301 & 302 Redirection for SEO

 There are countless questions regarding some of the redirects on the website, and the most common are on 301 and 302. The difference between the two is simple but the reason behind it is solid, one can do a lot of website development by making proper use of 301 and 302 without sitting down on any loss.


What is a Redirect?


A redirect explains that a website is using a different URL from the one the visitor originally wanted to see. The most common redirects are the 301 and 302 redirects, which we are going to discuss in detail.

Types of Redirects


  • 301, "Moved Permanently"—recommended for SEO
  • 302, "Found" or "Moved Temporarily"


Here are a few reasons why a website owner would want to use the redirects:

  • There might be a new website or page in addition to the old one
  • When the URL link is broken
  • There must be some fixing going on the webpage and the owner wants the visitors to enter a different page while the old one is under construction


The reasons can be many and one must clearly understand why they want to redirect and which redirect will be best suited for the website. This is a crucial decision to make because a wrong redirect can ruin the website and all the old visitors. Choosing the right redirect will guarantee that the current ranking of one’s website will not be compromised. Redirects keep the rankings intact and build a positive reputation through regular backlinks and content.



What Is a 301 Redirect?


This redirect on a website represents that the website or the page is moved permanently. By permanently, it means that it will be away for a year or longer that the page is gone. The visitor can also come back after a year and check if the page is back.

When Should You Use 301 Redirects?


  • This redirect is used when someone buys a new domain and they want to be sent to their primary domain. It is mostly used because of some misspelling of the brand name, relevant domain with high domain authority.
  • 301 redirect helps while establishing your default site like “www.yourwebsite.com” or just “yourwebsite.com”.
  • The fact that searchers often forget to type ‘www’, so this is will not hamper the website and the visitors will land up on the website even if they forget to type ‘www’.


What Is a 302 Redirect?


This redirect is a clear sign to the visitors that the website or the page has been removed temporarily and will be back in a few days.

When Should You Use 302 Redirects?


  • This redirect is used when a website is under renovation or redesigning process. The 302 redirects will send the visitors to a new site temporarily.
  • This redirect is used when the website owner is planning to bring the website back. This is also used when the owner wants to test a new page or consumer feedback without compromising any visitors on their original page.


How Do Both Redirects Impact SEO?


  • When one uses the 301 redirect htaccess, Google removes the old page from the index and replaces it with the new page. Hence, visitors are redirected.
  • The fact that every time the redirects are activated, it will take some time for the page to move from one URL to another. The search engines will take some time to recognize the change.
  • This brings us to the fact that if the redirects are used correctly, the SEO will not be harmed
  • When you use 302 redirects, the original URL remains indexed and Google knows that the redirect is just temporary.


These redirects provide a better option to deal with any website construction or temporary issues. However, recognizing the faults and making use of the right URL redirect is completely on the website owner. If the redirect is selected correctly, there will be no change or problem on the website.

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