Insights
301 Redirects: What You Need When Changing Old URLs
Changing a URL means setting up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one — that's what carries both search engine rankings and existing traffic over to the new page instead of losing them.
What a 301 redirect actually is
A 301 redirect tells both search engines and browsers "this page has moved permanently," automatically forwarding anyone who hits the old URL to the new one.
Why it matters
Search engines accumulate ranking value on a page over years. Change the URL without setting up a redirect, and that accumulated value resets — rankings can drop sharply as a result.
Building the URL map
Before migrating, every old URL needs a one-to-one match to its new URL, mapped out in advance. An incomplete map means some pages end up with no redirect at all.
Common mistakes
Redirecting every URL to the homepage, or creating redirect chains that bounce through several hops before landing — both of these erode the ranking value a redirect is supposed to preserve.
The risk of missing one
Missing redirects rarely show up right at launch. They tend to surface weeks later, as a quiet drop in traffic or search rankings that's hard to trace back to its cause.
Recommended next step
Before migrating, build a complete list of old URLs and map each one to its new destination. The free diagnostic includes mapping out the current URL structure.
Start by finding out what's still valuable on your current site.
Just send the URL — we'll examine what's there now, the technical risks, and what migration could look like.