Chapter 4: Technical SEO
A redirect is a technique used to send users and search engines from one URL to a different URL. This is commonly used when a webpage is moved to a new address, ensuring that visitors and search engine crawlers are automatically taken to the correct page.
Redirects can also be used for other purposes, such as redirecting a long, complex URL to a shorter, more user-friendly one or to track which pages on your website are being accessed from where. Redirects can also be used to test different versions of a webpage to see which one performs better.
There are two main types of redirects: 301 (permanent) and 302 (temporary). A 301 redirects signal to search engines that the redirect from one URL to another URL is permanent and is considered the best way to pass link equity if you need to redirect a page. On the other hand, 302 redirects are used for temporary redirects and are not as effective in passing link equity.