankings.
Meta or JavaScript Redirects
These work, but they’re not ideal. They can confuse search engines, delay loading, and make your site feel clunky.
How Redirects Can Affect SEO
Redirects aren’t bad in themselves. In fact, they’re essential in many cases. But when they’re overused or set up incorrectly, they can:
- Slow down your site
- Create crawl errors
- Confuse Google about which page is the right one
- Break links and pass less ranking value
- Make it harder for users to land where they expect
Even one poor redirect can have a knock-on effect. If you’ve done a big restructure or redesign, the impact could be bigger than you think.
Common Redirect Mistakes (We See These a Lot)
Using 302s Instead of 301s
If a page is permanently gone, always use a 301. A 302 might leave search engines hanging.
Creating Redirect Chains
This is when a redirect leads to another redirect, and then maybe another. It slows everything down and weakens the SEO signal.
Redirect Loops
Sometimes, a redirect points to itself or goes in a never-ending circle. This can break the site for users and stop Google in its tracks.
Sending Everything to the Homepage
If you remove a page and redirect all traffic to your homepage, it’s not helpful. Try to match each redirect to the closest relevant page instead.
Forgetting to Update Internal Links
Even if your redirects work, your internal links should still point to the latest URLs. It’s cleaner, faster, and more effective for SEO.
How to Check Your Redirects
Here are a few tools you can use:
- Google Search Console – Look for crawl errors and coverage reports
- Screaming Frog – A good way to spot chains, loops and broken redirects
- Ahrefs Site Audit – If you’re already using this for link tracking, it can check redirects too
- Chrome DevTools – Use the network tab to trace what’s happening when a page loads
Best Practices to Keep Things Running Smoothly
- Use 301 redirects for anything permanent
- Avoid unnecessary redirect chains
- Redirect users to pages that actually match their original intent
- Keep your sitemap and internal links up to date
- Always test your redirects after making changes
If you’re planning a big restructure or site move, plan your redirects in advance. It can save you a lot of cleanup later.
So, Are Redirects a Big Deal?
Yes—especially if they’re not handled carefully.
It’s one of those “under the bonnet” SEO issues that often gets ignored. But if your site has been around for a while, chances are you’ve got a few redirect problems that could be costing you traffic.
Cleaning them up is one of the fastest ways to improve site health.
Want Some Help with That?
If you’re not sure whether your redirects are helping or hurting your site, we’ll take a look. At Almond Marketing, we help businesses across the UK fix redirect chains, loops, crawl errors and other technical SEO issues—without the jargon.Head to our SEO Agency in London page or drop us a message if you’d like an expert opinion.
