Technical Seo
Redirect Chains
A sequence of multiple redirects between the original URL and the final destination (e.g., URL A redirects to B, which redirects to C, which redirects to D). Each hop adds latency and can dilute link equity.
Why Redirect Chains Matters for SEO
Google claims to follow up to 10 redirects in a chain, but each hop slows down crawling and may leak some link equity. For users, every redirect adds latency. Chains often accumulate over years of migrations and URL changes, creating a hidden drag on performance.
How Redirect Chains Works
Redirect chains form when you redirect a URL to another URL that's also redirected, without updating the original to point directly to the final destination. They commonly appear after multiple site migrations. The fix is simple: update all redirects to point directly to the final URL, eliminating intermediate hops.
Common Mistakes
- Not auditing redirects after each migration, letting chains accumulate
- Fixing chains by adding another redirect on top instead of updating the original
- Ignoring redirect chains because Google says it follows them, even though performance suffers
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