Quick answer
Replace a multi-hop redirect with one direct redirect from the old URL to the closest relevant final URL. Update internal links so visitors and crawlers do not need the redirect at all.
What the issue means
A redirect chain is a sequence such as old URL → temporary URL → new URL. Each hop adds another request and can introduce loops, protocol changes, tracking parameters, or an unrelated destination.
Why it matters for SEO
Chains add latency and make migration behaviour harder to understand. They can also weaken user experience or fail when one intermediate route disappears. The finding does not by itself quantify a ranking effect.
How NOTABIS detects it
The redirect-chain rule is page-scoped and high severity when a URL follows multiple redirects during the crawl. The audit records the observed chain and final response; it is a measurement of that request, not every possible client or location.
How to check it yourself
Run curl -I https://example.com/old-url without following redirects, then curl -I -L https://example.com/old-url and record every Location header. Check web-server, framework, CDN, and protocol redirect rules together.
How to fix it
Choose the final relevant destination, create one direct permanent redirect where appropriate, and update internal links, sitemaps, canonicals, and campaign URLs to use the destination directly. Test for loops and preserve temporary redirects only when the move is genuinely temporary.
When it may be intentional
A short-lived chain during a controlled migration may be operationally expected, but it should still be removed when the final mapping is known. Authentication or edge redirects need context and should not be collapsed into public access.
Related issues
Review redirected pages, authentication redirects, and canonical redirect conflicts.
Run a NOTABIS audit
The report’s redirect evidence shows the exact observed hops so you can find the rule creating each one.