What is 301 Redirection? How to Find 301 Redirection and How to Fix 301 Redirection [Video]

A 301 redirection, also known as a permanent redirection, is a way to inform web browsers and search engines that a web page has permanently moved to a new location.

This redirection status code indicates to both users and search engine crawlers that they should no longer access the old URL and should instead visit the new URL.

Here’s how to find and fix 301 redirection issues:

Finding 301 Redirections:

1. Use online tools: There are various online tools available that can help you identify 301 redirections on your website. These tools can scan your site and provide a report on any pages that are being redirected with a 301 status code.
2. Check server configurations: If you have access to your website’s server settings, you can check for 301 redirections in the server configuration files. Look for directives such as “Redirect 301” in the .htaccess file (for Apache servers) or in the server configuration file.
3. Monitor website traffic: Analyze your website’s traffic using web analytics tools like Google Analytics. Look for any unusual patterns in traffic or changes in referral sources, which may indicate that redirections are occurring.

Fixing 301 Redirections:

1. Update links: If you have control over the website’s content management system (CMS), update any internal links that are pointing to the old URL to point to the new URL instead.
2. Modify server configurations: If the 301 redirections are implemented at the server level, such as in the .htaccess file, you can modify or remove these directives to stop the redirection.
3. Use redirection plugins: If you’re using a CMS like WordPress, there are plugins available that can help you manage redirections more effectively. Install a redirection plugin and set up redirects from the old URLs to the new URLs.
4. Update sitemap and robots.txt: Ensure that your website’s sitemap.xml and robots.txt files are updated to reflect the new URL structure. This helps search engine crawlers discover and index the new URLs properly.
5. Test and monitor: After making changes to fix 301 redirections, thoroughly test your website to ensure that the redirections are working as expected. Monitor your website’s traffic and search engine rankings to detect any further issues.

By identifying and fixing 301 redirections on your website, you can ensure a smooth user experience and maintain your website’s search engine visibility.