How many redirects are too many?

[KevinBudzynski]

A couple will be fine. Anything more than that may be problematic. In 2011, Matt Cutts stated anything more than five and Googlebot will not follow it.

[MonicaOConnor]

It depends on how the redirects are done. If you do them in the htaccess file and they are dynamic, not manual, you can have thousands. What Kevin is referring to is how many times can you redirect the same page. You can't redirect page 1 to page 2 to page 3 to page 4 then to page 5. But you can redirect multiple pages on you site.

I understand from your previous post you are talking about your blog. You will be fine redirecting these URLs to static URLs. Do them through the HTAccess file. After about 6 months the old URLs should have fallen off and been removed from the index so you can move the 301 redirects. If anything gets missed you will find it in your GWT 404 errors.

[DonnaDuncan]

Agree with Monica with a clarification. You shouldn't REmove the the 301 redirects after 6 months if there are incoming links to the old / dynamic URLs UNLESS you've been in touch with link owners and they have agreed to change the link to point to the new permanent URL.

And as Monica states, it's always a good idea to keep your eye on your GWT for 404 errors for any you may have missed.

[TheeDigital]

It would be best practice to update the old redirects to the new structure as well.

[Alick300]

Hi,

I am quoting you

"I currently have a dynamic site and it is my understanding that switching to a static site would be beneficial. "

My answer would be you can do url rewriting because our purpose to be have static URL e.g  example.com/blue-widget not example.com&blue?widget

"I already have some 301's in place from when my site had a .php extension to the new extension now with ./?... etc"

I would not suggest that first of all I don't understand why do you want to redirect from.php to extension with parameters.

How many redirects are too many?

There is no limit but if you are doing chain redirect 2-3 max would be fine not more that that. To more info please watch Matt cutts video on this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1lVPrYoBkA#t=198

Thanks

[rankmenow]

Hi Monica,

What is my GWT?  (I'm not a developer.)

With regards to the redirects, I am referring to Page 1 redirecting to Page 2 then redirecting to Page 3.

Story,

Site was first BASIC static, which was great. Then I was told upgrade it., so I upgraded to somewhat dynamic. (so now Page 1 now redirecting to New Page 1).

Then told, site needs to be upgraded again - guess what, this changes my extension again - wasn't told that was going to happen. So now I need to have old Page 1  redirecting to New Page 1, now re-redirect to newer Page 1 - because these two pages previous pages are indexed and getting a little link juice.  NOW, I realize I should have stayed static and never gone dynamic; however, with switching back to static, it won't be the same extension as the first static site   Hence, Page 1 now redirecting to New Page 1 to Newer Page and Re Re Redirecting to newest Page 1 because all of the above pages are indexed.

Do I just say FORGET IT, and scratch it all and let me get indexed as site gets crawled, because with all the 'updates' and 'upgrades' I supposedly needed (which I now know I didn't) all of my pages have fallen off of Google Page 1 and I'm lucky with anything is even on Page 2 or 3.

THANK YOU Again!!

[rankmenow]

Hi Richard,

Can you elaborate?  I don't know what you mean.

Thank you,

Sandra

[rankmenow]

Thank you - that helps!  

Sincerely,

Sandra

[TheeDigital]

Based on your clarification above about the redirects, you are okay leaving it as is, as long as everything is redirecting properly. It would still be best practice to change the redirects from page 1 > page 3 and page 2 > page 3, so all old redirects point to their newer counterparts.

[MonicaOConnor]

I agree with Richard, based on your explanation, this is the proper way to do the 301 redirects. Your plan will work just fine.

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