A 301 redirect is a way to send users and search engines to a different URL from the one they originally requested. It’s a permanent redirect that passes between 90-99% of link equity (ranking power) to the redirected page.
However, using 301 redirections is a huge undertaking, especially if you’re moving thousands of pages. A simple mistake in your configuration could trigger errors that result in decreased organic traffic and frustrated visitors leaving your site, never to return.
Also, keep in mind that issues with 301 redirects depend on a myriad of factors. Each case is unique from one another, making it impossible to provide a catch-all solution to each problem.
Therefore, we’ll discuss some technical reasons why 301 redirects aren’t working and how you can approach finding the best solution for each.
Common 301 Redirect Issues and Fixes at a Glance
| Issues | Solutions |
| Incorrect 301 Redirect Rule on .htaccess File | Consult with a developer |
| Redirect Rules on WordPress Site Appear Before Rules Created from cPanel | Consult with a developer |
| Incorrect Redirect Chains or Loops | Update or remove unnecessary redirects to ensure only one hop to the final destination. |
| Non-Canonical URLs | Update the redirect to always point to the correct, canonical URL. |
| Misconfigured HTTPS | Ensure your redirects from HTTP to HTTPS are working and pointing to the right destination. |
| Caching Problems | Clear browser cache or CDN cache to reset the stored 301 redirects. |
| Incorrect Redirect Type | Make sure that permanent redirects use the correct 301 status code. |
| Redirection Caused by Plugin/Extension Conflicts | Review each plugin’s settings to ensure they are not causing overlapping or conflicting redirects. |
1. Incorrect 301 Redirect Rule on .htaccess File
The .htaccess file is a server configuration file for Apache web servers commonly found in the /public_html directory to manage site-wide configurations. Your website can have multiple .htaccess files if you want to configure your server on a directory level.
But for this purpose, you must use the .htaccess file to create redirect rules to seamlessly transfer visitors from the old URL to the new one.
Here’s a basic 301 redirect rule:
RewriteEngine on
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule (.*) http://www.example.com/$1 [R=301,L]
This rule redirects visitors on your current domain to http://www.example.com.
This also applies to all the pages of your current domain as well – visitors will be redirected from child page (e.g. /page-1) on current domain to http://www.example.com/page-1 assuming that the website was migrated successfully.
There are other rules you may want to include on top of this but this is the most basic rule used for site-wide 301 redirects in htaccess file.
In case the rewrite rule isn’t working and it’s not automatically pointing you to the new domain, you may need to ask developers and experts regarding this issue.
One of the better places to ask around is Stack Exchange. With highly skilled developers on deck to answer your questions about your .htaccess file, you can expect to find possible solutions to the issue that you can implement.
You can also search for threads with existing user contributions dealing with the same problem to save you the time of creating a new post.
But as mentioned above, not all of the cases you’ll find are the exact same as yours. You may end up posting your own thread to get more precise answers.
2. Redirect Rules on WordPress Site Appear Before Rules Created from cPanel
WordPress remains one of the most popular content management systems around due to the wealth of resources it provides to site owners.
In particular, most hosting providers have managed WordPress services that offer features specific to this CMS. In this case, you can create rewrite rules from your hosting dashboard which is normally cPanel.
If you’re redirecting pages from the same site, there are WordPress plugins you can download and activate for free.
Using them won’t require you to know the redirect rules – just enter the source and target URL and you’re good to go.
The reasons for 301 redirect not working are much more well-defined among WordPress sites. One of the main causes is because you have added the rewrite rules on both the cPanel “Redirects” tool and from your WordPress plugin.
You can determine this by viewing your .htaccess file and looking if the rewrite rules you created from WordPress appear before the ones you entered using cPanel. From here, move the rewrite rules created using your plugin of choice starting with the # BEGIN WordPress and end after the rules creating using cPanel.
If this suggestion doesn’t fix the problem, you will have to rely on user contributions from Stack Exchange or contact your hosting’s customer support for potential solutions.
Other Reasons for 301 Redirect Issues
While what we’ve discussed above is technical, there are other 301 redirect issues that you can fix by yourself.
1. Incorrect Redirect Chains or Loops
Issue: Multiple redirects leading to a chain or an infinite loop.
Fix: Audit your redirects using tools like Screaming Frog or Seobility to detect redirect chains. Update or remove unnecessary redirects to ensure only one hop to the final destination.
2. Non-Canonical URLs
Issue: Redirects pointing to non-canonical versions of URLs (e.g., HTTP to HTTPS, www to non-www).
Fix: Ensure the final redirected URL is the canonical version. Update the redirect to always point to the correct, canonical URL
3. Misconfigured HTTPS
Issue: Improper SSL/HTTPS setup can break 301 redirects, causing redirection to fail.
Fix: Verify your SSL certificate and ensure your HTTPS settings are properly configured. Ensure your redirects from HTTP to HTTPS are working and pointing to the right destination.
4. Caching Problems
Issue: Browsers or CDN caches can store old redirect information, causing outdated or broken redirects.
Fix: Clear browser cache or CDN cache to reset the stored 301 redirects. You can also set the cache control headers properly to prevent future caching of outdated redirects.
5. Incorrect Redirect Type
Issue: Using the wrong type of redirect, such as a 302 (temporary) instead of a 301 (permanent), can confuse search engines and impact SEO.
Fix: Make sure that permanent redirects use the correct 301 status code. Check your server configuration or CMS to ensure you’re using 301 for permanent changes.
6. Redirection Caused by Plugin/Extension Conflicts
Issue: Conflicts between multiple SEO, redirection, or caching plugins on CMS platforms like WordPress can cause unintended redirect behavior.
Fix: Deactivate or troubleshoot conflicting plugins/extensions. Review each plugin’s settings to ensure they are not causing overlapping or conflicting redirects.
Conclusion
As you can see above, most of the solutions above require you to ask experts and more capable people who can get the job done better than you.
Let’s face it: there’s nothing wrong with getting help for something outside your wheelhouse. And if the 301 redirect error keeps appearing despite efforts of fixing it, it’s probably a way of telling you to let someone do it for you.
In other words, you don’t want to make the problem with your redirects much bigger especially if you don’t possess the skills required to fix the 301 redirect errors.
301 Redirect FAQs
Find answers to common questions about 301 redirects in technical SEO.
1. Are Redirect Chains Bad for SEO?
Yes, redirect chains can be bad for SEO. Search engine bots have limited time to crawl your site. If they encounter long redirect chains, it could reduce the number of pages they are able to crawl, which may lead to incomplete indexing.
2. Is 301 Redirect Good for SEO?
Yes, 301 redirects are generally good for SEO as they permanently pass most of the link equity (PageRank) from the old URL to the new one, helping to maintain search rankings. However, they should be used sparingly to avoid issues like redirect chains or slowing down page load times.
3. Will a 301 Redirect Hurt my Website’s Rankings?
A properly implemented 301 redirect should not hurt your website’s rankings. It transfers around 90-99% of the original page’s link equity, ensuring that your new URL retains most of the SEO value. However, improper use (like creating redirect chains or loops) can negatively impact your site’s performance.