301 Redirect
Quick Definition
A 301 redirect permanently sends visitors and search engines from an old URL to a new one. It transfers most of the original page's SEO value (link equity) to the new URL.
What Is a 301 Redirect?
A 301 redirect is an HTTP status code meaning "Moved Permanently". Transfers ~90-99% of SEO value to the new URL.
When to Use It
When changing permalinks, deleting pages with backlinks, migrating domains. Set up via .htaccess or Redirection plugin.
Why It Matters
Without redirects, changed URLs return 404 errors. See our SEO checklist and migration guide.
Sources: MDN: 301 Moved Permanently, MDN: Redirections in HTTP, Google: 301 Redirects
Related Terms
.htaccess.htaccess is a configuration file for Apache web servers that WordPress uses to handle pretty permalinks, redirects, and security rules. It sits in your WordPress root directory.PermalinkA permalink is the permanent URL of a WordPress post, page, or archive. The recommended structure is Post Name (/%postname%/) which creates clean, readable URLs like yoursite.com/my-great-article/.SEOSEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing your website so it ranks higher in search engine results like Google. Higher rankings mean more free, organic traffic to your WordPress site.
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