As to choose for SEO and UX

What is the difference between 301 and 302 redirections?

301 and 302 redirects are http status codes that send users from one URL to another – the difference is that 301 signals for search engines and browsers as the move is permanentWhile a 302 signals the move is temporary.

Here is a quick comparison of 301 vs. 302 Redirection:

301 Redirection	302 Redirection
Redirects users from one side to another	Redirects users from one side to another
Used for permanent redirects	Used for temporary redirects
Used on pages you will retreat	Used on pages you will Restore later
Often Transfers the search engine location	Rarely Transfers the search engine location
Often cache with web browsers	Rarely cache with web browsers
Typically used for site migration, side -relocation and side consolidation projects	Typically used for site testing, maintenance of sites and temporary campaigns

Using the right type of redirection ensures a smooth user experience on your site. And helps you maintain or improve your search engines ranking.

Let’s explore 301 vs. 302 redirects more in -depth.

How 301 and 302 redirects affect SEO

301 and 302 redirects the case in search engine optimization (SEO) because they can influence how search engines index and rank your affected pages.

301 Permanent redirections encourage Search engines to transfer locations and ranking signals from the source side to the destination page.

For example, Google can pass Pagerank (Ranking power obtained through links) via 301 redirections.

This means that the Destinations watch can inherit the ranking power from the source side. And finally, replace the source page in search results.

302 temporary redirections deter Search engines from transfer of locations and location signals from the source side to the destination page.

This means you can protect your source’s ranking ability – ready for when you restore it later.

How 301 and 302 redirects affect browser cache

301 and 302 redirections affect browser cache differently, which can affect users revising your source sides.

If you are using a 301 permanent redirectionBrowsers are likely to save the redirection in the user’s cache.

So if the user visits the old URL, their browser sends them to the destination -watching without checking the server again.

This makes redirection faster, but harder to return.

If you are using a 302 temporary redirectionBrowsers probably do not save the redirection in the user’s cache.

So the browser will probably check the server on any revision. And will only redirect the user if the redirection is still in place.

This makes redirection slower but easier to return.

When to choose a 301 permanent redirection

Choose a 301 redirection when you want to redirect users, search engines and browsers from an unwanted page to a replacement page permanently.

Here are some specific application cases for 301 permanent redirections:

• Deleting a page that has a direct replacement: For example, you can remove a ceased product page and redirect visitors to the latest version of the product
• Migrates your site to a new domain: If you are migrating your site, make sure the old URLs 301 redirect to the corresponding URLs on the new domain
• Change of URL -snails: If you change the URL snail on an established page (eg
• Moving a page to another URL -sti: For example, if you move a product to another category, you may need to create a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new URL
• Consolidation of similar pages: If you have multiple pages serving a similar purpose, you can use 301 redirections to consolidate them. This is a form of pruning of content.
• Consolidation of duplicate pages: If you have more URLs that host duplicate content (eg

You can implement 301 Redirigations using the Redirecting settings in your site editor, using an appropriate site plugin or get help from a web developer.

Once you have implemented a 301 -riing, you must update any references to the source -watch to refer to the destination -watch instead.

For example, you may need to update internal links and your XML iSitemap.

When to select a 302 temporary redirection

Choose a 302 redirection when you need to temporarily redirect users, search engines and browsers from a page you want to keep.

Here are some specific application cases for 302 temporary redirections:

• Maintenance or redesign on the site: Redirect temporarily users to another page of your site while a page is under construction
• Split testing: If you are conducting a shared test, use 302-OMIRIGES ON THE SERVER SIDE TO SEND A PART OF YOUR USERS TO THE TEST SIDE. This allows you to protect the SEO performance on the main page.
• Temporary promotional pages: For example, you can create a Black Friday version of your product category page and redirect users to this version while the campaign is running
• Live test: Use 302 redirects to test the performance of a new stream, feature or design with all your users. If the new version is doing better, you can make it permanently.

You can implement 302 redirections using the Redirecting settings in your site editor, using an appropriate site plugin or get help from a web developer.

When implementing a temporary redirection instead of a permanent redirection, you do not need to update references to the source page. You can leave your internal links, sitemap, etc. as they are.

Test and monitor your redirects

Making errors with 301 and 302 redirections is easy, so you have to test them and monitor their influence on your site’s performance.

In Google Search Console you can see if you have redirecting errors, including:

• Redirect chains that are too long (eg page A> Side B> Side C […]?
• Redirect loops (eg page A> Page B> Page A)
• Redirect URLs that exceed the maximum URL -Length
• Bad or empty URLs in the Redirecting Chain

The “Pages of Redirecting” report shows which redirecting pages are not Indexed by Google. If you find any pages to be indexed (ie entitled to appear in search results), you may need to remove the redirection.

In Semrush’s Website Audit Tool you can see all URLs with 301 or 302 redirections on your site.

This tool can also identify regular redirection errors, give advice on how and why you can solve them, and help you create tasks for your team.

Website Auditing also helps you find and solve dozens of other SEO questions. And you can use it to review 100 pages a month for free.