Redirect Chain

A redirect chain occurs when there is a series of redirects from one URL to another on the site. In other words, instead of redirecting directly from URL A to URL C, it goes through an intermediate URL B. This can happen when multiple changes are made to a URL over time and previous redirects are not updated.

Chains of redirects can have negative effects on site performance and user experience: for example, they can slow down page load time, since the browser has to follow each step of the redirect before reaching the final page; they can dilute link juice, since not all link value is passed through multiple redirects but is dispersed in the various “hops.”

A special case of the redirect chain is the redirect loop, which occurs when one redirect leads to another that in turn leads back to the first, creating an infinite loop. This can prevent users and search engines from accessing the page, causing serious usability and SEO problems.

To avoid these problems, it is important to manage redirects properly, ensuring that each URL redirects directly to its final location and that no redirect loops exist.