I’m looking for some advice on handling page redirects the right way. I recently updated a service page on my website and want to make sure I don’t lose traffic or hurt SEO in the process. The old page was getting some visits, so I’m unsure whether a simple 301 redirect is enough or if there’s anything else I should watch out for.
For context, this is the updated page I’m redirecting visitors to:
Should I also update internal links, sitemap, or re-submit the page in Search Console, or is the redirect usually sufficient on its own? I’d really appreciate hearing what’s worked best for others here.
Thanks in advance for any tips or best practices you can share. This post has been edited by a Community Moderator to ensure it adheres to our Community Guidelines.
Hey @MellisaPet - thanks for posting in the Community!
I’d like to tag in some Community experts to see what insight they may have on best practices. @Phil_Vallender, @franksteiner79, and @GRajput - any thoughts here?
Shane, Senior Community Moderator
Good thinking to ask before just setting up the redirect. A 301 is definitely the right choice here since it tells search engines the move is permanent and passes most of the link equity to the new URL.
But no, the redirect alone isnt quite enough if you want to do it properly. A few things I’d recommend:
Update your internal links to point directly to the new URL rather than relying on the redirect. Search engines can follow 301s fine, but having internal links go through redirects is slightly less efficient and can slow down crawling. Also better for user experience since theres no extra hop.
Definitely update your sitemap to include the new URL and remove the old one, then resubmit in Search Console. While Google will eventually figure it out, resubmitting speeds up the process. You can also use the URL Inspection tool in Search Console to request indexing of the new page directly.
One thing people often forget is to check for any external backlinks pointing to the old URL. You cant always get those updated, but if you have relationships with sites linking to you its worth reaching out. The 301 will handle it regardless but direct links are always better. HubSpot has some guidance on setting up redirects (Create and manage URL redirects )