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Redirect answer

What does a redirect map include?

A direct answer explaining the fields, checks, and QA columns a migration-grade redirect map needs.

Short answer

A real redirect map includes every old URL, its final new URL, priority source, intended status, destination status, chain or loop check, canonical check, internal-link update status, and launch QA result. A two-column old-to-new spreadsheet is a start, not a migration-grade redirect map.

The old URL list should come from a crawl, sitemap, Search Console, analytics, backlinks, and CMS exports.

Every destination should be tested for 200 status, self-canonical behavior, indexability, and content match.

The map should separate must-preserve traffic URLs from low-value URLs, but it should not ignore the long tail.

Basic redirect sheet vs migration-grade map

OptionWhat it coversRisk to watch
Basic redirect sheetOld URL and new URL columns only.Misses chains, status mismatches, homepage catch-alls, and high-value old URLs.
Migration-grade redirect mapAdds source, priority, status, destination QA, canonical QA, chain checks, and implementation owner.Takes longer to build, but prevents silent traffic loss after launch.
Post-launch QA exportConfirms old URLs resolve to final canonical pages and records failures for the fix queue.Without this pass, teams assume redirects work because the rules were uploaded.

Minimum columns to include

  1. 1Old URL, new URL, redirect status, destination status, and final URL after redirects.
  2. 2Priority source: GSC clicks, GA4 sessions, backlinks, sitemap, product/category inventory, or manual page type.
  3. 3Content match note so old service, product, category, and article URLs do not all collapse to the homepage.
  4. 4Chain or loop status, canonical status, robots/noindex status, and internal-link update status.
  5. 5Owner, implementation status, QA date, and final launch result.

Official source checks

Google redirect guidanceUse this for permanent redirect behavior, temporary redirect behavior, and canonical signal transfer.Google site move guidanceUse this for old-to-new URL mapping, redirect deployment, and post-move monitoring.Search Console URL InspectionUse this to verify crawl, canonical, and indexability state for priority destinations.

Need the answer applied to your site?

SEOParity turns the crawl, Search Console, redirect, canonical, sitemap, schema, and analytics evidence into a developer-ready fix list.

Related SEOParity pages

Canonical issue worksheetUse this when the new URL exists but points canonical signals elsewhere.Internal linking after migrationUse this to update links after redirects are mapped.