A 301 is a message to Google and the browser: this page has permanently moved here. It sounds like a technical detail and it actually preserves every year of work you put into rankings.
When you absolutely need one
- You change the address of a page or post already on Google
- You delete a page and a similar one replaces it
- You rename a category or a product
- You build a new site with a different URL structure (the most common case!)
- Moving from http to https, or www to non-www
What happens if you skip it
The old address returns 404 — not found. Everyone clicking from Google, an old Facebook link or another site sees an error and leaves. The position you built over two years disappears, and links pointing at you become worthless.
How to do it (easiest)
- The Redirection plugin (free) → Tools → Redirection → Add new: Source URL = the old address, Target URL = the new one, type 301. Done.
- Rank Math and Yoast Premium have a built-in module — and best of all, they offer an automatic redirect when you change a permalink
- Advanced: rules in .htaccess — fastest, but a mistake there means a white screen; ask us if unsure
The rules
- 301 = permanent (passes weight). 302 = temporary (does not) — use 301 unless it really is temporary
- Point to the most similar page, not everything to the homepage — Google reads that as laziness and passes no weight
- Avoid chains (A → B → C); every hop loses something
- After a bulk change: watch 404s in Search Console → Indexing for a few weeks
With our clients
When we build a new site over an old one, redirects are part of the job — we map every old address first, then point them. That is why a new site brings a jump in traffic, not a drop.