You Just Moved One Page — Why Did Sales Drop?
When you reorganise your menu or redesign your website, page addresses (URLs) often change. The trouble starts when a customer who remembered the old link — or clicked through from Google or another site — lands on a 'Page Not Found (404)' screen. They simply close the tab, and the search ranking you worked so hard to build crumbles with it.
The fix is 301 redirects and proper broken link management.
What Is a 301 Redirect?
A 301 redirect is a signpost that tells browsers and Google, 'This address has permanently moved over here.'
- Keeps the customer experience smooth: visitors to the old URL are automatically sent to the new page
- Transfers your SEO value: the ranking power and backlinks of the old page pass to the new address
- Different from 302 (temporary): use 301 for permanent moves, 302 only for short-term detours
For example, if you changed /menu-old to /menu, set a 301 from /menu-old → /menu.
How to Find Broken Links (404s)
- Google Search Console: check the 'Pages' report for URLs flagged as 404
- Free tools: run a full-site scan with Broken Link Checker or Screaming Frog
- Fix internal links first: sort out wrongly linked pages within your own site before anything else
Action Checklist
- Before a redesign, list all existing URLs first
- Map a 301 redirect for every URL that changes
- After launch, check Search Console for 404s regularly
- Avoid stacking redirects on top of each other (redirect chains)
- Send any truly dead URL to a well-designed 404 page
One small habit of maintenance protects both your hard-earned rankings and your customers.
When PICKTECH builds or redesigns a website, we migrate every old URL with a 301 redirect and check for broken links. If you need a move that doesn't cost you rankings, get in touch at picktech.au.