How to redirect pages and move a site safely

What a redirect is

Why redirects matter in a site move

What you need to redirect pages and move a site safely

• Access to Google Search Console, with the old and new sites verified
• Access to your server configuration, hosting control panel or CMS redirect settings (ask your developer or host if unsure)
• A spreadsheet to list old addresses and their new destinations

Redirect pages and move a site safely, step by step

1. 1

   Decide permanent or temporary

   If the old address is not coming back, use a permanent redirect. Google lists HTTP 301 and 308 as permanent, and 302, 303 and 307 as temporary. Use a temporary one only for short-lived changes, such as pointing to an explanatory page while a service is unavailable. See the redirect types table.

   You will know it worked when You can write one sentence saying why each redirect is permanent or temporary.

2. 2

   Prefer a server-side redirect

   Google recommends a permanent server-side redirect whenever possible. Ask your host or developer how to set one up, for example rules in .htaccess on Apache or a CMS redirect feature. Google says to use JavaScript redirects only if server-side or meta refresh redirects are not possible.

   You will know it worked when Your host or developer confirms the redirects are server-side and permanent (301 or 308).

3. 3

   List your old addresses and map each to a new one

   Google says to start with your important URLs: those in your sitemaps, those with the most traffic in logs or analytics, and those with links in Search Console. Include images, videos, JavaScript and CSS files. In a spreadsheet, put each old address beside its exact new address. For a simple domain change, a single wildcard server-side redirect may be enough. See Prepare URL mapping.

   You will know it worked when Every important old address has a row with a specific, relevant new destination, and each destination exists.

4. 4

   Send each old address straight to its final destination

   A chain is a redirect that leads to another redirect. Google says Googlebot can follow up to 10 hops but advises redirecting to the final destination directly; if not possible, keep chains ideally to no more than 3 and fewer than 5, as chains add latency for users. Hypothetical example: if /a goes to /b and /b goes to /c, point /a straight at /c.

   You will know it worked when Opening any old address in your browser reaches the final page in a single redirect.

5. 5

   Do not redirect everything to the home page

   Google says not to redirect many old URLs to one irrelevant destination such as the new home page; it can confuse users and might be treated as a soft 404. Merged pages can redirect to the single page that replaced them. Content you are not moving should return a 404 or 410 error on the new site.

   You will know it worked when Each redirect lands on a page relevant to the old one, and removed content with no replacement shows a not-found page.

6. 6

   Test the redirects

   Paste several old addresses into your browser and watch the address bar change. The URL Inspection tool in Search Console can test individual URLs. Also remove any noindex tags or robots.txt blocks that were only used during development.

   You will know it worked when Sample old addresses open the right new page, and URL Inspection shows no unexpected blocks.

7. 7

   Tell Search Console and monitor

   For a move to a different domain or subdomain, submit a Change of Address request in Search Console; Google says it is not needed for HTTP to HTTPS, www changes or path changes within a domain. Submit a sitemap of the new URLs and watch indexing and errors on both sites. Google says a small to medium-sized site can take a few weeks for most pages to move.

   You will know it worked when The new sitemap is accepted in Search Console, and you see no sudden spike in errors in the indexing reports.

8. 8

   Keep the redirects in place

   Google advises keeping redirects as long as possible, generally at least one year, so it can transfer signals to the new URLs, and suggests considering keeping them indefinitely. Update your own links to the new addresses.

   You will know it worked when The redirect rules are still live after twelve months, and your internal links point straight to the new addresses.

Common mistakes when you redirect pages and move a site safely

• Using a temporary redirect for a permanent move
• Building chains by adding a new redirect on top of an old one
• Redirecting every old page to the home page
• Changing domain, platform and design all at once; Google says to change one thing at a time
• Leaving development noindex tags or robots.txt blocks on the new site
• Removing redirects after a few weeks

Terms used when you redirect pages and move a site safely

Redirect

An instruction that sends visitors and crawlers from one web address to another.

301 and 308

Status codes that mean a page has moved permanently.

302, 303 and 307

Status codes that mean a page has moved temporarily.

Redirect chain

A redirect that leads to another redirect, so reaching the final page takes several steps.

Canonical URL

The main version of a page that Google chooses to show in search results.

Change of Address

A Search Console tool for telling Google you moved from one domain or subdomain to another.

Sources for how to redirect pages and move a site safely

• Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search
• Google Search Central: Site Moves and Migrations
• Search Console Help: Change of Address tool