URL Redirect Checker &
HTTP Status Tester
Trace the full redirect path of any URL. See every hop, HTTP status code, response headers, and timing. Detect redirect chains, loops, and SEO issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding Redirects & Their SEO Impact
✅ Redirect Best Practices
- Use 301 for permanent URL changes
- Keep redirect chains to 1 hop maximum
- Update internal links to point to final URLs
- Set up HTTP → HTTPS redirects properly
- Monitor redirects after site migrations
❌ Common Redirect Mistakes
- Using 302 instead of 301 for permanent moves
- Creating chains: A → B → C → D
- Not redirecting HTTP to HTTPS
- Forgetting trailing slash consistency
- Redirect loops between www and non-www
Proper redirect management is crucial for SEO, especially during site migrations. Use this tool alongside our Website Speed Test and SSL Checker for a complete technical SEO audit.
Types of HTTP Redirects & When to Use Each
Choosing the right redirect type is one of the most important decisions in technical SEO. Each HTTP status code sends a different signal to search engines and browsers — using the wrong one can silently cost you rankings.
Moved Permanently
The go-to redirect for permanent URL changes — site migrations, URL restructures, or consolidating duplicate pages. Passes ~95% of link equity to the new URL. Search engines will update their index to reflect the new destination.
Use for: domain changes, HTTPS migration, removing /index.html, merging pages.
Found (Temporary)
Tells search engines the move is temporary — they keep the original URL indexed and do NOT transfer link equity. Commonly misused when 301 is intended, which is one of the most costly SEO mistakes.
Use for: A/B testing, temporary promotional pages, maintenance redirects.
Temporary Redirect (HTTP/1.1)
The HTTP/1.1 equivalent of 302. Explicitly preserves the HTTP method (GET stays GET, POST stays POST), making it safer for form submissions and API endpoints. Does not pass link equity.
Use for: Temporary redirects where method preservation matters (e.g., POST forms).
Permanent Redirect (HTTP/1.1)
The HTTP/1.1 equivalent of 301. Permanently redirects while preserving the HTTP method. Growing in browser support and increasingly recognised by search engines as equivalent to 301.
Use for: Permanent redirects on modern APIs and applications that send POST/PUT requests.
Meta Refresh
A client-side redirect using an HTML meta tag with a time delay. Bad for SEO — slow, unreliable, passes little to no link equity, and causes a poor user experience (the page briefly loads before redirecting). Avoid entirely for SEO purposes.
Avoid for SEO. Only use if server-side redirects are not possible.
Common Redirect Mistakes That Hurt SEO
Even experienced developers make these redirect errors. They can silently erode your search rankings for months before anyone notices.
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Using 302 instead of 301 for permanent moves
This is the single most common redirect mistake. If you permanently moved a page but used a 302, Google continues indexing the old URL and does not transfer link equity. Fix it by changing to a 301 — but note that Google may take weeks to re-process the change.
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Long redirect chains (A → B → C → D)
Each additional hop in a redirect chain adds latency and dilutes link equity. A well-known SEO rule of thumb is to keep chains to a single hop. Use this tool to identify chains of 3+ hops and update all internal links and external backlinks to point directly to the final destination URL.
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Inconsistent www vs. non-www and trailing slashes
If your site serves both www.example.com and example.com (or /page and /page/), search engines may index them as separate duplicate pages. Pick a canonical form and redirect all others to it consistently. The same applies to trailing slashes — pick one and stick to it site-wide.
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Not updating internal links after a migration
After a site migration, many teams implement the redirects and consider the job done. But leaving thousands of internal links pointing to redirected URLs means every page load goes through an unnecessary redirect hop, slowing the site and wasting crawl budget. Always update internal links to point directly to the final URL.
Migrating Your Website? We Can Help
Site migrations need careful redirect planning to preserve your SEO rankings. Our team handles the entire process \u2014 from URL mapping to redirect implementation and post-migration monitoring.