Overview
A 301 redirect tells search engines that a page has moved permanently to a new URL, while a 302 redirect tells them that the move is temporary. For SEO, a 301 is usually the right choice when an old URL is being replaced permanently, while a 302 is more appropriate when you expect the original page to return.

 

Redirects are used to send visitors and search engines from one URL to another. They are a routine part of website maintenance, migrations and redesigns, but choosing the wrong type can give search engines unclear information about which page should remain visible in search results.

 

What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?

The biggest difference is whether the move is permanent or temporary.

A 301 redirect means that the old URL has permanently moved somewhere else.

For example:

example.com/old-service/

might redirect to:

example.com/new-service/

if the business has permanently changed the URL of that service page.

Google treats a permanent redirect as a signal that the destination URL should become the main version used in search results.

A 302 redirect means that the move is expected to be temporary.

For example, a service page might temporarily redirect to an information page while that service is unavailable. The intention is that the original URL will eventually return.

In that situation, Google may continue treating the original URL as the main page because the redirect is only temporary.

A simple way to decide between the two is to ask: Do we expect the original URL to come back?

If the answer is no, a 301 redirect will usually make more sense.
If the answer is yes, a 302 may be more appropriate.

 

When should you use a 301 redirect?

A 301 redirect is normally used when a webpage has moved permanently.

Common examples include:

  • changing the URL of a service page
  • deleting an old page and replacing it with a relevant new one
  • moving a website onto a new domain
  • changing the structure of a website
  • consolidating two similar pages into one
  • moving from HTTP to HTTPS
  • replacing old product or category URLs
  • changing CMS platforms.

For example, imagine a website originally used:

example.com/services/seo-optimisation/

but the new site uses:

example.com/seo/

If the old URL is never going to return, redirecting it permanently to the new URL gives visitors a working destination and tells search engines that the content has moved.

Google recommends server-side permanent redirects such as 301 or 308 when URLs have permanently changed.

 

When should you use a 302 redirect?

A 302 redirect is appropriate when the change is genuinely temporary.

This could include situations where:

  • a product is temporarily unavailable
  • a page is undergoing maintenance
  • a temporary campaign page is being used
  • users need to be sent elsewhere for a short period
  • the original page is expected to return.

Imagine a retailer has a seasonal product page that will be available again in a few weeks.

Temporarily redirecting visitors elsewhere may make sense while retaining the original URL as the long-term location.

Google’s guidance is that temporary redirects allow users to reach another page while signalling that the original URL may still be the one that should remain in search results.

The important part is that the redirect reflects what is actually happening.

A 302 that remains in place for years is no longer describing a temporary move particularly well.

 

Do 301 redirects affect SEO?

A properly implemented 301 redirect should help search engines understand that a page has moved.

That is useful when URLs change because external websites, bookmarks and search engines may still be pointing towards the old address.

Without a redirect, someone visiting the old URL may encounter a 404 error.

With a 301 in place, they reach the replacement page instead.

Search engines can also transfer signals associated with the old URL towards the destination as they process the redirect.

It’s important that the destination is relevant, the redirect is permanent and visitors are sent directly to the correct replacement page.

 

Do 302 redirects hurt SEO?

A 302 redirect is not inherently bad for SEO.

It becomes a problem when it does not match the intended purpose of the redirect.

If a page has permanently moved but the website keeps sending a temporary signal, search engines have to interpret which URL should ultimately remain as the main version.

Google can sometimes recognise situations where a temporary redirect has effectively become permanent, but relying on Google to reinterpret an incorrect setup is unnecessary.

If the move is permanent, use a permanent redirect.

If it is temporary, use a temporary redirect.

That gives search engines clearer information and makes the setup easier to maintain.

 

What happens if you redirect a page to an unrelated page?

The destination of a redirect matters.

If an old page about one specific service is redirected to a closely related replacement, the relationship is clear.

Redirecting every deleted page to the homepage is much less useful.

Imagine an old page about commercial boiler servicing disappears.

Redirecting that URL to a replacement boiler servicing page would make sense.

Redirecting it to a generic homepage forces the visitor to start their search again.

When creating redirects, ask what somebody clicking the old URL would reasonably expect to find.

That usually leads to a better destination.

If no suitable replacement exists, allowing the old page to return an appropriate 404 or 410 status can sometimes be cleaner than forcing an irrelevant redirect.

 

What is a redirect chain?

A redirect chain happens when one URL redirects to another URL, which then redirects again.

For example:

Page A → Page B → Page C

This often happens gradually.

A page is redirected during one website update, then the replacement page is moved again a year later. Instead of updating the original redirect, another one is added.

Over time, several steps can accumulate.

A visitor may barely notice a short chain, but each additional redirect creates another request before the final page loads.

Googlebot can follow multiple redirects, although Google’s migration guidance recommends sending URLs directly to their final destination and keeping chains as short as possible.

So instead of:

Page A → Page B → Page C

update the rule to:

Page A → Page C

This is particularly important during a site migration, where hundreds or thousands of old URLs may already be redirecting.

 

Why are redirect chains bad for SEO?

Redirect chains can create several practical problems.

They increase the time it takes a browser or crawler to reach the final page.

They also make a website harder to maintain.

If Page B disappears from the chain or a rule is changed incorrectly, the entire route from Page A to Page C can break.

Long chains can become particularly messy when several migrations have taken place.

For example:

2019 URL → 2021 URL → 2024 URL → current URL

A cleaner setup would send the original URL straight to the current page.

During an SEO audit, old redirects should therefore be checked to see whether unnecessary intermediate steps can be removed.

 

What is a redirect loop?

A redirect loop occurs when URLs keep redirecting back to each other.

For example:

Page A → Page B → Page A

Neither visitors nor search engines can reach a final page.

Browsers will normally stop trying after a number of redirects and show an error such as “too many redirects”.

Loops can also involve several URLs:

Page A → Page B → Page C → Page A

These problems often appear after several redirect rules have been added without checking how they interact.

They can also occur when different systems are trying to control the same URL.

For example, a CMS, a server-level rule and a plugin might each contain their own redirect instructions.

When redirects are changed, the entire route should be tested from the original URL through to the final destination.

 

How can redirects go wrong during a website migration?

Website migrations are one of the most common situations where redirects become important.

When URL structures change, every important old page should ideally be mapped to its most relevant new destination.

A weak migration might redirect dozens of old pages to a single category page or homepage.

A stronger migration maps pages individually wherever a suitable replacement exists.

For example:

/old-site/accounting-services/

should ideally redirect to:

/new-site/accounting-services/

rather than:

/

Google recommends planning URL mappings before a move and using server-side permanent redirects from old URLs to their new equivalents.

Redirects should then be tested after launch because rules that look correct in a spreadsheet can behave differently once they reach the live server.

 

How should you set up a 301 redirect?

The exact process depends on the platform and server.

On some CMS platforms, redirects can be managed through built-in tools or plugins.

On an Apache server, redirects may be configured through an .htaccess file.

A simple example might look like:

Redirect 301 /old-page/ https://www.example.com/new-page/

Changes to server configuration should be made carefully.

A syntax error can affect far more than the page you intended to redirect.

For larger migrations, creating a redirect mapping document before making the changes is usually safer than adding rules one at a time.

That mapping should include:

  • the old URL
  • the new destination
  • the redirect type
  • whether the destination returns a normal 200 status
  • whether another redirect already exists.

 

How can you check whether a redirect is working properly?

Do not assume a redirect is correct simply because the page eventually loads.

Check what actually happens between the first URL and the destination.

A redirect test should confirm:

  • whether the first response is 301 or 302
  • whether the destination is correct
  • whether there are additional redirects in between
  • whether the final page loads normally
  • whether a loop occurs
  • whether old URLs have been missed.

Google Search Console can also help when investigating how Google sees individual URLs.

For larger websites, SEO crawling tools can identify redirected URLs, chains, loops and broken destinations across the entire site.

These checks are particularly useful after development work, HTTPS migrations or changes to URL structures.

 

Should internal links point through redirects?

Where possible, internal links should point directly to the final URL.

Suppose a website contains this redirect:

/old-service/ → /new-service/

If navigation links, article links and buttons still point to /old-service/, every visitor has to pass through the redirect unnecessarily.

Updating those internal links to /new-service/ removes that extra step.

Redirects are useful for catching old references that you cannot easily change, particularly external links.

Within your own website, linking directly to the current page usually creates a cleaner setup.

 

What should you do with redirects during an SEO audit?

Redirects are worth checking whenever a website has gone through redesigns, migrations or major structural changes.

An audit should look for:

  • permanent moves using temporary redirects
  • temporary moves using permanent redirects
  • redirect chains
  • redirect loops
  • redirects to irrelevant pages
  • internal links pointing at old URLs
  • old redirects that no longer serve a purpose
  • redirects leading to 404 pages.

A few isolated redirects rarely cause major problems.

A website with years of accumulated redirect rules can become much harder to crawl and maintain.

This is why redirect reviews are often included within a wider SEO audit.

 

Are 301 or 302 redirects better for SEO?

Neither redirect type is automatically better.

The correct choice depends on whether the move is permanent.

Use a 301 redirect when the old URL has permanently moved and you want the replacement to become the main version.

Use a 302 redirect when the change is temporary and you expect the original URL to return.

Then check the journey itself.

Even the correct status code can cause problems if it points to the wrong page, creates a chain or becomes part of a redirect loop.

For most businesses, the practical rule is simple: decide whether the change is permanent, redirect directly to the most relevant destination and test the result before considering the job finished.

 

FAQs

What is the main difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?

A 301 signals that a URL has moved permanently, while a 302 signals a temporary move. Search engines use that distinction when deciding which URL should remain as the main version in search results.

Should I use a 301 redirect when changing a URL?

Usually, yes, if the change is permanent. The old URL should redirect directly to the closest relevant replacement.

Can too many redirects hurt SEO?

A large number of valid redirects is not automatically a problem, but long redirect chains, loops and unnecessary redirects can slow access and make crawling and maintenance more difficult.

What is a redirect loop?

A redirect loop happens when redirects send a browser or crawler around in a circle without reaching a final page. This usually results in a browser error and prevents the content from being accessed.

Should I redirect every deleted page to the homepage?

Usually not. Redirect deleted pages to a closely relevant replacement where one exists. If there is no suitable alternative, a proper 404 or 410 response can sometimes be more appropriate than sending users to an unrelated homepage.