A redirect chain occurs when a URL redirects to a second URL, which then redirects to a third URL, creating a sequence of hops before the user or crawler reaches the final destination. For example: URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C.
Each redirect in a chain introduces latency and reduces the amount of link equity passed to the final destination. Google can follow redirect chains but crawls them less efficiently than direct URLs. For users, multiple redirects add measurable load time. Google recommends keeping redirect chains to a single hop where possible.
Redirect chains accumulate over time on sites that have gone through migrations, CMS changes, or URL restructuring without cleaning up old redirects. Screaming Frog’s redirect chain report is the fastest way to identify them at scale. The fix is straightforward: update each redirect to point directly to the final destination URL rather than through intermediate steps. On sites with hundreds of redirect chains, fixing them typically produces measurable improvements in crawl efficiency within weeks.
