301 vs 302 redirect — one is permanent and passes SEO value, the other is temporary. Using the wrong one can cost you rankings. Here's when to use each.
301 vs 302 Redirect: What’s the Difference?
A 301 redirect is permanent and tells search engines the page has moved for good, passing its ranking signals to the new URL. A 302 redirect is temporary and tells them the move is short-term, so signals stay with the original. Using the wrong one is a common, costly mistake — a 302 where you meant a 301 can leave ranking value stuck on a dead page.
Here’s exactly when to use each, and why the difference matters for SEO.
The core difference
| 301 Redirect | 302 Redirect | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Moved permanently | Moved temporarily |
| SEO signals | Pass to the new URL | Stay with the original URL |
| When to use | Permanent moves | Short-term, temporary moves |
| Search result | New URL replaces old in the index | Original URL stays indexed |
Both send a visitor from one URL to another. The difference is what they tell search engines about permanence — and therefore where ranking value ends up.
When to use a 301 (permanent)
Use a 301 whenever a page has moved for good:
- Moving to a new domain or restructuring URLs.
- Merging or consolidating pages.
- Switching HTTP → HTTPS or non-www → www.
- Retiring an old page and sending its traffic (and authority) to a relevant new one.
A 301 consolidates the old page’s accumulated ranking signals onto the new URL, which is exactly what you want for a permanent change. It’s the workhorse of a site migration.
When to use a 302 (temporary)
Use a 302 only when the move is genuinely temporary and the original URL will return:
- A/B testing a page variant.
- A temporary promo or seasonal page.
- Brief maintenance where the original comes back.
- Geo- or device-based temporary routing.
With a 302, search engines keep the original URL indexed because you’ve told them it’s coming back — which is correct for temporary situations and wrong for permanent ones.
Why using the wrong one hurts
This is the practitioner point: using a 302 for a permanent move is a classic, quiet SEO mistake. Because a 302 tells search engines the original will return, ranking signals can stay stuck on the old URL instead of consolidating on the new one — so the new page struggles to rank and the old one lingers. On a site migration, defaulting to 302 (some servers and frameworks do this by default) can undercut the whole move. When in doubt for a permanent change, it’s a 301.
Redirects and site recovery
Redirects aren’t just housekeeping — done right, they’re a core part of recovering and consolidating a site’s authority during a rebuild or migration, sending every retired URL’s value to the right living page instead of leaving it stranded. That’s exactly the kind of work that turns a fragmented or declining site around. (SEO consulting handles migrations and redirect strategy.) For the indexing side of duplicate URLs, see canonical tags.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect? A 301 redirect is permanent — it tells search engines a page has moved for good and passes its ranking signals to the new URL. A 302 redirect is temporary — it signals a short-term move, so ranking value stays with the original URL. The key difference is permanence, which determines where your SEO value ends up.
Which is better for SEO, 301 or 302? Neither is universally “better” — it depends on the situation. For a permanent move, a 301 is correct because it passes ranking signals to the new URL. For a genuinely temporary move, a 302 is correct because it keeps the original indexed. Using the wrong type for the situation is what causes SEO problems.
Does a 301 redirect pass SEO value? Yes. A 301 redirect consolidates the old page’s accumulated ranking signals onto the destination URL, which is why it’s the right choice for permanent moves and site migrations. It tells search engines to treat the new URL as the successor, transferring the authority the old page had earned to the new location.
When should I use a 302 redirect? Use a 302 only for genuinely temporary moves where the original URL will return — such as A/B testing, a temporary promotion or seasonal page, brief maintenance, or temporary geo/device routing. In these cases you want search engines to keep the original indexed, which is exactly what a 302 signals.
What happens if I use a 302 instead of a 301? If you use a 302 for a move that’s actually permanent, search engines may keep the original URL indexed and leave ranking signals on it rather than consolidating them on the new page. That can leave the new page struggling to rank and the old one lingering — a common, quiet mistake, especially during migrations where 302 is sometimes a default.
Are redirects bad for SEO? No — proper redirects are essential and helpful. They preserve user experience and, in the case of 301s, transfer ranking value to the right pages. Problems come from misuse: using the wrong type, creating long redirect chains, or redirecting to irrelevant pages. Used correctly, redirects are a normal, important part of managing a site.
How do redirects help during a site migration? Redirects, mainly 301s, send each old URL’s traffic and accumulated authority to the correct new page, so a migration or rebuild doesn’t lose the ranking value the site earned. Mapping every retired URL to a relevant destination with permanent redirects is central to preserving and consolidating a site’s authority through a move.
Written by Bryan Collins, SEO & AEO strategist. Migrating or rebuilding a site? See SEO consulting or run a free seo audit.