How Do I Use the "Permanent Redirect" Feature?

• Purpose: Preserving Link Juice
• Step-by-Step: Setting Up Custom Redirects
• Use Case: Consolidating Content
• Best Results: Avoiding Redirect Loops
• FAQ
• Disclaimer

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Permanent Redirect (technically known as a 301 Redirect) in Blogger is to guide both users and search engine crawlers from an old, defunct URL to a new, active one. In 2026, maintaining a clean link structure is vital for Search Engine Optimization. When you delete a post or change its permalink, the old URL results in a "404 Not Found" error, which frustrates visitors and signals poor site health to Google. By using a permanent redirect, you tell the 2026 search algorithms that the content has moved permanently, allowing you to transfer up to 99% of the link equity (ranking power) from the old page to the new one.

Step-by-Step: Configuring Custom Redirects

1. Access the Errors and Redirections Menu

Login to your Blogger Dashboard. On the left-hand sidebar, click Settings. Scroll down until you find the section labeled "Errors and redirections."

2. Open Custom Redirects

Click on the "Custom redirects" option. A pop-up window will appear. If you haven't created any redirects before, this list will be empty. Click the "ADD" button.

3. Input the Relative URLs

Blogger uses relative paths, meaning you do not need to type your full domain name.

• From: Enter the path of the old URL (e.g., /2024/05/old-post.html).
• To: Enter the path of the new destination (e.g., /p/new-resource.html).

4. Toggle the Permanent Switch

Look for the toggle switch labeled "Permanent." In 2026, you should almost always toggle this to ON if the old page is never coming back. This ensures that browsers and search engines cache the new location. Click OK.

5. Save and Test

Click SAVE at the bottom of the Settings page. To verify, open a new browser tab and type in your old URL. It should instantly forward you to the new destination. If it doesn't, clear your browser cache and try again.

Use Case

The Content Refurbisher:

An author on Indexof has an old guide about "Trust Wallet" from 2023 that ranks well but contains outdated info. They write a brand new, comprehensive 2026 guide on a different page. Instead of losing the traffic from the 2023 link, they use a Permanent Redirect to send all old visitors to the new, superior 2026 version, keeping their search rankings intact.

The Broken Link Fixer:

A blogger realizes they accidentally shared a link on social media with a typo in the URL (e.g., /crypto-tutrial.html). Instead of deleting the post and losing those social clicks, they create a redirect from the "typo" URL to the "correct" URL, ensuring every click still lands on their content.

Best Results

For the best results in 2026, never delete a post that has existing backlinks without setting up a redirect first. Check your "Top Pages" in Google Search Console to see which URLs are still receiving impressions. If you find high-impression URLs that are 404ing, prioritize those for redirects. Additionally, avoid "Redirect Chains" (Redirecting A to B, then B to C). In 2026, search bots may stop following a chain after two jumps, leading to a loss in crawl budget. Always redirect the original "From" URL directly to the final "To" destination.

FAQ

How many custom redirects can I add to Blogger?

Blogger currently allows for a maximum of 100 custom redirects. If you exceed this, you may need to consolidate your content or use a custom domain with advanced DNS-level forwarding.

What is the difference between Permanent and Temporary?

A Permanent (301) redirect tells Google to remove the old URL from the index. A Temporary (302) redirect tells Google to keep the old URL indexed because the move is only for a short time (e.g., during site maintenance).

Can I redirect to an external website?

Yes. In the "To" field, you can enter a full external URL (e.g., https://www.google.com) to send Blogger visitors to a completely different domain.

Disclaimer

Improperly configured redirects can cause "Redirect Loops" where a page tries to load itself infinitely, making your site inaccessible. Always double-check your paths before saving. Redirects are a powerful tool for maintaining site authority, but they should be used sparingly to keep the 2026 user experience fast and responsive. This tutorial is based on the Blogger dashboard architecture as of March 2026.

Tags: Blogger Custom Redirects, 301 Permanent Redirect, Fix 404 Errors Blogspot, Blogger SEO Tutorial