A 301 redirect redirects a page to a perpetually replaced URL on the server. The use of 301 redirects is imperative when moving a webpage permanently to a new URL. But the question is, do 301 Redirects affect Google Ranking? Let’s analyze the issue.
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301 Redirects: An Overview
Before the discussion, let’s first understand what exactly 301 Redirects are!
A 301 redirect helps in redirecting the page or website to the new page or domain it is shifted to. Basically, 301 redirects are used in the below circumstances:
- Your website is shifting from HTTP to HTTPS.
- Your website is moving from an old to a new domain.
- Optimizing already existing Posts and pages for URL slugs.
See Also: Google Says To Keep 301 Redirects In Place For A Year
The Assertion: 301 Redirects affect Google Ranking Factor
A 301 redirect will let search engine spiders know that the site’s content has been moved or assigned to a new URL. This would help search engines pass the value and link the content from the previous URL to the new one.
Many 301 redirect debates center around whether PageRank transfers to the new URL or, would the new URL automatically receives inbound links from the old URL. It helps in preventing any duplicated content. Few SEO experts use redirects to manipulate their google rank, but practicing this may lead to a penalty or getting banned from Google.
Evidence supporting the claim: 301 Redirects are not A Ranking Factor
Most official claims are on the negative side of 301 redirects being a ranking factor.
In 2012, Matt Cutts, previous head of Google’s Webspam team, announced that Google would follow unbounded redirects between pages. Google will also make multiple hops if a website is redirected to another site and then redirected repeatedly. He even states that the Googlebot can terminate the following redirects after 4-5 hops.
In 2013, Cutts asserted that a little fraction of PageRank gets lost in 301 redirects. Although few SEO professionals estimate a loss of around 15%, Cutts states that there isn’t any particular percentage.
Around July 2021, Gary Illyes advocated that 301 redirects be maintained as it is for a minimum of 12 months. This gives Google some time to ensure ranking signals are transferred to the new URL appropriately.
See Also: Google Investigating Mass Notice From Search Console Coverage Issue Redirect Error
Final Discussions
While 301 redirects probably won’t improve your search engine rankings, they can help ensure that those using Google and search engines get directed to the content you intend. Furthermore, they ensure that your ranking signals won’t be lost when you move old URLs. Although 301 redirects are crucial for presenting proper canonicalization and passing ranking signals, they have not been officially confirmed as ranking factors.
The fact that something is not a Google Ranking Factor does not signify it’s not essential. Nevertheless, redirects should be managed carefully to avoid any technical problems like redirect chains. In case of further queries, feel free to drop by the comments section. We would love to hear from you!