How to Set Up 301 Redirects in Shopify? Benefits & Best Practices

Let’s say you have just redesigned your Shopify store–a complete design overhaul. That means a new home page, product pages, info resources, and everything else. But your site visitors and shoppers are still visiting the older links, leading them to dead ends and hurting your search rankings. That’s where 301 redirects come in.

You can implement 301 redirects in Shopify to guide users and search engines from outdated links to the correct pages. It helps preserve the search value and improves the user experience.

In this blog, I’ll share how Shopify expert developers change URLs using 301 redirects. You’ll also learn how to keep your store working well for both Google and your customers. Let’s get started.

What is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is a permanent server-side redirect. It automatically sends users (and search engines) from an old URL to a new one. When implemented correctly, it passes most of the original page’s search value to the new destination. That’s why it’s a key implementation along with the Shopify SEO strategies.

Let’s say you rename a product page or restructure your Shopify store. Then, a 301 redirect ensures customers who click an old link land on the right page instead of seeing a 404 error. Search engines like Google also recognize this signal, so your rankings are good during site changes.

But don’t confuse the 301 redirects with 302 redirects. One signals a permanent move while the other signals a temporary one. Let us help you differentiate.

301 Redirect vs 302 Redirect

When moving or updating URLs in Shopify, choosing the right redirect type is crucial for search and user experience.

Factor	301 Redirect	302 Redirect
Purpose	Used when a page has permanently moved to a new URL.	Used when a page is temporarily relocated (e.g., A/B testing, promotions, or maintenance).
SEO Impact	Passes 90-100% of link equity to the new page, helping preserve search rankings.	Does not pass full link equity—Google keeps indexing the original URL.
Use Case	Ideal for rebranding, site migrations, or permanent URL changes (e.g., /old-product → /new-product).	Best for short-term changes where the original URL will be reused.

With respect to Shopify, it’ll be better to use 301 redirects. Then permanent changes won’t affect the search value. Misusing 302s can delay rankings recovery.

When our Shopify development company redesigns a store, setting up 301 redirects is among the key tasks.

How to Set Up 301 Redirects in Shopify?

With Shopify, there are two ways to redirect the old URLs to new ones. The platform lets you set it up through the menu itself. Let’s look at these two approaches.

Create New Redirects

Step 1: Log in to the Shopify admin dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to ‘Content’ in the sidebar menu and then click on ‘Menus’.

Step 3: On top of the “Menus” screen, click ‘URL redirects’. That will open a dedicated screen for redirects.

Step 4: Click ‘Create URL redirect’. That will open a section where you can update the ‘before’ and ‘after’ links.

Step 5: In the field labeled ‘Redirect from’, enter the previous URL. Make sure you only include the page path (for example, /shop/shoes) rather than the complete URL.

Step 6: In the field labeled ‘Redirect to’, enter the new URL. Include the complete URL.

Step 7: After entering the links, click ‘Save redirect’.

You can repeat this process for as many links as you would like.

Import Redirects List to Shopify

This process shown above involves creating the redirects one by one, which may take time. But there’s a way to cut the process time by importing the redirect links in bulk.

Step 1: Download the Shopify redirects sample file. List all redirects you want to execute with proper formatting.

Step 2: Again, navigate to ‘Content’ in the sidebar menu and then click on ‘Menus’.

Step 3: Click and open the ‘URL redirects’ menu.

Step 4: Now, click ‘Import URL redirects’. That will open a popup to add the CSV file.

Step 5: On the popup, click ‘Add file’ and upload the CSV file you downloaded earlier.

If and when asked, review the URL redirects to ensure everything is pointing to the right links.

Step 6: After you are satisfied, click ‘Import redirects’.

And that’s it; your site visitors and shoppers (along with the search engines) will be pointed to the right location. Seeing these two easy approaches, you can understand why Shopify is one of the best eCommerce platforms for SEO.

Best Practices for 301 Redirects in Shopify

Properly managing 301 redirects is crucial for maintaining search rankings and delivering a seamless user experience. Here are a few practices to ensure your redirects work effectively:

Redirect to the Most Relevant Page

Always send users to a page that closely matches the original content. If you discontinued a product, redirect to a similar item or category, not just the homepage. This maintains a good user experience and helps search engines understand the relationship between pages, preserving SEO value.

Keep Redirect Chains Short

Multiple redirects in a row (A → B → C) slow down page loading and dilute SEO value. Where possible, update old redirects to point directly to the final URL. Shopify’s redirect tool lets you edit existing redirects to fix chains.

Update Internal Links Where Possible

Instead of relying solely on redirects, update links in your menus, product descriptions, and blog posts to point directly to the new URLs. This reduces server requests and creates a cleaner, faster experience for visitors.

Monitor for Broken Redirects

Over time, redirected pages might get moved or deleted again. Use tools like Google Search Console or Shopify’s link checker to find broken redirects. Fix them promptly to avoid frustrating visitors and losing SEO rankings.

Preserve Query Parameters (If Needed)

If your old URLs had tracking tags (like ?utm_source=email), ensure your redirects carry them over or at least land on a relevant page. Otherwise, marketing data and user sessions might break. Shopify allows wildcard redirects for this.

Test Before and After Implementation

Before finalizing redirects, test them in an incognito browser to ensure they work. After applying, check Google Search Console for errors. Misconfigured redirects can hurt rankings, so verification is key.

Avoid Mass Redirects to the Homepage

Redirecting many old pages to your homepage looks spammy to search engines and confuses visitors. Instead, find the closest matching page or return a 410 (Gone) status for deleted products with no replacement.

Document Your Redirects

Keep a spreadsheet of old and new URLs, especially after a site migration. This helps track changes, troubleshoot issues, and maintain consistency if multiple team members manage the store. Shopify’s export feature makes this easy.

Regularly audit your store and keep track of the redirects–see if all are working as you intended.

Benefits of 301 Redirects in Shopify Stores

Shopify 301 redirects do more than just forward visitors—they protect your store’s SEO health and customer experience during changes. Here are a few benefits:

Preserves Search Rankings

A 301 redirect transfers your page’s SEO power to the new URL, preventing ranking drops when content moves. Google treats it as a permanent change, maintaining your visibility.

Enhances User Experience

No more dead-end 404 errors. Visitors automatically reach the right page, keeping navigation smooth and reducing frustration when you update products or collections.

Safeguards Marketing Efforts

Protects your ad spend and email campaigns by ensuring old links still work. Customers always land where you want them, preserving conversion paths.

Supports Site Migrations & Rebrands

Essential for redesigns or domain changes. 301s seamlessly guide visitors and search engines to your new pages, making transitions invisible to users.

Improves Crawl Efficiency

Helps search engines quickly discover and index your new content by eliminating dead links. A cleaner site structure means better crawling and faster indexing.

To ensure the best of this strategy, combine 301 redirects with updated internal links and a smart 404 strategy. Plus, you can consult with our Shopify professionals to ensure every strategy is executed to the tee.

FAQs on 301 Redirects in Shopify

Let’s Summarize

301 redirects are a simple yet powerful tool in SEO-friendly and user-focused Shopify stores. With proper implementation, you can preserve hard-earned rankings and maintain a seamless browsing experience. And you can avoid frustrating dead ends for visitors.

Remember

• Use 301s for permanent moves.
• Keep redirects relevant and clean.
• Monitor and audit regularly.

Well-planned redirects can help you with rebranding, restructuring, or simply optimizing the store. So take time to set them up right. And for the best results, connect with our experts today!