Why Redirects Matter
When you move a web page, change a URL structure, or point a short link to a destination, a redirect tells the browser — and search engine crawlers — where to go next. Using the right type of redirect preserves your SEO equity, provides a good user experience, and correctly signals your intent to search engines.
The two most common redirect types are 301 and 302. They look similar from a user perspective, but they communicate very different things to browsers and search engines.
What Is a 301 Redirect?
A 301 redirect means "Moved Permanently." It tells browsers and search engines that the original URL has been permanently moved to a new location. Search engines will:
- Transfer most of the original page's link equity (ranking power) to the new URL.
- Update their index to reflect the new URL over time.
- Stop crawling the old URL eventually.
Use a 301 when: You've permanently moved a page, consolidated two URLs into one, or migrated your entire site to a new domain.
What Is a 302 Redirect?
A 302 redirect means "Found" (temporary redirect). It tells browsers and search engines that the page has temporarily moved, and the original URL should still be retained in the index. Search engines generally:
- Keep the original URL indexed.
- Do not transfer link equity to the destination URL.
- Continue crawling the original URL.
Use a 302 when: You're running an A/B test, redirecting users during maintenance, or temporarily sending traffic to a seasonal landing page.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | 301 (Permanent) | 302 (Temporary) |
|---|---|---|
| SEO equity passed | Yes (mostly) | No |
| Index updated | Yes, new URL indexed | No, old URL stays |
| Browser caches redirect | Yes (can be hard to undo) | No |
| Use case | Permanent moves | Temporary situations |
Common Mistakes
Using 302 When You Mean 301
This is very common and costly for SEO. If you're permanently moving a page, using a 302 means the link equity built up at the old URL won't transfer. Your new page starts from scratch in search rankings.
Forgetting That 301s Get Cached
Browsers cache 301 redirects aggressively. If you set up a 301 and later need to undo it or change the destination, browsers may continue serving the cached redirect for a long time. During development or testing, use 302 first.
Redirect Chains
A redirect chain occurs when URL A → redirects to URL B → which redirects to URL C. Each hop loses a small amount of SEO value and slows down page load. Always redirect directly to the final destination URL.
How URL Shorteners Use Redirects
Most URL shorteners use 301 redirects by default, which means they pass link authority to the destination. However, some tools use 302 redirects specifically to keep click tracking more reliable across certain analytics setups, or to allow the short URL to be retargeted later. Check the documentation of whichever shortener you use.
How to Implement a Redirect
Redirects can be set via your web server config (Apache's .htaccess, Nginx config), your CMS (WordPress has redirect plugins), or your hosting platform's dashboard. If you're using a URL shortener or link management tool, redirects are handled automatically.