Google’s Gary Illyes Advises Using 301 Redirects for URLs with Close-to 1:1 Match, Regardless of Language

Google’s Gary Illyes recently shared advice on Mastodon about 301 redirecting URLs. He recommended using 301 redirects when there is a “close-to 1:1 match” between two URLs, even if the language of the content does not match. Illyes added that for everything else, it is best to use 404s.

Illyes emphasized that he loves “deleting stuff,” which may be relevant when deciding to pull out of a region and no longer needing to translate specific pages. In this case, a close 1:1 match on URL A and URL B can be 301 redirected, even if URL A is in French and URL B is in English.

This advice aligns with how localization and hreflang works. While hreflang is not a ranking factor, it helps Google understand that a page in English is the same as a French page but in a different language. Therefore, it may make sense to 301 redirect those pages, even if they are not in the same language, if they are no longer needed.

Discussion on Mastodon