What Is the Difference Between 301 and 302 Redirect?

by

Understanding HTTP Redirects

A 301 redirect indicates that a page has permanently moved to a new location. Meanwhile, a 302 redirect says that the page has moved to a new location, but that it is only temporary.

Permanent vs Temporary Redirects

  1. A 301 redirect is a permanent relocation of your URL. Using a 301 redirect when a page has permanently moved is crucial for maintaining SEO value and providing a good user experience.
  2. A 302 redirect is a temporary change that redirects users and search engines to the new location for a limited time, until the redirect is removed. It should be used when the move is intended to be temporary.

The browser is allowed to cache the 301 but not the 302, as it implies the need to check back for the original content.

Impact on Search Engines

Search engines distinguish between the two types of redirects, handling them differently. A 301 redirect can affect your search engine rankings positively by passing most of the link equity to the new page, while a 302 redirect does not transfer significant link juice, and the original URL can lose its rankings.

A 301 redirect requests that any search engine update the URL in their database, while a 302 redirect does not prompt this update, as the change is only temporary.

Use Cases and Considerations

Using a 302 redirect when a permanent move is intended can lead to search engines becoming confused, resulting in a loss of traffic. Likewise, using a 301 redirect for a temporary move can also cause issues with the timely appearance of content due to browser caching.

In some cases, such as editing short URLs in URL shortening services, a 301 may not be appropriate due to caching, even though it is generally preferred both from an SEO standpoint and a user experience perspective.

SEO Implications

Since the adoption of 301 and 302 redirects can have a significant impact on SEO, it’s critical to recognize the differences between them and apply them appropriately. A 301 redirect passes on almost all of the link equity to the new URL, helping to maintain the page’s search engine ranks, whereas a 302 redirect does not.

Leave a Comment