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January 20, 2026

# 301 Redirect Chains for Beginners: The 5-Minute Primer

If you've never touched 301 redirect chains before, here's the version without the jargon.

Every extra hop in a redirect chain adds latency and dilutes link equity — Google has said it follows chains, but a 3+ hop chain is still a red flag worth fixing regardless of any ranking impact.

You don't need to understand everything about it on day one. Start with just this: point old URLs directly at the final destination — if A redirects to B which redirects to C, fix A to go straight to C.

The most common beginner mistake is skipping it entirely because it sounds technical. It usually isn't — 301 redirect chains is one of those things that looks intimidating from the outside and takes ten minutes once you actually sit down with it.

Once this feels comfortable, search intent is a natural next thing to learn.

Redirect Checker is the fastest way to see it in action on a real page.

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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