Why audit HTTP redirect chains?
Redirect chains and infinite loops consume search engine crawl budget, increase page load latency, and can lead to lost organic SEO rankings.
Types of HTTP Redirections
- 301 Moved Permanently: Permanent redirect. Passes link equity (PageRank) to the destination URL.
- 302 Found / 307 Temporary: Temporary redirect. Useful for maintenance, A/B testing, or seasonal landing pages.
- 308 Permanent Redirect: Permanent redirect maintaining HTTP method (POST remains POST).
Best Practices for Clean Redirect Chains
Always point internal links and canonical tags directly to the final destination URL (200 OK) without intermediate 301 hops. This minimizes latency on mobile networks and maximizes crawl efficiency.