301 vs 302 Redirects: What’s the Difference and Which Should You Use?

What Is a Redirect and Why It Matters

A redirect is an HTTP 3xx response that tells a browser or crawler, “don’t load this URL, go to this other one instead.” When someone requests /old-page, the server replies with a 3xx status plus a Location: /new-page header, and the browser automatically follows it.

Redirects matter because they:

• Prevent users from hitting dead ends (404 pages) when URLs change.
• Preserve SEO value when you move or remove content.
• Help search engines understand which URL is the “real” version.

Without redirects, site migrations, URL clean‑ups, and HTTP→HTTPS moves can cause traffic loss and broken user journeys. For large changes, tools that support redirect management at scale or bulk URL redirects for migrations are essential.

What Is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect is an HTTP status code meaning “Moved Permanently.” It tells browsers and search engines that the requested URL has a new, permanent location.

Technically, a 301:

• Signals that future requests should go to the new URL.
• Is often cached aggressively by browsers and intermediate proxies.
• Commonly changes the request method to GET (even if the original was POST), which is fine for normal page loads but relevant for forms/APIs.

Search engines typically:

• Update their index to use the destination URL.
• Transfer most ranking signals and link equity from the old URL to the new one over time.

Example: you rebrand from example.com to newbrand.com. A 301 from every old URL to its new counterpart tells users and search engines that the move is permanent.

When to Use a 301 Redirect

Use a 301 whenever the change is permanent or long‑term and you don’t plan to revert.

If you expect the new location to be in place for the foreseeable future (months or years), treat it as permanent and use a 301.

What Is a 302 Redirect?

A 302 redirect is an HTTP status code meaning “Found” or “Moved Temporarily.” It tells browsers and search engines that the requested URL is temporarily available at a different location.

Key behaviors:

• The server indicates that the original URL is still the “real” one and may return later.
• Browsers typically don’t cache 302s as aggressively as 301s.
• Search engines usually keep the original URL as canonical and continue to show it in results, at least initially.

Example: you temporarily redirect /product to /product-out-of-stock while you restock. A 302 signals that /product will come back, so search engines shouldn’t permanently swap it out. If a 302 stays in place for a long time, search engines may eventually treat it more like a 301 and start indexing the destination instead.

When to Use a 302 Redirect

Use a 302 when you know the change is temporary and you want the original URL to remain canonical in the long run.

A/B Testing and Feature Rollouts

• Testing a new layout at /landing-test while the main URL is /landing.
• Gradually rolling out a new product page to a subset of users.

A 302 lets you test without telling search engines to permanently replace the original URL. Think in days or weeks for 302s, not months or years. If a “temporary” change runs for a long time, reconsider whether it should be a 301.

301 vs 302: Key Differences at a Glance

At a high level: 301 = permanent move, transfer signals to the new URL; 302 = temporary detour, keep the original URL as canonical (at least at first). Both send users to the right place, but they send different intent signals to search engines and browsers.

Here’s the comparison:

SEO Impact of 301 vs 302 Redirects

A 301 redirect tells search engines the destination is the new home of the content. Over time, most ranking signals—links, relevance, and historical performance—are consolidated on the new URL, and it typically replaces the old one in search results.

With a 302, search engines assume the move is temporary. The original URL usually remains canonical, and its signals stay attached there. The destination can still be crawled and shown, but engines are slower to fully swap it in. If a 302 stays in place long enough, they may eventually treat it like a permanent move.

Using the wrong type can cause problems:

• Permanent move with 302: authority and signals split between URLs, and the destination may underperform.
• Temporary move with 301: the original URL can lose visibility, and aggressive caching makes rolling back harder.

Redirect chains (A→B→C) add latency, waste crawl budget, and can weaken signals. Aim for a single, direct 301 from old to new, especially during migrations; see the bulk redirects guide for patterns that avoid chains.

How to Choose Between a 301 and 302 Redirect

Use this simple checklist:

• Is the change permanent or long‑term (months/years)?
• Yes → Use 301.
• Do you want the destination URL to replace the original in search results?
• Yes → Use 301.
• Do you expect to revert to the original URL soon (days/weeks)?
• Yes → Use 302.
• Are you running a test or short‑term campaign?
• Yes → Use 302.

Rule of thumb: if the change is long‑term or you’re unsure, default to a 301. If it’s clearly short‑lived or experimental, use a 302.

You can start with a 302 while you test a new page or layout. Once you’re confident the new version is final, switch the redirect to 301 so search engines consolidate signals on the new URL.

Edge cases:

• Long‑running “temporary” campaigns (months+): if they effectively replace the original page each season, use a more permanent structure (e.g., a dedicated evergreen URL) instead of a perpetual 302.
• Stakeholders unsure if a change will stick: start with 302 and set a review date. If the change is still live and successful after a few weeks, convert to 301.

Other Redirect Status Codes: 307 and 308 Explained

307 and 308 are method‑preserving counterparts to 302 and 301.

• 307 Temporary Redirect
• Temporary move, like 302, but guarantees the HTTP method and body are preserved (POST stays POST).
• Common in modern frameworks and HTTP/2 environments.

• Useful when redirecting form submissions or API calls where changing POST to GET would break behavior.

• 308 Permanent Redirect

• Permanent move, like 301, but also preserves the HTTP method and body.
• Helpful for APIs, checkout flows, or any endpoint that must keep POST/PUT semantics.

For most SEO and content‑page work, 301 and 302 are sufficient. 307/308 matter more when you’re redirecting non‑idempotent requests (forms, payments, APIs) and need strict method preservation. Search engines generally treat 307/308 similarly to 302/301 in terms of intent and indexing.

Common Redirect Mistakes to Avoid

Several recurring patterns cause SEO and UX problems:

• Redirect chains (A→B→C): each extra hop adds latency and can weaken signals. Wherever possible, redirect A→C directly.
• Redirect loops (A→B→A): users see errors, crawlers give up. Always test for loops after changes.
• Using 302s for permanent moves: search engines may keep the old URL as canonical, splitting authority and slowing consolidation.
• Letting important URLs 404 without redirects: especially after migrations or redesigns. Map high‑value URLs to the closest relevant new page instead.
• Overusing meta refresh or JavaScript redirects: these are slower, less reliable for crawlers, and can be treated as soft 404s if misused.

Example: HTTP→HTTPS→www chains can often be simplified to a single redirect from http://example.com to https://www.example.com. During large projects like a website redesign with SEO considerations, audit redirects to avoid these pitfalls.

How to Implement 301 and 302 Redirects (Quick Overview)

Implementation depends on your stack, but the patterns are similar: define the source URL, the target URL, and the status code (301 or 302), then test with your browser and response headers (curl -I or dev tools).

# 301 permanent
Redirect 301 /old-page https://example.com/new-page

# 302 temporary
Redirect 302 /sale https://example.com/sale-landing

# 301 permanent
rewrite ^/old-page$ https://example.com/new-page permanent;

# 302 temporary
rewrite ^/sale$ https://example.com/sale-landing redirect;

<rule name="Redirect301" stopProcessing="true">
  <match url="^old-page$" />
  <action type="Redirect" url="https://example.com/new-page" redirectType="Permanent" />
</rule>

Domain / Registrar-Level Redirects

Most registrars offer “URL forwarding” for whole‑domain moves (e.g., oldsite.com → https://newsite.com) and let you choose 301 vs 302. Use this for simple domain‑to‑domain redirects; use server rules for granular path‑level control.