301

Moved Permanently

Here's some key information about the 301 Moved Permanently status code:

• Purpose: The main purpose of using the 301 status code is to notify search engines and users that the requested URL has been permanently moved to another location. It helps preserve SEO value and ensures that visitors are redirected to the correct page.
• Redirection: When receiving a request for an old URL, servers respond with the 301 status code and provide the new URL in its "Location" header field. Browsers or clients then automatically redirect requests from the old URL to the new one.
• SEO Benefits: Implementing a 301 redirect helps preserve search engine rankings and traffic by transferring link equity or "link juice" (authority) from the old URL to the new one. This ensures minimal impact on SEO rankings and preserves organic traffic flow. Redirects secure that visitors can still reach the desired content without encountering broken links.
• Caching behavior: Once received, browsers often cache this response, so subsequent requests for the same old URL will be directly redirected without contacting the server again until cache expiration occurs. A change on the server due to a correction or for any other reason will not reach the browser while the cached version is still valid. Without additional cache control headers there is no clear rule for how long the redirect should be cached - it's browser/cache dependent.
• Monitoring and maintenance: It's important to periodically monitor your 301 redirects to ensure they are functioning correctly. Regularly check for broken or incorrect redirections, as well as any potential redirect loops that may occur.
• Update links: Website owners should update internal links within their site structure as well as external backlinks pointing towards those URLs affected by permanent redirects. A 301 redirect will not transfer the entire "link juice" to the new location. Also bear in mind that the loading time of the new location is delayed by the latency of redirects. Be aware also that if there are more than 5 hops (each redirect in the chain is referred to as a “hop.”) in a chain, Googlebot will not land on the destination URL. So don't rely on redirects within a website's internal link structure.
• Implementation considerations:
  • Correct implementation involves configuring servers (.htaccess files in Apache) or utilizing website platforms/content management systems' built-in redirection features.
  • Redirect loops must be avoided where multiple pages continuously redirect between each other.
  • Properly handling query strings if applicable in order not to lose important parameters when redirecting.
  • If there isn't an exact match at any specific target location for the old URL, it's advisable to redirect to a related or equivalent page rather than displaying irrelevant content or returning errors.

Overall, the 301 Moved Permanently status code is essential for permanently redirecting URLs (during URL changes or site migrations) while ensuring proper search engine indexing and preserving user experience by directing them to the new location automatically.