Can You Remove or Reverse a 301 Redirect?

Sometimes, you may need to change the location of certain information on your website. Maybe you need to reorganize your site’s structure, update old content, or migrate to a new domain. In these cases, setting up a 301 redirect ensures visitors and search engines are directed to the new location.

But what if you need to reverse a 301 redirect? If you need to restore original content, you may need to remove a 301 redirect. Here’s what you need to know about how to remove or reverse a 301 redirect.

Terms to Know

Before we dive into 301 redirects, here are some important technical SEO terms to know:

• HTTP status code: A server response code that indicates the status of a web page request
• Critical pages: Key web pages on a site that are crucial for user navigation and SEO performance
• Google Search Console: A free tool provided by Google that helps website owners monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot their site’s presence in Google search results

What is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is an HTTP status code used to indicate that a web page has permanently moved to a new location. It’s a permanent redirect that tells search engines and browsers that the original page URL should be replaced by the new one.

In simple terms, if you’ve moved a page from “oldpage.html” to “newpage.html,” setting up a 301 redirect from the original URL to the new URL ensures that anyone who tries to visit the old page is automatically sent to the new page. It’s a way to point internal links that have changed to the new location so users can still access them, kind of like having your mail forwarded to your new address when you move.

The Purpose of a 301 Redirect

What is the purpose of a 301 redirect? It actually serves several purposes, both for SEO and user experience:

• Preserve SEO Value: When you change the URL of a web page, a 301 redirect helps preserve the SEO value accumulated by the original page. This is important because a strong SEO value affects search engine positioning (the position where the page shows up in Google Chrome and other search engines).
• Enhance User Experience: Redirects make sure users don’t land on a broken or non-existent page, which can lead to frustration and increased bounce rates. Instead, they’re automatically sent to the redirected page.
• Consolidate Content: If you have multiple pages with similar content, a 301 redirect can help consolidate them into a single, more authoritative page so search engines aren’t confused about which pages to rank for that particular content.
• Facilitate Site Restructuring: During site redesigns or migrations, 301 redirects help ensure that your internal links and external links continue to function properly.

Reasons for Reversing a 301 Redirect

There are several reasons you might consider reversing or removing a 301 redirect:

• Content Reinstatement: If you decide to bring back the original content that was previously redirected, you might need to remove the 301 redirect.
• Incorrect Redirect Implementation: Sometimes, redirects are set up incorrectly, so you might need to reverse them to point internal links to the right place.
• SEO Strategy Changes: Changes in your organic SEO strategy might require adjustments to your redirects to optimize link juice and improve your site’s internal linking structure.
• Page Consolidation Adjustments: If you originally consolidated content but now want to separate it again, you might need to reverse the 301 redirects.

What is the Impact of Removing a 301 Redirect?

Removing a 301 redirect can have a significant impact—both positive and negative—on your website’s SEO and user experience. Here’s are a few things to consider before taking this step:

• SEO Implications: Reversing a 301 redirect can lead to a temporary loss in search engine rankings as search engines need to re-crawl and re-index the pages.
• User Experience: Users who bookmarked the old URL or have it saved in their browser history might encounter a 404 error (page not found) if the redirect is removed.
• Traffic Fluctuations: Expect some changes in traffic as search engines and users adjust. This is usually temporary, however.

How to Remove 301 Redirect

Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to remove a 301 redirect in three difference scenarios. Keep in mind, though, that if you’re unfamiliar with technical SEO practices you may want to consult a professional before beginning the process.

1. Full Reverse of a Single Page

To fully reverse a 301 redirect for a single page, follow these steps:

1. Find the Redirect: Use Google Chrome’s Developer Tools to inspect your site and locate the redirect rule in your server files.
2. Edit the File: Open this file using a text editor or your web hosting control panel.
3. Remove the Rule: Delete the line that has the 301 redirect rule.
4. Save the File: Save the file after making the changes.
5. Clear Cache: Clear your browser and server cache to see the changes.
6. Check: Visit the old URL to make sure it now shows the original page.
7. Update XML Sitemap: Remove the old redirect URL and re-add the original URL to your XML sitemap.
8. Resubmit to Search Engines: Submit the updated sitemap in Google Search Console to prompt search engines to re-crawl the original page.

2. Reverse a Single Page But Keep Both

To reverse a 301 redirect and keep both the old and new pages live:

1. Find the Redirect: Use Google Chrome’s Developer Tools to inspect your site and locate the redirect rule in your server files.
2. Edit the File: Open the file using a text editor or your web hosting control panel.
3. Remove the Rule: Delete the 301 redirect rule for the old URL.
4. Save the File: Save the changes to the file.
5. Restore the Old Page: Make sure the old page is still available on your server.
6. Clear Cache: Clear your browser and server cache.
7. Check: Visit both the old and new URLs to ensure they both work.
8. Update XML Sitemap: Ensure both the old and new URLs are listed in your XML sitemap.
9. Resubmit to Search Engines: Submit the updated sitemap in Google Search Console to ensure search engines recognize both URLs.

3. Reverse a Domain Change

To reverse a 301 redirect for an entire domain change, follow these steps:

1. Find the Redirect: Use Google Chrome’s Developer Tools to inspect your site and locate the redirect rule in your server files or domain settings.
2. Edit the File: Open the file or access your domain settings.
3. Remove the Rule: Delete the 301 redirect rule that points the old domain to the new domain.
4. Save Changes: Save the file or update your domain settings.
5. Update DNS: If necessary, update your DNS settings to point back to the old domain’s server.
6. Clear Cache: Clear browser and server caches.
7. Check: Visit the old domain to ensure it’s back to showing the original content.
8. Update XML Sitemap: Update your XML sitemap to reflect the URLs of the original domain.
9. Resubmit to Search Engines: Submit the updated sitemap in Google Search Console and other search engines to inform them of the domain reversion and to prompt them to re-crawl your site.

Potential Issues and How to Avoid Them

Reversing a 301 redirect can come with some challenges. Here are some potential issues and how to avoid them:

• SEO Downtime: There might be a temporary drop in SEO rankings. To mitigate this, make sure to submit critical pages for re-indexing.
• Broken Links: Removing redirects can lead to broken links. Use a site crawler to identify and fix these issues promptly.
• User Confusion: Users might encounter 404 errors. Consider setting up a custom 404 page to guide users to the correct content.

Monitoring and Testing After Removal

After removing a 301 redirect, make sure to monitor and test your website to ensure everything is functioning correctly:

• Google Search Console: Check for any crawl errors or issues with re-indexing your pages.
• Analytics Tools: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor traffic and identify any significant changes or drops.
• Manual Testing: Regularly test your site manually to ensure that users are being directed to the correct pages.

SEO Considerations When Reversing a 301 Redirect

SEO should always be top of mind when making changes to your redirects. Removing a 301 redirect can impact the link juice transferred from the old page to the new one. Ensure that high-value links are redirected correctly.

You should also make sure to adjust your internal links to point to the correct URLs to maintain SEO value. Reach out to websites with backlinks to update their links to the correct URL, and be sure to submit the updated URLs to search engines for re-indexing using Google Search Console.

Tools and Resources for Managing Redirects

Managing redirects effectively requires the right tools and resources. Here are some recommendations:

• Google Search Console: Use the “URL Inspection” tool to check the status of your redirects.
• Screaming Frog: Scan your entire site to identify broken links and redirect issues.
• Yoast SEO: Easily manage redirects within WordPress without editing server files.

Best Practices for Redirect Management

It’s best practice to only use 301 redirects for permanent moves. However, if you do have to reverse or remove a 301 redirect, make sure to plan ahead, especially during site migrations or redesigns.

Conduct regular audits of your redirects to identify and fix any issues, and try to avoid creating complex redirect chains, as they can slow down your website and confuse search engines.

While it IS possible to remove or reverse a 301 redirect, it requires careful planning and execution to avoid potential mistakes. If this isn’t your area of expertise, consider consulting with an SEO professional to assist you through the process.