301 Vs. 302 Redirect: Which To Choose For Seo And Ux

What’s nan Difference Between 301 and 302 Redirects?

301 and 302 redirects are HTTP position codes that nonstop users from 1 URL to another—the value is, a 301 signals to hunt engines and browsers that nan move is permanent, while a 302 signals nan move is temporary.

Here’s a speedy comparison of nan 301 vs. 302 redirect:

301 Redirect	302 Redirect
Redirects users from 1 page to another	Redirects users from 1 page to another
Used for permanent redirects	Used for temporary redirects
Used connected pages you want to retire	Used connected pages you want to restore later
Often transfers hunt centrifugal rankings	Rarely transfers hunt centrifugal rankings
Often cached by web browsers	Rarely cached by web browsers
Typically utilized for website migration, page relocation, and page consolidation projects	Typically utilized for website tests, website maintenance, and impermanent promotions

Using nan correct type of redirect ensures a soft personification acquisition connected your website. And helps you support aliases amended your hunt centrifugal rankings.

Let’s investigation 301 vs. 302 redirects successful overmuch depth.

How 301 and 302 Redirects Affect SEO

301 and 302 redirects matter successful hunt centrifugal optimization (SEO) because they tin effect really hunt engines standard and rank your affected pages.

301 imperishable redirects encourage hunt engines to proscription rankings and ranking signals from nan guidelines page to nan destination page. 

For example, Google tin locomotion PageRank (ranking powerfulness gained done links) via 301 redirects.

This intends that nan destination URL tin inherit ranking powerfulness from nan guidelines page. And yet move nan guidelines page successful hunt results.

302 impermanent redirects deter hunt engines from transferring rankings and ranking signals from nan guidelines page to nan destination page. 

This intends that you tin protect your guidelines page’s ranking ability—ready for erstwhile you reconstruct it later.

How 301 and 302 Redirects Affect Browser Caching

301 and 302 redirects effect browser caching differently, which tin effect users who revisit your guidelines pages.

If you usage a 301 imperishable redirect, browsers will astir apt shop nan redirect successful nan user’s cache.

So, if nan personification revisits nan aged URL, their browser will nonstop them to nan destination URL without rechecking nan server.

This makes nan redirect faster but harder to revert.

If you usage a 302 impermanent redirect, browsers astir apt won’t shop nan redirect successful nan user’s cache.

So, nan browser will apt recheck nan server connected immoderate revisits. And will only redirect nan personification if nan redirect is still successful place.

This makes nan redirect slower but easier to revert.

When to Choose a 301 Permanent Redirect

Choose a 301 redirect erstwhile you want to permanently redirect users, hunt engines, and browsers from an unwanted page to a replacement page.

Here are immoderate circumstantial uses cases for 301 imperishable redirects:

• Deleting a page that has a nonstop replacement: For example, you mightiness want to region a discontinued merchandise page and redirect visitors to nan latest type of nan product
• Migrating your tract to a caller domain: If you’re migrating your website, make judge nan aged URLs 301 redirect to nan corresponding URLs connected nan caller domain
• Changing URL slugs: If you’re changing nan URL slug connected an established page (e.g., to spread a typo), adhd a 301 redirect from nan aged URL to nan caller URL
• Moving a page to a different URL path: For example, if you move a merchandise to a different category, you whitethorn petition to group up a 301 redirect from nan aged URL to nan caller URL
• Consolidating akin pages: If you personification aggregate pages that work a akin purpose, you tin usage 301 redirects to consolidate them. This is simply a style of contented pruning.
• Consolidating transcript pages: If you personification aggregate URLs that large copy contented (e.g., an HTTPS and HTTP type of nan aforesaid URL), spot utilizing 301 redirects to consolidate them

You tin instrumentality 301 redirects by utilizing nan redirect settings successful your website editor, utilizing a suitable website plugin, aliases getting thief from a web developer.

After implementing a 301 redirect, update immoderate references to nan guidelines URL to reference nan destination URL instead.

For example, you whitethorn petition to update soul links and your XML sitemap.

When to Choose a 302 Temporary Redirect

Choose a 302 redirect erstwhile you petition to temporarily redirect users, hunt engines, and browsers from a page you want to keep. 

Here are immoderate circumstantial uses cases for 302 impermanent redirects:

• Website attraction aliases redesign: Temporarily redirect users to a different page connected your tract while a page is nether construction
• Split testing: If you’re conducting a divided test, usage server-side 302 redirects to nonstop a accusation of your users to nan proceedings page. This lets you protect nan SEO capacity of nan main page.
• Temporary promotional pages: For example, you tin create a Black Friday type of your merchandise people page and redirect users to this type while nan promotion runs
• Live testing: Use 302 redirects to proceedings nan capacity of a caller flow, feature, aliases creation pinch each your users. If nan caller type performs better, you tin make it permanent.

You tin instrumentality 302 redirects by utilizing nan redirect settings successful your website editor, utilizing a suitable website plugin, aliases getting thief from a web developer.

When you instrumentality a impermanent redirect alternatively of a imperishable redirect, you don’t petition to update references to nan guidelines page. You tin clip disconnected your psyche links, sitemap, etc. arsenic they are.

Test and Monitor Your Redirects

Making mistakes pinch 301 and 302 redirects is easy, truthful you petition to proceedings them and show their effect connected your website’s performance.

In Google Search Console, you tin spot whether you personification redirect errors, including:

• Redirect chains that are excessively agelong (e.g., Page A > Page B > Page C [...])
• Redirect loops (e.g., Page A > Page B > Page A)
• Redirect URLs that exceed the maximum URL length
• Bad aliases quiet URLs successful nan redirect chain

The “Pages pinch redirect” study shows which redirecting pages are not indexed by Google. If you find immoderate pages that should beryllium indexed (i.e., eligible to look successful hunt results), you whitethorn petition to region nan redirect.

In Semrush’s Site Audit tool, you tin spot each nan URLs pinch 301 aliases 302 redirects connected your website.

This instrumentality tin too spot communal redirect errors, proviso connection connected really and why to spread them, and thief you create tasks for your team.

Site Audit too helps you find and spread dozens of different SEO issues. And you tin usage it to crawl 100 pages per play for free.