The Ultimate Guide to Fixing Redirect Errors in Blogger & WordPress (2025)
Introduction: Understanding the Pervasive Redirect Error Problem
In today's digital World, redirect errors have become one of the most common technical SEO issues plaguing website owners. Whether you're using WordPress or Blogger, you've likely encountered these frustrating errors in Google Search Console. What makes this particularly troubling is that most tutorials only scratch the surface without providing a complete, guaranteed solution.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll not only fix these redirect errors with a 100% success rate but also explain:
- The root causes behind redirect errors
- How they impact your SEO performance
- Step-by-step troubleshooting methods
- Advanced prevention techniques
Before we dive in, I recommend checking my previous video about indexing errors (linked in the i-button) as it covers foundational knowledge that complements today's discussion.
Section 1: Decoding Redirect Errors in Search Console
1.1 The Two Faces of Redirect Issues
When analyzing your site in Google Search Console's Page Indexing report, you'll encounter two primary variations:
1. Redirect Error - Hard errors preventing proper indexing
2. Pages with Redirects - Soft warnings about unnecessary redirects
While they appear different, both stem from the same core issue: URL duplication and improper redirection.
1.2 Why These Aren't Actually "Errors"
Technically speaking, these notifications represent Google's attempt to:
- Maintain clean indexation
- Prevent content duplication
- Optimize crawling efficiency
The system flags these because it's detecting multiple access points to the same content, which it interprets as potentially problematic.
Section 2: The Root Causes of Redirect Errors
2.1 The Mobile vs. Desktop URL Dilemma
The most common scenario occurs due to:
- Automatic mobile URL variants (?m=1 in Blogger)
- Separate mobile subdomains (m.example.com)
- AMP page versions
For example:
- Desktop: example.com/post
- Mobile: example.com/post?m=1
2.2 Technical Breakdown of What Happens
When Googlebot crawls your site:
1. It detects both URL versions
2. Notes they serve identical/similar content
3. Flags them as potential duplicates
4. Reports them in Search Console
2.3 Other Common Causes
- Plugin conflicts (especially in WordPress)
- Improper .htaccess configurations
- CMS-generated alternate URLs
- Legacy redirect chains
- Trailing slash inconsistencies
Section 3: The Complete Step-by-Step Fix
3.1 For Blogger Users
Step 1: Access Redirect Settings
1. Navigate to Blogger Dashboard → Settings
2. Scroll to "Errors and redirects"
3. Select "Custom redirects"
Step 2: Create Mobile-to-Desktop Rules
For each affected URL:
-From: /post-title?m=1
- To: /post-title
- Type: Permanent (301)
Step 3: Wildcard Solution (Advanced)
For sites with hundreds of posts:
From: /*?m=1
To: /$1
3.2 For WordPress Users
Method 1: Via .htaccess
apache
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} ^m=1$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ /$1? [R=301,L]
```
Method 2: Using Plugins
- Redirection
- Yoast SEO Premium
- Rank Math
3.3 Verification Process
1. Test URLs in Chrome Incognito
2. Use Redirect Checker tools
3. Monitor Search Console for 14 days
Section 4: Proactive Prevention Strategies
4.1 Canonicalization Best Practices
- Implement proper canonical tags
- Standardize URL structures
- Choose preferred domain (www vs non-www)
4.2 Mobile Configuration Options
For Blogger:
- Disable mobile templates entirely
- Use responsive themes instead
For WordPress:
- Implement proper responsive design
- Avoid separate mobile plugins
4.3 Regular Maintenance Routine
- Monthly redirect audits
- Broken link checks
- XML sitemap reviews
Section 5: Advanced Troubleshooting
5.1 When Standard Fixes Don't Work
- Check for conflicting plugins/themes
- Review server configuration files
- Examine CDN settings
### 5.2 Handling Complex Cases
- Redirect chains with 3+ hops
- Mixed protocol issues (HTTP/HTTPS)
- International URL variants
Conclusion: Maintaining a Clean Redirect Profile
By implementing these solutions, you'll:
1. Eliminate indexing issues
2. Improve crawl budget efficiency
3. Enhance user experience
4. Boost SEO performance
Remember that redirect management is an ongoing process. Regular monitoring and maintenance will prevent these issues from recurring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long until the errors disappear from Search Console?
A: Typically 14-30 days after implementation
Q: Will this affect my traffic during the transition?
A: Proper 301 redirects preserve SEO value without traffic loss
Q: Should I noindex mobile URLs instead?
A: Redirects are the preferred solution for this specific case