# What is 301 redirect?

> A 301 redirect permanently sends visitors and search engines from an old web address to a new one, passing along most of the old page's search value.

- Source: https://nerdsharks.com/glossary/301-redirect
- Publisher: Nerdsharks (Exeter, Devon, UK)
- Updated: 2026-09-26

Also called: 301, permanent redirect, redirect, 302 redirect.

A redirect is an automatic forwarding instruction. 301 is the code for ‘moved permanently’. Anyone, or anything, visiting the old address is sent straight to the new one.

Google treats a 301 as a signal to replace the old address with the new one in its results, carrying over the page's standing in search. A 302 means ‘moved temporarily’ and is for short-term changes.

Redirects are essential when rebuilding a website, changing domain name or merging pages. Each old address should point to its closest new equivalent, not just to the homepage.

## Why it matters for a small business

Skipping redirects during a website rebuild is one of the most common ways small businesses lose search traffic they spent years earning. If anyone is rebuilding your site, ask them how the old addresses will be redirected before it goes live.

**Example:** A groomer changes domain from pawsandclaws.com to pawsandclawsbath.co.uk. 301 redirects send every old page to its matching new page, so existing Google listings and links keep working.