This translation has not been editorially reviewed yet. The German version is authoritative. Deutsche Fassung →
meta-refresh and JavaScript redirects: the weaker kind of redirect
Redirects belong in the HTTP response, not in the page content. The check establishes whether a page redirects via meta-refresh or via JavaScript — both are weaker for search engines and more unpleasant for visitors.
- A real HTTP redirect is understood before any content even loads. A meta-refresh loads the page first, shows it briefly, and then jumps on — visible as a flicker.
- A JavaScript redirect is the weakest form: it only takes effect once the script has run. Where that doesn't happen, the visitor ends up on an empty intermediate page.
- For people using magnification or a screen reader, the jump is additionally disorienting: the reading-aloud process starts and cuts off.
FAQ
Do search engines follow meta-refresh?
Usually yes, but more weakly than an HTTP redirect. The mapping from the old address to the new one is less clear-cut.
When is a JavaScript redirect unavoidable?
When the decision only happens in the browser, after a login, say. For permanent address moves, though, there's no reason not to set them up on the server.