301 Redirects
10-30 minIntermediate
301 redirects are essential for maintaining SEO value when moving or deleting pages. They act as a permanent forwarding address for search engines and users.
Prerequisites
- WordPress admin access
- List of URLs that need redirecting
Easy Recommended
Using Redirection Plugin (Recommended)
The most popular and user-friendly way to manage redirects in WordPress.
1
Install Plugin
1
Install "Redirection" by John Godley
2
Go to Tools > Redirection
3
Complete the quick setup wizard
2
Add Single Redirect
1
Enter "Source URL" (e.g., /old-page)
2
Enter "Target URL" (e.g., /new-page)
3
Leave "Group" as Redirections
4
Click "Add Redirect"
3
Bulk Import (CSV)
1
Go to Import/Export tab
2
Upload a CSV with source,target columns
3
Great for site migrations
Best Practices
Do
- Redirect every deleted page to a relevant equivalent
- Use 301 for permanent changes
- Audit 404 logs to find missing redirects
- Test redirects locally before bulk uploading
Don't
- Redirect everything to the homepage (Soft 404s)
- Chain redirects (A->B->C->D)
- Keep redirects forever if using .htaccess (cleanup after 1 year)
- Redirect to a page with different intent
Verification Checklist
- Old URL automatically loads the New URL
- Redirect status is 301 (Permanent), not 302 (Temporary)
- No redirect chains (A -> B -> C)
- UTM parameters are passed through (optional but recommended)
Pro Tips
- Use Regex redirects for patterns (e.g. /blog/2023/(.*) -> /blog/$1)
- Monitor the "404s" tab in Redirection plugin to catch broken links live
- If changing domain, use the "Relocate Site" feature
Common Issues & Fixes
Problem: Redirect loop (ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS)
Solution: The source and target are effectively the same, or conflicting rules exist. Clear browser cache and check rules.
Problem: Redirect works for me but not others
Solution: Browser caching and ISP caching can be aggressive. Use an Incognito window or command line "curl -I" to test.