A redirect chain is a sequence of multiple redirects that a user or search engine must go through before reaching the final destination URL. This can happen when multiple redirects are implemented in succession, rather than redirecting directly to the final destination URL.
A redirect chain, for instance, would resemble this:
- requests from users or search engines
- Redirecting to URL B from URL A
- URL B is changed to URL C.
- URL C leads to the destination’s final page. URL
Redirect chains may happen for several reasons, including:
- Redirects have not been updated to reflect the numerous moves of a page or resource.
- Redirects to a page or resource have been deleted, but they have not been taken down.
- Redirects to a website or resource that have been moved are still pointing at the previous or wrong location.
Redirect chains can have a detrimental effect on user experience and SEO in several ways:
Because each redirect in the chain must be processed before the user or search engine can access the final destination URL, they might increase the loading time of a webpage.
Users and search engines may find it challenging to understand the final destination URL as a result of this.
They may result in the loss of link juice because each redirect in the chain lessens the authority and relevance that the original URL sent down.
To avoid redirect chains, it’s critical to constantly review and update your redirects to make sure they are directing users to the most current and accurate location of a page or resource and that any redirects for defunct or deleted resources have been removed. 301 redirects should be used to point directly to the ultimate destination URL rather than to an intermediate URL and then to the final destination URL.
Additionally, using a tool to check your website for redirect chains is a smart idea. This can help you find any redirect chains that may be present and fix them by updating the redirects or removing them.
Redirect chains can occasionally occur accidentally as a result of employing a content management system (CMS) that generates redirects automatically whenever a page or resource is moved, without offering a method to update or delete the redirects.
It is advised to utilize a CMS that allows you to control redirects directly to prevent this or to use a plugin or extension that enables more effective redirect management.
The use of a caching plugin or Content Delivery Network (CDN) can also result in redirect chains and make it challenging to update or delete the redirects. Use a caching plugin or CDN with direct redirect management capabilities to prevent this.
In conclusion, redirect chains can hurt SEO and user experience, so it’s critical to regularly check and update your redirects to make sure they are pointing to the most current and accurate location of a page or resource and that redirect for deleted pages or resources are removed.