A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect from one URL to another, which affects both visitors and most seo-value to the new location.
When a 301 redirect is required
A 301 redirect is used when deleting a page, changing a URL structure, merging content, or performing a complete domain migration—all situations in which an old URL no longer exists but the content (or a replacement for it) is available elsewhere.
301 vs. 302
A 301 redirect tells search engines: “This page has been permanently moved; please update your index and transfer the ranking value.” A 302 redirect is temporary and is intentionally designed not to remove the old URL from the index; choosing the wrong one between the two is a common mistake that unnecessarily costs you ranking.
Avoid redirect chains
A redirect that points to yet another redirect (a “redirect chain”) slows down load times and can dilute the ranking value at each link in the chain. During a site redesign or migration, redirecting directly to the final destination—rather than through multiple intermediate steps—is essential to prevent a loss of value.
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