How to Redirect an Old Site to a New One (301)

Redirecting an old site to a new one is done with a 301 (permanent) redirect, page by page, rather than a single blanket redirect to the homepage. A 301 tells search engines the change is final, which transfers most of the acquired SEO value to the new URLs — unlike a 302 (temporary) redirect, which doesn't produce that effect.

The real problem: redirecting without losing what you've built

A site that has built up content, inbound links, and Google rankings over time represents SEO capital that's hard to rebuild. A poorly executed redirect (a 302 instead of a 301, a blanket redirect to the homepage, or no redirect at all) can wipe out a large part of that capital overnight, forcing you to start nearly from scratch on the new site's rankings.

The most common mistake is treating the redirect as a minor technical detail to handle after the new site goes live. In practice, the redirect strategy needs to be prepared before the switch, with a precise mapping between every old URL and its equivalent on the new site.

301 vs 302: a difference that changes everything for SEO

• 301 redirect (permanent): tells search engines the URL has changed for good. Google transfers the ranking associated with the old URL to the new one and updates its index progressively. This is the redirect to use for any permanent change of site, domain, or URL structure.
• 302 redirect (temporary): signals a provisional change. Google keeps the old URL in its index and doesn't transfer the ranking. Useful for a page under maintenance or a temporary test, but a frequent and costly mistake when used by error for a permanent change.

Using a 302 instead of a 301 is one of the most common mistakes made during a site migration, often without the project owner even realizing it until traffic starts dropping.

The redirect process, step by step

1. List every URL of the old site, via a CMS export, an existing sitemap, or a crawling tool if the sitemap is no longer available.
2. Build a precise mapping between each old URL and its new equivalent on the target site, page by page.
3. Identify pages with no direct equivalent on the new site, and redirect them to the closest content page by topic, rather than defaulting to the homepage.
4. Set up the 301 redirects in the server configuration or via a dedicated CMS module.
5. Test every redirect before going fully live, checking that it points to the right destination and returns a 301 status code (verifiable with an HTTP header analysis tool).
6. Update the new site's XML sitemap and submit it to Google Search Console.
7. Monitor 404 errors in Search Console in the weeks following launch, to catch any URLs missed during the migration.
8. Keep the redirects in place for the long term, ideally indefinitely, since external links or bookmarks keep pointing to the old addresses long after the change.

The mistakes that cost you SEO

• Redirecting every old URL to a single homepage on the new site, which dilutes or cancels out the page-by-page transfer of SEO value.
• Using a 302 redirect instead of a 301 for a permanent change.
• Forgetting to redirect deep pages (blog posts, product pages) by only handling the main pages.
• Removing redirects too soon after the migration, before search engines and visitors have fully switched over.
• Creating chains of multiple redirects (page A to B to C), which slow down load times and dilute the SEO transfer.

Checking that the redirect works correctly

Once redirects are in place, a few simple checks confirm the migration is going smoothly:

• Type each main old URL into a browser and confirm it lands on the right page of the new site.
• Use an HTTP header checking tool to confirm the status code is 301 (not 200, 302, or 404).
• Track organic traffic over the following weeks: a temporary dip is normal while reindexing happens, but a sharp, sustained drop signals a redirect problem.
• Check in Search Console that the new URLs are indexed and that the old ones show a recognized redirect rather than an error.

What to remember

• A 301 (permanent) redirect transfers your SEO value, unlike a 302 (temporary) redirect, which doesn't.
• Redirecting page by page, not just to the homepage, better preserves both SEO and user experience.
• Redirects should be tested before going live and kept in place for the long term after the migration.
• A temporary dip in organic traffic after a migration is normal; a prolonged drop signals a redirect issue to fix.
• Avoid chains of multiple redirects, which slow down the site and dilute the SEO transfer.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect? A 301 signals a permanent change and transfers the SEO value to the new URL. A 302 signals a temporary change and doesn't transfer the SEO value.

Do you lose SEO ranking when redirecting a site? A well-executed 301 done page by page transfers most of the SEO value. A temporary dip is common while Google reindexes, before stabilizing over several weeks to a few months.

Should every page be redirected individually? Yes, this is strongly recommended over a blanket redirect to the homepage, to preserve the ranking specific to each page.

How long should redirects stay in place? Ideally indefinitely, or at least several years, since old links or bookmarks keep pointing to the old URLs long after the change.

In summary

A well-prepared 301 redirect, done page by page, is what separates a successful site migration from an avoidable loss of SEO ranking. The real work lies in the precise mapping between old and new URLs, not just in the redirect technique itself. The VeryAppi subscription website plan includes technical support for these migrations without any loss of SEO ranking.