Every time you change a URL or remove a page, you’re opening the door to broken links—links that interrupt the customer journey and quietly erode your SEO performance. If you’re working in HubSpot and managing a growing site or content library, properly handling redirects isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Whether you’re updating URLs for a rebrand, consolidating blog posts, or migrating your site into HubSpot, those old links don’t just disappear. They live on in search engine indexes, social media shares, and customer bookmarks. Without redirects, anyone who clicks those links hits a dead end—and that instantly chips away at your credibility and rankings.
This guide walks you through using HubSpot’s URL Redirects tool. You’ll learn when and how to apply redirects, where to set them up, which pitfalls to avoid, and how to monitor their success so your traffic doesn’t miss a beat.
Optimizing Site Traffic with URL Redirect Management
In HubSpot, URL redirects automatically guide users from an outdated web address to the correct one. You’ll rely on them anytime a page moves, a blog title changes its slug, or multiple URLs are being consolidated into a single page.
To access redirects, head to Settings > Website > Domains & URLs > URL Redirects. Here, you’ll see all active redirect rules for the domains hosted in your HubSpot portal. From this dashboard, you can add redirects individually, import them in bulk, or export your list for documentation and audits.
Redirects in HubSpot function at the domain level, meaning each rule applies only to a specific connected domain. You’ll need to have at least one HubSpot-hosted domain under a CMS Hub or Marketing Hub subscription to use the feature.
Redirects also tie into various tools across your portal, including the CMS editor, blog settings, landing pages, and site structure. When a user updates a URL in one of those areas, HubSpot often automatically prompts you to create a 301 redirect—a helpful failsafe to keep your traffic flowing.
How It Works Under the Hood
HubSpot’s redirect engine runs on server-side logic. This means the redirect fires instantly before the user’s browser receives any content—delivering a smooth experience.
Here’s what happens behind the scenes:
- Input: You enter the original (old) URL and the destination (new) URL into the redirect tool.
- Processing: HubSpot determines which redirect type to apply—301 (Permanent) or 302 (Temporary).
- Output: Visitors attempting to access the old URL are seamlessly redirected, with the correct HTTP status codes returned to their browser or Googlebot.
Redirect Types
- 301 Redirect (Permanent): Signals to search engines that the old page is gone for good. This method retains most of the SEO equity earned by the original URL.
- 302 Redirect (Temporary): Useful for short-term needs like testing content layouts or running seasonal campaigns. These don’t deliver long-term SEO value.
Optional HubSpot Settings
- Match query strings: Enable this when your source URL includes different versions due to filters or tracking parameters.
- Trailing slash handling: HubSpot decides how URLs like /page and /page/ behave based on your domain’s normalization settings.
- Regex redirects: Perfect if you’re managing a large site with repeatable URL patterns. Regex lets you apply one rule to match an entire structure of similar links.
Main Uses Inside HubSpot
Maintaining SEO After Page Updates
Changing a page’s slug without a redirect is a sure way to break backlinks and tank your SEO accuracy. A well-placed redirect preserves your rankings and keeps referral traffic intact.
Example: You update your blog URL from “/how-to-build-email-workflows” to “/email-workflows-guide.” By adding a redirect in HubSpot:
Original URL: /how-to-build-email-workflows
Redirect To: /email-workflows-guide
Outcome: Both visitors and search engines are guided to the new post without missing a beat.
Merging Duplicate Content
Duplicates create confusion and dilute the relevance signals Google receives. When consolidating articles or guides, redirect outdated versions to the stronger or updated version to keep your site authoritative.
Example: You replace two similar pricing pages with a unified version at “/pricing.” Redirect “/pricing-2023” to “/pricing” with a 301 redirect, and rankings tied to the 2023 page reinforce the new primary link.
Handling CMS Migrations or Domain Changes
If you’re bringing external pages into HubSpot or switching domains, redirects act as a bridge so your old URLs don’t become roadblocks.
Example: A blog from “www.oldsite.com/blog/marketing-tips” moves to “/resources/marketing-tips” in your new HubSpot environment. You’ll set a redirect in HubSpot to redirect all legacy traffic, search visibility, and bookmarks to the new address.
Running Temporary Campaign Pages
Campaign-specific pages often expire, but the links to them don’t. A 302 redirect lets you preserve those URL pathways without affecting SEO.
Example: Once your “/offer-summer” campaign ends, you replace it with a general “/offers” page. A 302 redirect ensures summer links still work while delivering fresh relevance to your site visitors.
Common Setup Errors and Wrong Assumptions
- Redirect loops
These happen when a URL redirects in a circle (A → B → A). HubSpot won’t resolve them automatically. Avoid this by double-checking that your destination URL doesn’t loop back to the original. - Incorrect URL format
HubSpot uses relative URLs for internal redirects. Using a full URL like “www.site.com/about” instead of “/about” can cause the redirect to fail. Stick with relative paths unless pointing to an external domain. - Ignoring case sensitivity
HubSpot sees “/About” and “/about” as different paths. For consistency and fewer errors, use lowercase in all redirect entries. - Overusing 302 redirects
If you leave a 302 in place for months, search engines treat it as temporary and hesitate to transfer SEO value. Use 301 redirects for long-term changes and reserve 302s for short-lived needs only.
Step-by-Step Setup or Use Guide
Before you begin, make sure the domain in question is hosted inside your HubSpot account. Redirects only work on domains connected to your portal.
- Log into your HubSpot account
You’ll need Super Admin or Website Admin permissions to change redirects.
- Go to Settings
Click the gear icon in the top-right menu to access all portal settings.
- Select “Website,” then “Domains & URLs”
Navigate to the left-hand column and choose the section handling domain configuration.
- Choose the “URL Redirects” tab
This section shows all existing redirects and provides controls to add or manage them.
- Click “Add URL Redirect”
Launch the entry form where you’ll define the old and new URLs.
- Fill in redirect details
- Original URL: The old relative path (e.g., /team/about)
- Redirect To: The destination, either a relative or full URL
- Redirect type: Choose between 301 (Permanent) or 302 (Temporary)
- Adjust advanced options if needed
- Ignore trailing slash: Helps reduce conflicts on similar paths
- Match query strings: Applies the rule only when matching the full string
- Regex: Use to match URL patterns instead of specifying each case individually
- Save and test
Click “Add redirect,” then test the redirect in a private window to ensure accuracy.
Optional Bulk Add: If you’re migrating dozens or hundreds of URLs, use the “Import” option to upload a CSV. HubSpot provides a template file to ensure your format is aligned (Original URL, Redirect URL, Redirect Type).
Monitoring and Editing: You can edit, deactivate, or delete any redirect individually. Use this to keep your redirects up to date as your content changes over time.
Measuring Results in HubSpot
Redirects don’t generate dedicated analytics, but their impact should be reflected in standard HubSpot performance metrics.
- View page performance metrics: Review destination page reports to identify spikes in traffic from inbound legacy links.
- Monitor bounce rate and time on page: If redirected visitors stick around and engage, your redirect is targeting the right destination.
- Use the SEO technical audit: Head to HubSpot’s SEO tools and check crawl error reduction and missing page trends post-redirect.
- Audit external backlinks: HubSpot traffic reports show which referral domains are still sending traffic. If those sources remain active, your redirects are working.
- Export and review your redirect list: Use quarterly exports to prune outdated redirects or refine ones that no longer serve your content goals.
Short Example That Ties It Together
Say your SaaS company refreshes all product pages as part of a brand relaunch. What used to live at “/product-features” now needs to live at “/solutions/features.” You can’t afford to lose all the search traffic and user bookmarks pointing to the old section.
Here’s how you’d solve it:
- Export a full list of your original URLs from your previous sitemap.
- Create a redirect file mapping “/product-features” to “/solutions/features.”
- Use HubSpot’s bulk import to upload all redirects in a single step.
- Manually test each rule in an incognito window.
- Check HubSpot Analytics the following week to ensure traffic continuity.
Result: Visitors from bookmarks, email links, or search still land safely on your newly branded content—without seeing a single error message.
How INSIDEA Helps
Even though redirect tools in HubSpot are simple on paper, large-scale changes or ongoing growth can create redirect messes fast. Proper redirect hygiene affects everything from domain authority to conversion tracking.
That’s where INSIDEA steps in. Our team helps you plan and execute redirects that support your marketing goals—not just fix broken links.
Our services include:
- HubSpot onboarding: Ensure clean domain configuration from day one
- Redirect strategy: Keep your site architecture SEO-friendly, no matter how your site evolves
- CMS automation consulting: Add redirects dynamically when tied to workflows or page logic
- Reporting and CRM syncing: Measure the effects of redirects on sales journeys and content attribution
We help you align infrastructure decisions with meaningful business outcomes. Visit INSIDEA to get started with a HubSpot specialist or check out HubSpot consulting services.
