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February 24, 2026

# How to Use Redirect Checker the Right Way (2026)

Getting 301 redirect chains right isn't complicated, but it does have a correct order of operations — skip a step and the rest of the work doesn't hold up as well.

Start here:
1. Point old URLs directly at the final destination — if A redirects to B which redirects to C, fix A to go straight to C.
2. Use 301 (permanent) for URLs that have moved for good, and 302 (temporary) only for genuinely short-term changes like A/B tests.
3. Audit redirects after every site migration or URL restructuring — this is when chains and loops get introduced, almost always by accident.
4. Check redirects on both www and non-www, and http and https, versions of every URL — inconsistency here silently splits your link equity.

Once that's in place, the real value comes from doing it consistently rather than once. Redirect Checker is one of those tasks that pays off more from a regular check-in than from a single perfect pass.

A mistake worth calling out specifically: Redirecting an entire old site to the new homepage instead of the closest equivalent page, which throws away targeted relevance for every migrated URL. This is common enough that it's worth a deliberate check, not just an assumption that it isn't happening.

This pairs naturally with Keyword Density Checker best practices — the two are frequently part of the same technical SEO pass, and fixing one without the other leaves an easy win on the table.

Redirect Checker does the mechanical part of this for you — the judgment calls above still matter, but the setup and checking becomes a couple of minutes' work instead of a spreadsheet.

Try Redirect Checker yourself

Everything in this guide runs directly in your browser — no signup, no install.

Open Redirect Checker →
More on 301 redirect chains
The 301 Redirect Chains Checklist: What to Verify Before You Publish
A short, practical checklist for 301 redirect chains — the things worth checking every time, not just the first time.
Redirect Checker vs. Doing It by Hand: Is It Worth Switching?
A practical look at what Redirect Checker actually saves you over doing 301 redirect chains manually, and when manual still makes sense.
301 Redirect Chains FAQ: Questions People Actually Ask
Straight answers to the questions that come up most often about 301 redirect chains.
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