Appropriate Uses for 301 and 302 Redirects, and How They Impact SEO

301 and 302 redirects are response codes that redirect users when their request to visit a website is unsuccessful. In most cases, you would use a redirect code when you move a webpage to a new URL. This might mean you are choosing between a www or non-www URL, you have a new website, or you’re in the process of rebuilding a page and want to send users to a different page while you’re working. 

It is essential to select the correct redirect code for what you are doing to prevent potential SEO damage. Redirects will probably never give you an SEO boost, but by choosing the right code, you can at least guarantee that you won’t lose your current rankings. 

A 301 redirect indicates that a website has permanently moved. A 301 redirect should remain in place for at least a year after a migration, and if it is still behind substantial traffic, it is worth trying to understand why users are arriving at your old page. A 302 redirect, on the other hand, signals to the search engine that a website has been moved temporarily. This comes in handy if your website is undergoing maintenance of any kind or if you are applying new designs. You might also use a 302 redirect if you run experiments on a new page but don’t want to phase out your old site officially. 

A 301 redirect causes Google to remove the old page from its index, transferring much of the SEO value from the old page to the new one. A 302 redirect should not impact your SEO because the original page remains indexed by Google.

If your business is preparing for a site migration or maintenance, partner with ASTRALCOM. We can help you ensure a robust search engine ranking while growing your digital ecosystem.