301 vs 302 Redirects: Differences, SEO Impact and Examples
Choose the correct permanent or temporary redirect and avoid conflicting migration, canonical and sitemap signals.
A redirect sends a visitor or crawler from one URL to another. The destination may look identical in a browser whether the response is 301 or 302, but the status communicates whether the move is intended to be permanent or temporary. Choosing the correct response helps browsers, search engines, caches, analytics systems, and future developers understand what should happen to the old address.
301 means the move is permanent
Use a 301 when the original URL has been replaced and you expect the new destination to remain the preferred address. Typical examples include changing a page slug, combining duplicate articles, migrating from an old domain, or replacing a discontinued product page with a directly equivalent successor.
Update internal links and sitemap entries to the new URL even after adding the redirect. A redirect is a transition mechanism, not a reason to keep sending users and crawlers through an unnecessary hop forever.
302 means the move is temporary
Use a 302 when the original URL remains valid and should be used again after a temporary condition ends. Examples can include a short maintenance window, a limited experiment, or a temporary campaign destination.
If a temporary redirect remains in place for a long time, search engines may interpret the situation based on other signals. Do not use 302 simply because it feels safer when the move is genuinely permanent.
What about 307 and 308?
A 307 is a temporary redirect and a 308 is permanent. Their method-preserving behavior is especially relevant for non-GET requests. For ordinary public page migrations, 301 remains widely understood, but applications handling forms or APIs must consider whether the HTTP method and body should be retained.
Quick selection table
| Situation | Typical choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Page slug changed permanently | 301 | Old address has a lasting replacement |
| HTTP consolidates to HTTPS | 301 or 308 | Secure address is permanently preferred |
| www consolidates to non-www | 301 or 308 | Only one hostname should remain canonical |
| Short maintenance detour | 302 or 307 | Original URL will return |
| Two overlapping guides merged | 301 | Signals and visitors should reach the retained guide |
| Temporary A/B routing | 302 or 307 | Change is not intended as a lasting URL replacement |
How redirects affect SEO
A correct permanent redirect helps consolidate the old URL into its relevant replacement. The destination should satisfy substantially the same need. Redirecting unrelated removed pages to the home page creates a poor experience and may be treated as a soft error.
Search engines also evaluate canonical tags, sitemaps, internal links, hreflang annotations, and external links. If those signals continue naming the old URL while it redirects, consolidation can take longer and crawling becomes less efficient.
Test the complete response, not only the destination
Entering an address in a browser confirms that navigation happens, but it does not clearly expose the status code or intermediate hops. Use the Redirect Checker to inspect the starting URL, each response, Location header, and final destination.
Check all important variants during a site migration:
HTTP and HTTPS
www and non-www
trailing slash and non-trailing slash
uppercase and lowercase variants if the server treats them differently
URLs containing common tracking parameters
A clean migration workflow
Create a one-to-one map from old URLs to the closest new equivalents.
Return a permanent redirect directly to each final URL.
Update navigation, contextual links, canonicals, structured data, hreflang, and sitemaps.
Test representative URLs and important backlinks.
Keep redirects active long enough for users and systems relying on old links.
Monitor crawl errors, indexed URLs, traffic, and server logs after launch.
Common redirect mistakes
Using 302 for a permanent migration
The response contradicts the intended permanent change. Choose a permanent status and align every other signal.
Sending every old page to the home page
This hides missing content and frustrates users. Redirect only when a relevant replacement exists.
Creating chains
Old rules can accumulate: A redirects to B, B to C, and C to D. Update the first rule to point directly to D.
Redirecting only browser-friendly variants
Test actual status responses for crawlers and programmatic clients. JavaScript or meta-refresh navigation may not behave like a server-side HTTP redirect.
Frequently asked questions
Is 301 always better for SEO than 302?
No. The correct response depends on whether the move is permanent. Accuracy and consistent signals matter more than automatically selecting one code.
Does a 301 pass ranking signals?
A relevant permanent redirect is a strong consolidation signal, but the final outcome also depends on destination relevance and other technical signals.
How long should I keep a 301?
Keep it for as long as old links, bookmarks, users, or crawlers may request the address. Important migrations often justify maintaining redirects for years.
Can I redirect a deleted page to a category?
Only when the category genuinely satisfies the same intent. Otherwise return an accurate 404 or 410 response.
Why does my browser hide the redirect code?
Browsers automatically follow redirects. Inspect the network response or use a redirect checker to see every hop and status.
