Are backlinks to a domain that redirects useless?

[hfranz]

I am working on trying to get backlinks. We are currently redirecting a few Domains to our current domain name. One of the Domains that is redirecting is the main Domain, we will be advertising in the near future. Can I send backlinks to the redirected URL or does it only carry link juice if it is to the main Domain?

[CodyWheeler]

It will direct the link juice from the redirected URL to your page, as long as you use a 301 (permanently moved) redirect. This will pass 90-99% of link juice from the linking URL.

To squeeze out everything you can get (pardon the pun) ideally you want a direct link, but a redirect will pass most of your juice along in the case you would have to get people to change hundreds / thousands of links.