301 Redirect

Definition

A 301 redirect is an HTTP status code that indicates a page has permanently moved to a new URL. When properly implemented, it tells search engines to transfer all link equity (ranking power), indexing signals, and canonical status from the old URL to the new one. This is the recommended redirect type for permanent URL changes, site migrations, and domain changes. Compare with 302 redirect (temporary): a 302 tells search engines the move is temporary and to keep the original URL indexed. Using 302 when you mean 301 can prevent link equity from passing. Best practice: use 301 for all permanent moves, and always redirect to the final destination directly (avoid chains).