How to redirect a webpage (and which method to use)

The status code tells browsers and search engines what the move means.

On Apache, add a rule to .htaccess such as Redirect 301 /old-page /new-page. On Nginx, use location = /old-page { return 301 /new-page; } in the server block. On Vercel, add an entry to the redirects array in vercel.json with source, destination, and permanent set to true, which returns 308. Netlify uses a _redirects file; Cloudflare offers Redirect Rules. These all respond before any page loads, so they are the fastest option.

WordPress needs a plugin such as Redirection or the redirect manager in an SEO plugin. Webflow has a 301 redirects section in site settings under Publishing. Shopify has URL redirects under Online Store, Navigation. Squarespace and Wix have URL mapping or redirect settings in their SEO panels. Check whether the platform returns 301 or 302; most use 301 for permanent rules.

A meta refresh with a delay of zero, placed in the page head, redirects in the browser, and Google treats an instant meta refresh as a permanent redirect. A JavaScript redirect using window.location.replace also works and Google can follow it after rendering, but it depends on the script running. Use either only when you cannot set server rules, such as on some static hosts, and keep the old page lightweight.

Redirect to the most relevant equivalent page; mass redirects to the homepage can be treated as soft 404s. Avoid chains of several hops by pointing old URLs straight at the final destination. Update internal links and the sitemap to the new URLs rather than relying on redirects. Keep redirects in place for at least a year, and ideally indefinitely for pages with backlinks. Our free broken link checker shows the status codes of links on a page so you can spot redirects and chains. SerionFlow is the wrong tool for redirects on your own site; it does not change server, host, or CMS redirect rules.