Did you change the URL of a post, only to find that old links now show a "404 Not Found" page? A 301 redirect fixes exactly that. It permanently sends visitors and search engines from an old address to a new one.
The number 301 is an HTTP status code that means "Moved Permanently". Used correctly, it keeps both your traffic and your search rankings safe.
What is a 301 Redirect?
A 301 redirect works just like a mail forwarding request at the post office. You move to a new house, and every letter sent to the old address still reaches you.
Search engines treat a 301 as a signal to show the new URL in their results instead of the old one. Most of the ranking value the old page earned also passes to the new page.
When should you use a 301 redirect?
- You changed a post's slug or your permalink structure.
- You deleted a post and have a better one on the same topic.
- You merged two similar articles into one.
- You moved your site to a new domain or from HTTP to HTTPS.
If the move is only temporary, such as a page you will bring back next week, use a 302 redirect instead.
How to set up a 301 redirect in WordPress
The easiest way is a free redirect plugin, such as Redirection, or the redirect feature in your SEO plugin. On Apache servers, you can also add a single line to your .htaccess file:
Redirect 301 /old-post/ https://example.com/new-post/Our guide on how to redirect a page in WordPress explains these methods step by step.
Always point a redirect straight to the final URL. Chains like A to B to C slow down your site, and a loop can cause the "too many redirects" error. Here is how to minimize redirects in WordPress.
A 301 redirect is the polite way to tell everyone that your content has moved for good. That's all you need to get started. Do let us know in the comment box below if you get stuck while setting one up.