Setting up redirects is a crucial part of website management, whether you're migrating to a new domain, restructuring your site, or simply cleaning up outdated content. When done correctly, redirects can preserve your SEO rankings, improve user experience, and ensure your website remains functional. However, even small mistakes in the process can lead to significant issues, such as broken links, lost traffic, or a drop in search engine rankings.
To help you avoid these pitfalls, we’ve compiled a list of the most common mistakes people make when setting up redirects—and how to avoid them.
One of the most frequent errors is choosing the wrong type of redirect. The two most common types are:
The Mistake: Many website owners mistakenly use a 302 redirect when they mean to set up a 301 redirect. This can confuse search engines, as a 302 redirect does not transfer SEO value to the new page.
How to Avoid It: Always assess the situation and use the appropriate redirect type. If the move is permanent, stick with a 301 redirect to preserve your SEO equity.
Redirect chains occur when one redirect leads to another, and then another, creating a chain of redirects. Redirect loops happen when a redirect points back to itself, creating an endless cycle.
The Mistake: These issues can slow down your website, frustrate users, and confuse search engines, potentially leading to a drop in rankings.
How to Avoid It: Regularly audit your redirects using tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console. Ensure that each redirect points directly to the final destination without unnecessary steps.
When restructuring a website, some site owners redirect all old URLs to the homepage instead of mapping them to relevant pages.
The Mistake: This practice, known as a "soft 404," can harm your SEO because search engines may interpret it as a poor user experience. Visitors looking for specific content may also become frustrated and leave your site.
How to Avoid It: Redirect each old URL to the most relevant page on your site. If no equivalent page exists, consider creating a custom 404 page that provides helpful navigation options.
Redirects are often set up to handle external traffic, but internal links are just as important.
The Mistake: If you don’t update your internal links to point directly to the new URLs, users and search engines will still rely on the redirects, which can slow down your site and dilute SEO value.
How to Avoid It: After setting up redirects, update all internal links to point directly to the new URLs. This ensures a seamless user experience and helps search engines crawl your site more efficiently.
Even if you’ve set up your redirects carefully, failing to test them can lead to unexpected issues.
The Mistake: Redirects that don’t work as intended can result in 404 errors, broken links, or users being sent to the wrong page.
How to Avoid It: Use tools like Redirect Checker or your browser’s developer tools to test each redirect. Verify that they lead to the correct destination and use the appropriate status code.
With the rise of mobile-first indexing and HTTPS as a ranking factor, it’s essential to account for these variations when setting up redirects.
The Mistake: Some site owners forget to set up redirects for mobile versions of their site or fail to redirect HTTP pages to their HTTPS counterparts. This can lead to duplicate content issues and a poor user experience.
How to Avoid It: Ensure that all versions of your site (desktop, mobile, HTTP, and HTTPS) are properly redirected to the correct URLs. Use canonical tags where necessary to consolidate SEO signals.
Redirects can impact your website’s analytics if not handled properly.
The Mistake: Failing to update tracking parameters or monitor the performance of redirected pages can result in lost data and missed opportunities to optimize.
How to Avoid It: Update your analytics tools to reflect the new URLs and monitor traffic to ensure the redirects are working as intended. Keep an eye on metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rates.
When you make significant changes to your site structure, it’s important to let search engines know.
The Mistake: Some site owners forget to update their XML sitemap or submit it to Google Search Console after setting up redirects. This can delay the indexing of new URLs and hurt your SEO.
How to Avoid It: Update your XML sitemap and submit it to search engines. Use the URL Inspection tool in Google Search Console to ensure your new URLs are indexed correctly.
Redirects are a powerful tool for maintaining your website’s SEO and user experience, but they must be implemented carefully to avoid costly mistakes. By understanding and addressing these common errors, you can ensure your redirects work seamlessly and support your site’s long-term success.
Remember, regular audits and testing are key to keeping your redirects in check. If you’re ever unsure about the best approach, consider consulting with an SEO professional to avoid potential pitfalls.
Have you encountered any redirect challenges? Share your experiences in the comments below!