Start With the WordPress Plugin That Will Import Your Redirects
There is no universal WordPress redirect CSV format. The receiving plugin determines column names, redirect types and import behavior. Rank Math PRO documents an importer with lowercase, case-sensitive column headings including source, destination and type. The Redirection plugin instead documents source-and-target rows with optional regex and HTTP-code fields.
Identify the importer, export a sample when possible and preserve your original redirect map. An importer-specific sample is the safest reference for the final column layout.
Three Different Questions a Redirect CSV Review Should Answer
The embedded tool’s exact supported checks depend on its deployed implementation. Treat any reported success as a result for the checks actually performed, not as certification that every redirect has been tested on a public website.
Build the Source and Destination Columns Carefully
A basic redirect map has one source address and one destination address per planned rule. The source is the old URL that visitors may still request; the destination is the replacement they should reach. For a same-domain migration, many importers accept paths such as /old-guide/ and /new-guide/. For a domain migration, complete HTTPS URLs can make the intended host clear, but only use full URLs if your importer supports them in that field.
Review capitalization, trailing slashes and query strings: some systems compare paths exactly; others normalize them. Do not silently strip meaningful parameters. Browsers do not send fragments such as #section in HTTP requests.
A Small Rank Math CSV Example
This illustrative file uses documented Rank Math PRO column names and exact-match entries. It is not a tested output from the tool above, and it should not be imported into a different plugin without conversion.
source,destination,type,matching,status
/old-services/,/services/,301,exact,active
/previous-contact/,/contact/,301,exact,active
/temporary-offer/,/current-offer/,302,exact,active
Rank Math’s documented CSV import requires at least its source and destination columns; other fields control behavior when supplied. Its bulk CSV import and export interface is a PRO feature. If you use a different plugin or an older version, inspect that product’s actual import documentation rather than assuming the example works unchanged.
Why a Redirection Plugin CSV Is Not the Same File
The plugin named Redirection documents a simple row format with source and target URL fields, optionally followed by regex settings, an HTTP code and a type. An example of its documented two-column style is:
/old-services/,/services/
/previous-contact/,/contact/
This example has no header row, unlike Rank Math. Redirection requires comma-separated values; tab or semicolon separators may fail. Follow the chosen importer’s specification, particularly for regex rules.
Common CSV Errors and How to Correct Them
Keep editorial notes and content owners in a separate working sheet unless the importer supports those fields.
Understand Redirect Chains, Loops and Conflicting Rules
Imagine an old post redirects to an intermediate page, which then redirects again to a final guide. That is a redirect chain. If the confirmed final destination is /new-guide/, it is usually better for the first rule to point directly there. Every unnecessary hop adds another request and can complicate migration checks.
Chain: /old-guide/ → /draft-guide/ → /new-guide/
Better: /old-guide/ → /new-guide/
Loop: /category-a/ → /category-b/
/category-b/ → /category-a/
Conflict: /old-offer/ → /sale/
/old-offer/ → /clearance/
These examples are hypothetical. A map-only validator may identify them with exact-path tracing, but cannot necessarily identify host, CDN or other WordPress redirects. Confirm destinations before making changes.
Choose the Appropriate HTTP Status Code
For a lasting move where the original page has a suitable replacement, 301 Moved Permanently is a common choice. 308 Permanent Redirect is another permanent status with different method-preservation semantics. For temporary moves, 302 and 307 are commonly used, with 307 explicitly preserving the request method. Search engines interpret permanent and temporary redirects differently as canonicalization signals.
Do not choose a status simply because it appears in a generic CSV sample. The target WordPress plugin may support a narrower set of codes. A deleted page with no meaningful replacement may be better left as a genuine 404 or 410 response rather than redirected to an unrelated homepage. A 410 is a gone response, not a substitute for a successful redirect.
What Makes a Redirect Mapping Useful for SEO?
A redirect should connect a visitor’s original intent to a closely matching destination. If several old tutorials merge into one accurate guide, they may reasonably redirect there. Sending every obsolete page to the homepage is often unhelpful and may be interpreted as an irrelevant replacement.
During a migration, compare the old URL inventory with the new site architecture. Review important organic landing pages, pages with external links, and URLs present in your old sitemap. The Website Migration URL Mapper can support planning, while the Redirect Format Converter for WordPress Plugins is a relevant next step when import formats differ.
After Import, Verify the Redirects That Really Run
CSV validation does not deploy redirects. Importing a file also does not prove that its rules override existing redirects from another plugin, the web server or a CDN. Test a representative set of important old URLs after the import, including high-traffic pages, redirects across domains, unusual path capitalization and URLs with parameters.
- Back up the current rules. Export the active redirects and record the plugin version before replacing anything.
- Import on staging when practical. Check the import summary for skipped rows, duplicates or changed rules.
- Request the old URLs. Inspect the actual HTTP status,
Location response header, redirect hops and final page.
- Check the landing page. Confirm that the final response and content are appropriate, not just that a redirect happened.
- Fix internal references. Link directly to the new URLs in navigation, articles and sitemaps instead of repeatedly depending on redirects.
The Bulk HTTP Status and Redirect Checker and Redirect Rule Tester are useful related workflows when their installed features are available. A clean import and a successful live crawl together are more meaningful than either result alone.
Questions That Come Up Before Bulk Redirect Imports
Can the validator fix every redirect automatically?
Not necessarily. A report covers its supported checks; choosing the best replacement requires editorial judgment. Review any corrected export before importing.
Is a CSV accepted by Rank Math also accepted by Redirection?
Not necessarily. Their documented import layouts differ. A file using Rank Math headers may need conversion before it can be used by Redirection or another plugin.
Does passing validation mean there are no redirect loops?
Only if loop analysis is actually supported, and only within the rules examined. A separate host-level redirect can still create a loop after the CSV has been imported.
Should I delete old URL rows once Google finds the new pages?
Not automatically. Old addresses may still receive bookmarked visits, external-link traffic or crawler requests. Keep redirects while they remain useful and review removal decisions against your migration and server logs.
