How to fix redirect chains
Each redirect adds a round trip before the page can load and leaks ranking signals along the way. Link straight to the final URL.
Step by step, with screenshots: 404 vs 410 vs redirect: what to do with removed pages →
Check your own site
Runs these 3 checks and the other 184, free, in about 45 seconds.
What a passing site looks like
- No redirects before the pagewarning · −4 ptseffort S
- The URL loads without a redirect chainwarning · −1.5 ptseffort M
- No link on the page goes through a redirectinfo onlyeffort S
1. Redirects before the page
Why it matters. Every redirect is a full round trip before the browser can even ask for the page. http → https → www → trailing slash can easily add a second on mobile.
- Link straight to the final URL everywhere (menus, ads, social profiles).
- Collapse chains: redirect http and non-www directly to the final https URL in one hop.
2. Redirect chains
Why it matters. Each redirect is a full round trip before the browser can start loading, often 100–300 ms on mobile. Search engines pass less value with every hop and stop following after a few.
- Point every old URL straight at the final one (a single 301), and update internal links to use the final URL directly.
- Look for rules that stack, for example http → https, then non-www → www, then trailing slash; combine them into one rule.
3. Links through redirects
Why it matters. Every redirected link costs visitors an extra round trip and passes slightly less ranking signal. Linking to the final URL is free.
- Update each link listed in the technical detail to its final URL.
- Search your templates and content for the old URLs after a domain, https or trailing-slash change.