Question 1

What is a redirect chain and why is it bad for SEO?

Accepted Answer

A redirect chain occurs when a URL redirects to another URL, which then redirects again (possibly multiple times) before reaching the final destination. Example: URL1 → URL2 → URL3 → Final. This is bad for SEO because: 1) Each hop adds 50-150ms latency, hurting Core Web Vitals (LCP, TTFB), 2) Link equity dilutes with each redirect (losing 10-15% per hop), 3) Googlebot may give up after 5 redirects and not index the final URL, 4) Wastes crawl budget on large sites. Google recommends 0-1 redirect maximum.

Question 2

How many redirects will Google follow?

Accepted Answer

Google's John Mueller confirmed that Googlebot will follow up to 5 redirects before giving up. However, best practice is 0-1 redirect maximum. Each additional hop in the chain adds latency and dilutes link equity. Studies show that pages with 3+ redirect hops receive 30-40% less crawl frequency and may lose significant rankings over time. Always redirect directly to the final destination URL.

Question 3

What's the difference between 301 and 302 redirects?

Accepted Answer

301 (Permanent Redirect) tells search engines the page has moved permanently and passes 90-99% of link equity to the new URL. Use for permanent URL changes, HTTPS migrations, or domain moves. 302 (Temporary Redirect) keeps the original URL indexed and passes minimal link equity - use only for A/B tests, maintenance pages, or truly temporary moves. Common mistake: using 302 when you mean 301, which prevents link equity transfer and can harm rankings. Check your redirects to ensure you're using the right type.

Question 4

How do redirect chains affect Core Web Vitals?

Accepted Answer

Redirect chains directly harm Core Web Vitals scores by increasing page load time. Each redirect hop adds 50-150ms to Time to First Byte (TTFB), which delays Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). A 3-hop redirect chain can add 300-450ms overhead, potentially failing Google's Core Web Vitals thresholds (LCP should be <2.5s, TTFB <600ms). This hurts rankings in Google's Page Experience signals. Fix by eliminating redirect chains and pointing URLs directly to final destinations. Use this tool to measure exact performance impact.

Question 5

Can I check multiple URLs for redirect chains at once?

Accepted Answer

Yes, use the Compare mode to check up to 2 URLs side-by-side and see which site has better redirect performance. This is perfect for competitive analysis - compare your site's redirect chains vs competitors to identify performance gaps. The tool shows visual flowcharts, exact hop counts, response times per redirect, and performance impact on Core Web Vitals. Ideal for site migrations, monitoring competitor sites, or auditing your own URLs for redirect issues.

Question 6

What causes redirect loops and how do I fix them?

Accepted Answer

Redirect loops occur when URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects back to URL A, creating an infinite loop. Common causes: 1) Conflicting .htaccess rules, 2) Plugin conflicts in WordPress, 3) HTTPS/non-HTTPS redirect errors, 4) Trailing slash mismatches (/page vs /page/). Browsers detect loops after 20+ redirects and show 'Too many redirects' errors. Fix by checking your .htaccess, Nginx config, or CDN rules for circular redirect logic. Use this tool to visualize the exact redirect path and identify where the loop occurs.

Question 7

Should I fix redirect chains during a site migration?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely critical. Site migrations are when redirect chains most commonly appear. Old redirects stack on top of new ones creating chains like: old-domain.com/page → new-domain.com/page-old → new-domain.com/page-final (3 hops). This kills migration SEO by diluting link equity, slowing page speed, and confusing Googlebot. Before launching a migration: 1) Audit all existing redirects, 2) Map old URLs directly to final new URLs (no chains), 3) Test redirect paths with this tool, 4) Update all redirects to point to final destinations. Saves 40-60% of your SEO value during migration.

Question 8

What HTTP status codes indicate redirects?

Accepted Answer

301 (Moved Permanently) - Permanent redirect, passes link equity. 302 (Found) - Temporary redirect, minimal link equity passed. 303 (See Other) - Redirect after POST request. 307 (Temporary Redirect) - HTTP/1.1 version of 302, preserves request method. 308 (Permanent Redirect) - Modern alternative to 301, preserves request method. For SEO, use 301 for permanent moves and 302 only for temporary situations. Avoid 303/307 unless technically necessary. Never use meta refresh or JavaScript redirects - they don't pass link equity and Google may not follow them.

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