Permanent and temporary moves
Use a permanent redirect when an old page has been replaced at a new address and you intend the new URL to remain. A temporary redirect is for a move you expect to reverse.
Google uses redirect type as a signal when choosing which URL to show. Its redirect documentation explains permanent and temporary methods. The visible destination alone does not tell you which status the server returned.
A simple website change
Suppose a bakery renames its custom-cake page and gives it a clearer URL. The old address may still be in emails, bookmarks or articles. A permanent redirect to the replacement helps those visitors reach the same service.
Before changing the address, record the old and new URLs. Check that the replacement contains the information people expected from the old page. Update your own menus and article links to use the new address directly.
Changing a URL just to add more keywords may create unnecessary maintenance. Make sure the move has a useful purpose first.
Choose a relevant destination
Do not send every removed page to the homepage automatically. A person opening an old wedding-cake link expects wedding-cake information, not a general introduction with no obvious next step.
If several pages are genuinely consolidated into one complete guide, that guide may be a suitable destination. If nothing equivalent exists, a proper not-found response can be more honest than sending visitors somewhere unrelated.
A canonical tag is different: it suggests a preferred version but does not transport the visitor.
Check the route after implementation
- Open the old address and confirm the final destination.
- Check the HTTP status using browser developer tools or an HTTP checker.
- Look for loops or a chain of several unnecessary moves.
- Confirm the destination loads successfully on mobile.
- Update internal links and the sitemap where appropriate.
Ask your developer to test representative URLs before applying a broad rule. Similar-looking paths can belong to different services, so a pattern that works for one page may be wrong for another.
Keep a redirect record
Maintain a simple list of old URL, new URL, status and reason. It helps the next person understand the move and prevents an old rule being removed without considering who still uses it.
After a launch, review reported errors and customer feedback. A successful homepage test does not establish that older product and article links work. Check important individual pages too.
Continue with internal linking to keep navigation current, and crawling and indexing to understand how search systems process changes.