Short answer: A redirect chain is an address that redirects to another address that redirects again before the final page loads. Google follows up to 10 hops, but each hop is another trip across the network, so point every link and every redirect straight at the final address.
How Google handles a chain
By default, Google’s crawlers follow up to 10 redirect hops. Google ignores whatever the redirecting addresses send and processes the content of the final target.
A permanent redirect, a 301 or a 308, is a signal to Google that the target should be the canonical address. Google’s own advice is to use one when you’re sure the move won’t be reverted. A server-side redirect has the highest chance of being interpreted correctly by Google.
Why chains slow your pages down
Each redirect makes the browser send another request to the new location. Lighthouse notes that this extra trip can delay a page by hundreds of milliseconds, and it flags any page that needs two or more redirects. Since Lighthouse 13, that check lives in its Document request latency insight.
| Chain | How it looks | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol and www | http and www go to https, then to the address without www | One rule that sends every variant to the final address |
| Capitals and slash | The slash is added first, then the capitals are lowered | Lower the capitals and add the slash in one redirect |
| Site moves that pile up | An old address points to a page that was moved again | Point the old redirect at the final page |
| Links to old addresses | A menu or text link still uses an address that redirects | Change the link to the final address |
The chains and fixes are ours. The hop limit comes from Google Search Central, “How HTTP status codes affect Google’s crawlers”. The cost comes from Chrome for Developers, “Avoid multiple page redirects”. Both read November 3, 2026.
How to find and fix redirect chains
- List the addresses that redirect: old pages, http and www variants, and links on your own pages.
- Follow each one to the end, with your browser’s developer tools or a crawler, and count the hops.
- Point every redirect straight at the final address.
- Merge rules that run one after another into a single redirect.
- Update your internal links and your sitemap to the final address.
- Use a permanent redirect, a 301 or a 308, for moves you won’t undo.
- Follow the same addresses again after every site change, because new rules can stack on old ones.
Our guides to the 301 redirect and to HTTP status codes cover how to set up a redirect and what each code means.
The chains we found on our own site
On November 3 we followed 22 variants of our own addresses to the end. Typing a page with capital letters took 2 hops: WordPress first added the trailing slash and kept the capitals, then our own rule lowered them. With http://www. in front, it took 3.
We changed our rule so it lowers the capitals and adds the slash in one step. The same addresses now take 1 hop, or 2 with http://www., where the first is the server’s switch to https.
Following each address to the end also catches wrong destinations, not only long chains. A capitalized blog address landed on our Spanish home page instead of its article, because an old rule for our previous blog matched it first. It now reaches the article.
Before you call your redirects clean
- Every redirect goes straight to a page that loads.
- No redirect points at another redirect.
- http and www cost one hop, and capital letters one more at most.
- Your links and your sitemap use the final addresses.
- Permanent moves use a 301 or a 308.
- You test again after every change to your redirects.
RememberGoogle will follow a short chain, but every hop costs your visitors time. Fix the chain at its start: send the first address straight to the final page.
If you want us to follow your redirects and clean them up, see our technical SEO service.
Quick answers about redirect chains
How many redirects does Google follow?
Google’s crawlers stop after 10 redirect hops by default, and Googlebot generally follows 10 for web content. Other Google crawlers can have different limits, so a short path is the safe choice.
Is a single redirect bad for SEO?
No. A permanent redirect is the normal way to move a page, and Google uses it as a strong signal that the target should be processed. The cost comes from stacking several in a row.
Should my internal links point to redirected addresses?
No. Lighthouse’s advice is to point links straight at the current location, which saves every visitor the extra trip. Update your menus, your texts and your sitemap when an address changes.
Does the URL Inspection tool follow redirects?
No. Google says its Inspection Tools don’t follow redirects, so inspecting an old address won’t show the final page. Inspect the final address to see how Google reads it.
Is 308 better than 301?
For Google they work the same: both are permanent. Google still asks you to use the code that fits the move, so other clients, such as other search engines, read it correctly.
Sources
Read on November 3, 2026. Google Search Central: Redirects and Google Search and How HTTP status codes affect Google’s crawlers. Chrome for Developers: Avoid multiple page redirects. Our own case: 22 variants of our addresses, before and after our fix of November 3, 2026.