Redirect (301)

What's the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?

A 301 says "this page has moved for good," while a 302 says "this page is somewhere else for now." Customers see the same thing either way, landing on the new address, but search engines read the two signals differently.

When Google gets a 301 or 308, it treats the new address as the main one and shows it in search results. With a 302 or 307, the old address may stay in search results. So for a move you'll never undo, use a permanent redirect.

308 and 307 mean the same as 301 and 302, except they pass the request along exactly as the customer sent it, for example a form submission, without changing the request method. For moving an ordinary page address, a 301 is all you need.

Where do I set up a redirect?

Redirects are usually set up in your server or hosting settings. Website builders often have a separate "Redirect" or "URL forwarding" menu, and on a custom-built website the developer pairs each old address with its new one in a configuration file.

Your domain registrar may also offer "domain forwarding," but depending on the company it may use a temporary (302) redirect or wrap your site in a frame. If you're moving to a new main address, first check which code it actually sends.

To see whether it works, type the old address straight into the address bar. To see whether it's a 301 or a 302, and how many hops it takes, use the Network tab in your browser's developer tools or an online redirect checker.

Auto-forwarding code placed inside the page (meta refresh or JavaScript) is a last resort for when you can't use server settings. Google also advises using a permanent server-side redirect if you want the address in search results to change.

How do I set up redirects when changing my domain?

When you change domains, start with a "URL map" that pairs every old address with its new one. With that map you can move everything without missing a page, then check each one afterward.

A single spreadsheet is enough for the map. Put old addresses on the left, new addresses on the right, and a "checked" column at the end, so you and whoever does the work can look at the same sheet and spot gaps together.

1. 01Collect every address on your old website. Look at the sitemap, Search Console, and links posted on your blog and social media.
2. 02Pair each old address with the closest matching new page to build the URL map.
3. 03Set up 301 redirects in your server or hosting settings, following the map.
4. 04Open the old addresses yourself and confirm each one goes to the final address in a single hop.
5. 05Add both domains to Search Console and use the Change of Address tool to report the move.
6. 06Submit the new domain's sitemap.
7. 07Update links you control yourself, such as Naver Place, your Instagram profile and your blog, to the new address.

What are redirect chains and redirect loops?

A redirect chain is when an address hops several times, from A to B and then from B to C. Customers wait a little longer at every hop, and search engines only follow so many hops, so they may never reach the end.

A redirect loop is when A sends visitors to B and B sends them back to A. The browser shows an error like "too many redirects" and the page won't open at all.

This usually happens when the http → https or www → non-www rules are set up differently in two places, the server and the CDN. Chains also form when you redesign several times and stack new redirects on top of old ones, so update the old rules to go straight to the final address.

To check, try all four combinations: http and https, each with and without www. If all four go to the same main address in a single hop, it's set up correctly.

What are common redirect mistakes?

The most common mistake is using a 302 for a permanent move. The old address then lingers in search results, and the new address can take longer to settle in.

If an agency does the work, review the URL map together, and when they finish, ask for proof that they clicked through a few old addresses themselves. Google generally advises keeping redirects in place for at least 1 year so the old addresses' signals carry over to the new ones.

For the first few weeks after a redesign, check the 404 list in Search Console often. That's where old addresses missing from your map show up. When you find one, add it to the map and set up a 301 right away.

• Using a 302 for a permanent move
• Sending every old address to the front page
• Leaving chains with multiple hops in place
• Not renewing the old domain, so every redirect disappears at once
• Menu and button links on your own website still pointing to old addresses
• Some addresses not connecting because of a trailing "/" or uppercase vs. lowercase letters

When does a small business need a redirect?

The most typical case is moving from a blog-style site or a free website builder to a website of your own. To keep the search visibility you've built up, you need a 301 from every old page to its new page.

Sometimes you only need to send people elsewhere for a while. If a hair salon closes bookings for 2 weeks during a renovation, don't delete the booking page. Add a 302 to a renovation notice page, then remove it when the work is done.

Redirects also help when you merge two locations into one. If you 301 the closing location's page to the remaining location's page, customers who search for the old location will find the new one right away.

Addresses on printed materials live an especially long time. If you need to change the address on a menu QR code or business card, don't delete the old address. Set up a 301 to the new one. Even after you've replaced all the printed materials, some customers will keep coming in through that address for a while.