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Google Search Console "Page with redirect" Fix

Problem

Google Search Console is reporting "Page with redirect" errors for pages on thomas-serre.com. This happens because:

  1. GitHub Pages Automatic Redirects: When you set up a custom domain with a CNAME file, GitHub Pages automatically redirects all tserre.github.io URLs to thomas-serre.com
  2. Google Discovers Redirects: Google Search Console tracks both domains and flags redirects as issues
  3. Expected Behavior: These redirects are actually intentional and necessary for GitHub Pages custom domains

Root Cause

  • GitHub Pages redirects https://tserre.github.io/* → https://thomas-serre.com/*
  • Google discovers URLs that redirect and flags them in Search Console
  • Even though redirects are expected, Google reports them as issues

Solution

1. Ensure All URLs Use thomas-serre.com

All canonical tags, sitemap URLs, and meta tags should reference thomas-serre.com only:

  • _config.yml: url: https://thomas-serre.com (already correct)
  • Canonical tags: Using {{ page.url | prepend: site.url }} (already correct)
  • Sitemap: Only lists thomas-serre.com URLs (already correct)

2. Complete Sitemap

The sitemap has been updated to include all pages:

  • Homepage
  • About page
  • Blog page
  • All blog posts
  • Other pages (docs, boxes, etc.)

3. Google Search Console Actions

Since the redirects are automatic and expected, you should:

  1. Remove tserre.github.io Property (if you have it):

    • Go to Google Search Console
    • Remove the tserre.github.io property
    • Only keep thomas-serre.com as the verified property
    • This prevents Google from tracking redirects between domains

  2. Validate the Fix:

    • In Google Search Console, go to the "Page indexing" report
    • Click "Validate Fix" for the redirect errors
    • Google will recrawl and update the status

  3. Request Indexing (optional):

    • Use URL Inspection tool to request indexing for key pages
    • This speeds up the process

Why Redirects Are Expected

GitHub Pages automatically redirects the old domain to preserve:

  • SEO value: Passes link equity to the new domain
  • User experience: Old bookmarks and links still work
  • Domain authority: Consolidates all traffic to one domain

These redirects are 301 (permanent) redirects, which is the correct type for domain migrations.

Expected Outcome

After these changes:

  1. All pages use thomas-serre.com URLs
  2. Sitemap only lists thomas-serre.com URLs
  3. Canonical tags point to thomas-serre.com
  4. Google will eventually stop flagging redirects as errors (they're expected)
  5. Only thomas-serre.com will be indexed (as intended)

Timeline

  • Immediate: Code changes are complete
  • 5-10 minutes: GitHub Pages rebuilds site
  • 1-3 days: Google recrawls pages
  • 1-2 weeks: Redirect errors should clear from Search Console
  • Ongoing: Google indexes thomas-serre.com URLs

Files Changed

  • sitemap.xml - Updated to include all pages with thomas-serre.com URLs
  • _config.yml - Already configured with url: https://thomas-serre.com
  • _layouts/default.html - Already has canonical tags using site.url

Notes

  • The redirects from tserre.github.io to thomas-serre.com are automatic and cannot be disabled
  • This is expected behavior for GitHub Pages custom domains
  • Google Search Console may continue to show redirect warnings temporarily
  • The redirects are 301 (permanent), which is correct for SEO
  • As long as all canonical tags and sitemaps use thomas-serre.com, Google will eventually understand and index correctly