Does Google Penalize For Too Many 301 Redirects Options

[sammrat]

Hi All,

My customer's website is optimized and renamed the urls as he had underscored urls like web_123 and changed it to web-123 and as a part of link building process, he had done lots of deeplinks submission with previous url. So as a solution we have done 301 redirect for all those previous url of more than 20 deep links. I want to know, whether google or any other search engine penalize for having too many 301 redirects?

[Randy]

Not at the level you're talking about. That much is for sure.

I've done several hundred and a time or two several thousand 301 redirects when changing back ends and never had them penalize any of them. In fact, I'd almost go so far to say they prefer that you redirect each page to its most appropriate replacement as opposed to redirecting all of those MIA pages to the home page. At least that's always worked best for me.

[Gerry White]

Absolutely agree - very little chance of a penalty for that, HOWEVER when you do redesign a site, I have usually found that Google sometimes seems to "drop" your rankings slightly on a site redesign, but do it right and you will see rapidly a larger base of customers, I think Rand Fishkin did a graph on this but can't recall where...

[NASA]

In fact, I'd almost go so far to say they prefer that you redirect each page to its most appropriate replacement as opposed to redirecting all of those MIA pages to the home page.

Randy,
Does this mean I could get penalised because my anti-leaching protection on my music files 301 redirects to the home page?

[Randy]

No, no. Let's not start that rumor NASA. Though it would be a fun one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol.gif)

I'm not talking about penalties at all with that little tidbit. Just a common sense observation that the new pages tend to get indexed a little more quickly and the original PageRank flow seems to get re-established more quickly if you can redirect old pages to the most appropriate new page when you have to perform these sort of mass moves.

It's a lot more of a pain in the tush to accomplish, especially when you're talking about hundreds or thousands of pages with no easy trigger to use, but worth it every time IMO. Which is why I go to the trouble.

[NASA]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/phew.gif) , I thought you were saying if too many pages all seem to 301 redirect to the home page, this can triger some penalty, or at least more scrutiny!

Ok , i'm trying to push any PR these IBL's might have to the homepage as well as stopping the leaching, but I hoped this was OK.

N.B. You americans use some seriously rude words in English to describe your backside!, makes me laugh every time!

[BBCoach]

No. I've 301'd tens of thousands of pages and it works as advertised.