URL redirects can have both positive and negative effects on SEO, depending on how they are implemented.
A URL redirect is a technique that forwards one URL to another URL. This can be done for a variety of reasons, such as to redirect users from an old website to a new website or to redirect users from a non-www version of a website to a www version.
Best Practice for URL Redirection
When implemented correctly, URL redirects can be beneficial for SEO. For example, if a website changes its URL structure or moves to a new domain, redirecting old URLs to new URLs can help to preserve any SEO value that the old URLs may have had.
However, if implemented incorrectly, URL redirects can have negative effects on SEO. Here are some common mistakes that can negatively impact SEO:
- Too Many Redirects: If there are too many URL redirects, it can slow down the loading time of a webpage and negatively impact user experience. This can, in turn, negatively affect the website’s SEO rankings.
- Broken Redirects: Broken redirects occur when a URL is redirected to a webpage that no longer exists. This can result in a 404 error, which can negatively impact SEO rankings.
- Incorrect Redirect Type: There are two types of URL redirects: 301 redirects and 302 redirects. A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect, while a 302 redirect is a temporary redirect. Using the wrong redirect type can negatively impact SEO rankings.
- Redirect Chains: Redirect chains occur when multiple redirects are used to redirect a user to a final destination URL. This can negatively impact SEO rankings, as it can slow down page loading time and result in a poor user experience.
To ensure that URL redirects have a positive impact on SEO, it’s important to use them correctly and avoid common mistakes. This includes minimizing the number of redirects used, avoiding broken redirects, using the correct redirect type, and avoiding redirect chains.
Using 301 Redirect
To set up proper 301 redirects, you have to modify the htaccess file in your hosting. To do this you must ensure mod rewrite is enabled on your server. This is installed by default on most servers so it should not be a problem. This article explains the process in detail.
Finally, when you do have everything set up nicely you should validate your code using this Redirect Checking Tool. Here is an article with more information.
Finally, this is what Google has to say about site redirection.
