What a redirect chain is
A redirect chain happens when one URL points to another URL, which then points to another, and so on. One clean redirect is normal during a migration. Several redirects in a row can create performance and indexing problems.
What to look for
- HTTP to HTTPS redirects.
- Trailing slash or lowercase normalization.
- Old campaign URLs pointing through multiple steps.
- Redirect loops that never reach the final page.
- Canonical tags that disagree with the final URL.
Common mistakes
Teams often stack new redirects on top of old ones instead of updating the original rule. Another mistake is leaving sitemap URLs pointing to redirected pages.
FAQ
Are redirects bad?
No. Redirects are necessary when pages move. The problem is unnecessary chains, loops, or mismatched signals.
Should the sitemap contain redirected URLs?
No. List the final canonical URLs whenever possible.