Understanding 301 vs 302 vs 307 Redirects

HTTP redirect status codes are essential tools for web developers and SEO professionals. Understanding when and how to use 301, 302, and 307 redirects can significantly impact your website’s search engine rankings, user experience, and overall performance.

HTTP Redirect Status Codes Overview

Redirect status codes are part of the 3xx family of HTTP response codes. They inform browsers and search engines that the requested resource has moved to a different location and provide the new URL.

The Three Main Redirect Types

• 301 - Moved Permanently
• 302 - Found (Temporary Redirect)
• 307 - Temporary Redirect

Each serves different purposes and has distinct implications for SEO and user experience.

301 - Moved Permanently

The 301 status code indicates that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a new location.

When to Use 301 Redirects

Domain Changes:

oldsite.com → newsite.com

URL Structure Changes:

example.com/old-category/product → example.com/new-category/product

HTTPS Migration:

http://example.com → https://example.com

Content Consolidation:

example.com/page1 → example.com/combined-content
example.com/page2 → example.com/combined-content

SEO Impact of 301 Redirects

• Link Equity Transfer: Passes 90-99% of ranking power to the new URL
• Search Engine Indexing: Search engines remove the old URL from their index
• Ranking Preservation: Maintains search rankings when implemented correctly
• Backlink Value: Preserves the value of existing backlinks

Implementation Examples

Apache (.htaccess):

Redirect 301 /old-page.html /new-page/
RewriteRule ^old-category/(.*)$ /new-category/$1 [R=301,L]

Nginx:

rewrite ^/old-page.html$ /new-page/ permanent;
location /old-category/ {
    rewrite ^/old-category/(.*)$ /new-category/$1 permanent;
}

PHP:

header("Location: /new-page/", true, 301);
exit();

302 - Found (Temporary Redirect)

The 302 status code indicates that the resource has been temporarily moved to a different location.

When to Use 302 Redirects

A/B Testing:

example.com/landing → example.com/landing-variant-b

Maintenance Pages:

example.com/service → example.com/maintenance

Seasonal Campaigns:

example.com/products → example.com/holiday-sale

Geographic Redirects:

example.com → example.co.uk (for UK visitors)

SEO Impact of 302 Redirects

• Link Equity: Minimal link equity transfer (search engines expect the change to be temporary)
• Search Engine Indexing: Original URL remains in search results
• Ranking Impact: Original URL typically retains its rankings
• Temporary Nature: Should be removed when no longer needed

Implementation Examples

Apache (.htaccess):

Redirect 302 /temp-page.html /temporary-location/
RewriteRule ^seasonal/(.*)$ /campaign/$1 [R=302,L]

Nginx:

rewrite ^/temp-page.html$ /temporary-location/ redirect;

JavaScript (client-side):

// Note: Not recommended for SEO purposes
window.location.href = '/temporary-location/';

307 - Temporary Redirect

The 307 status code is similar to 302 but with a crucial difference: it guarantees that the HTTP method won’t change during the redirect.

When to Use 307 Redirects

API Endpoints:

POST /api/v1/users → POST /api/v2/users

Form Submissions:

POST /submit-form → POST /new-form-handler

Method-Sensitive Operations: When maintaining the original HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) is crucial.

Key Differences from 302

Implementation Examples

Apache (.htaccess):

RewriteRule ^api/v1/(.*)$ /api/v2/$1 [R=307,L]

Nginx:

rewrite ^/api/v1/(.*)$ /api/v2/$1 temporary;

Node.js/Express:

app.use('/api/v1/*', (req, res) => {
    res.redirect(307, req.url.replace('/api/v1', '/api/v2'));
});

Choosing the Right Redirect Type

Decision Matrix

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using 302 for Permanent Changes:

• Dilutes SEO value
• Confuses search engines
• Doesn’t transfer link equity

Using 301 for Temporary Changes:

• Search engines index the new URL
• Difficult to reverse
• Unintended SEO consequences

Ignoring HTTP Methods:

• Using 302 when 307 is needed for APIs
• Breaking form submissions
• Causing unexpected behavior

Testing and Monitoring Redirects

Essential Testing Tools

RedirectCheck:

• Verify redirect status codes
• Check redirect chains
• Monitor performance impact

Browser Developer Tools:

• Network tab for redirect analysis
• Response header examination

Command Line:

# Test redirect status
curl -I https://example.com/old-page

# Follow redirects
curl -L -I https://example.com/old-page

Monitoring Best Practices

1. Regular Audits: Check redirect status codes monthly
2. Performance Monitoring: Track redirect impact on page speed
3. SEO Monitoring: Watch for ranking changes after redirect implementation
4. Error Tracking: Monitor for redirect loops and chains

Real-World Examples

E-commerce Site Migration

Scenario: Moving from old e-commerce platform to new one

Solution:

# Product pages - permanent move
Redirect 301 /products/old-product-123 /products/new-product-name

# Category pages - permanent restructure
Redirect 301 /old-category /new-category

# Search functionality - temporary during testing
Redirect 302 /search /new-search-beta

API Evolution

Scenario: Updating API while maintaining backward compatibility

Solution:

# Preserve HTTP methods for API calls
location /api/v1/ {
    rewrite ^/api/v1/(.*)$ /api/v2/$1 redirect;  # 307 redirect
}

# Permanent deprecation notice
location /api/deprecated/ {
    rewrite ^/api/deprecated/(.*)$ /api/current/$1 permanent;  # 301 redirect
}

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between 301, 302, and 307 redirects is crucial for effective web development and SEO management:

• Use 301 for permanent changes to preserve SEO value
• Use 302 for temporary redirects when the original URL should remain indexed
• Use 307 when you need to preserve HTTP methods in temporary redirects

Always test your redirects thoroughly and monitor their impact on both user experience and search engine performance. Tools like RedirectCheck can help you verify that your redirects are working as intended and identify any issues before they impact your users or SEO rankings.

Remember: the right redirect type at the right time can significantly improve your website’s performance and search engine visibility.