Short links, affiliate links, old URLs and marketing campaign links often pass through several redirects before reaching the final page. Each hop adds delay, and the wrong type of redirect can lose ranking value. I once found an affiliate link that went through five redirects before landing on a product that no longer existed. The link looked fine in the article but was earning nothing.
What is a redirect
A redirect sends a visitor and search engines from one URL to another. The most common types are:
- 301 Moved Permanently: the page has moved for good and link value passes to the new URL
- 308 Permanent Redirect: similar to 301
- 302 Found and 307 Temporary Redirect: a temporary move, often used for testing or campaigns
What our checker shows
The Link Redirect Checker follows a link hop by hop and shows:
- Every hop with its status code
- The next location for each redirect
- Response time for each hop
- Checks for redirect loops, chain length, temporary redirects and the final status
How to use it
- Open the Link Redirect Checker.
- Paste any link, short link or old URL.
- Click Check Redirects.
- Review the chain and the final destination.
When redirects become a problem
- Long chains: more than one or two hops slow pages and waste crawl budget.
- Loops: a URL that eventually redirects back to itself never loads.
- Temporary redirects for permanent moves: use 301 when a page has moved for good so link value passes properly.
- Redirects to irrelevant pages: sending old product URLs to the homepage can be treated like a soft 404.
Fixing redirect chains
Update links on your site to point directly to the final URL. Then update the redirect rules so every old URL goes straight to the final destination in one hop. If you changed domains or switched to HTTPS, old redirects often stack up, for example http to https to www to a new slug. Collapse them into one step.
Check links you receive too
When another site links to you through an old URL, check that the redirect is a single clean 301. This protects the value of that backlink. Run your important old URLs through the checker after any site migration. For checking many URLs at once, use the HTTP Status Code Checker.
A migration checklist
When you move to a new domain or new URL structure, list your twenty most important old URLs, including pages with the most backlinks. After the move, run each one through the checker. Every old URL should reach the right new page in one 301 hop and end with status 200. Fix anything that lands on the homepage, returns 404 or passes through several hops. This simple check protects years of earned rankings during the most risky moment in a website's life.
Redirects and marketing links
Marketing teams often create short links for social media, QR codes and printed brochures. These usually pass through a link shortener before reaching your site. Test every printed QR code and campaign link before it goes out. Once a brochure is printed, you cannot fix a broken link on paper, but you can make sure the redirect behind it works for years.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 301 redirect lose ranking value
Modern search engines pass most value through a proper 301, but chains and loops can still cause problems.
Why does my link use a 302
Many shorteners and campaign tools default to 302. Change it to 301 if the move is permanent.
Can I check affiliate links
Yes. It is a great way to confirm affiliate links still land on a working product page.
Trace any link now with the free Link Redirect Checker.