redirect chain
A redirect chain occurs when a URL redirects through multiple intermediate URLs before reaching the final destination.
A redirect chain occurs when a URL passes through two or more redirects before reaching the final destination. For example, URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C. Each hop in the chain is an additional HTTP request that adds latency and can cause problems for search engines.
Why redirect chains are a problem
Each redirect in a chain adds delay for users, typically 50 to 500 milliseconds per hop. More importantly, search engines may not follow chains beyond a certain number of redirects. Google has stated it will follow up to 10 redirects but recommends keeping chains to five or fewer.
Redirect chains also dilute link equity. While Google says link equity passes through 301 redirects, each hop introduces a small risk of signal loss. Chains that mix 301 (permanent) and 302 (temporary) redirects are especially problematic because they send conflicting signals about which URL should be indexed.
Common causes
- Site migrations where old redirects are not updated to point directly to new URLs
- Multiple rounds of URL restructuring without consolidating redirects
- CMS plugins or server rules that add unnecessary redirects (for example, HTTP to HTTPS followed by non-www to www)
How crawler.sh helps
Run crawler crawl to record the full redirect chain for every URL on your site. The crawler seo command analyzes the crawl data and flags redirect chains, redirect loops, and mixed redirect types. Use crawler info for a quick redirect audit summary showing how many pages involve redirects.
