Everything you need to know about sending visitors and search engines to the right page

A redirect sends anyone who visits one URL to a different URL instead. You’ve used redirects without realizing it, type in an old Twitter link and it lands on X.com, or visit a site without “www” and it automatically adds it.

For SEO, redirects matter because they tell search engines whether a page has moved permanently or temporarily, and that distinction changes how rankings get passed along.

What Is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 redirect means “this page has moved permanently.” It tells browsers and search engines to stop looking for the old URL and treat the new one as its replacement.

Example: You rebrand your business and change your domain from oldbrand.com to newbrand.com. Every page on oldbrand.com should 301 redirect to its matching page on newbrand.com.

Most of the ranking value (commonly called “link equity”) from the old page carries over to the new one. Google eventually drops the old URL from its index and keeps only the new one.

When to use a 301:

• You’ve permanently moved a page to a new URL
• You’ve merged two pages into one
• You’ve switched domains
• You’re fixing duplicate URLs (like http vs https, or with vs without “www”)
• You’ve removed a product but want visitors sent to a related one

What Is a 302 Redirect?

A 302 redirect means “this page has moved temporarily.” The original URL is expected to come back, so search engines keep indexing the old URL and don’t pass along ranking value the way they do with a 301.

Example: An online store puts a product on a temporary landing page during a flash sale, then plans to bring back the original product page afterward. A 302 keeps that original URL live in Google’s eyes.

When to use a 302:

• A page is temporarily unavailable (maintenance, A/B testing)
• You’re running a short-term campaign page
• You want to test a new page without losing rankings on the old one
• The redirect is genuinely temporary and will be reversed

301 vs 302: The Key Difference

	301 Redirect	302 Redirect
Meaning	Permanent move	Temporary move
Passes ranking value	Yes	Mostly no
Search engine behavior	Replaces old URL with new one in index	Keeps indexing the old URL
Use case	Domain change, permanent page removal	Sales, testing, short-term campaigns
Common mistake	Using 302 when the move is actually permanent	—

The most common SEO mistake is using a 302 for something that’s actually permanent. If you migrate a website and use 302s instead of 301s, Google won’t transfer your rankings to the new URLs, and your traffic can drop.

How to Check What Redirect Type a Page Is Using

You don’t need to guess. A few free ways to check:

• Browser extensions like Redirect Path or Link Redirect Trace show the redirect chain and type
• Google Search Console flags redirect errors under the Pages report
• Screaming Frog (free for up to 500 URLs) crawls your site and lists every redirect along with its status code

If you’re planning a site migration, checking your crawl budget beforehand also helps you catch redirect issues before they affect how much of your site gets indexed, see our guide on what crawl budget is and how it works for more on that.

Common Redirect Mistakes to Avoid

• Redirect chains — Page A redirects to B, which redirects to C. Each hop adds load time and dilutes ranking value. Always redirect straight to the final URL.
• Redirect loops — Page A redirects to B, which redirects back to A. This breaks the page entirely.
• Redirecting everything to the homepage — If you deleted a blog post, redirect visitors to a related post, not your homepage. It’s a better experience and better for SEO.
• Forgetting internal links — Even after redirecting, update your internal links to point directly to the new URL instead of relying on the redirect.

FAQ

Do redirects hurt SEO?

No, a properly set up redirect doesn’t hurt SEO. Using the wrong type (like a 302 for a permanent move) or creating long redirect chains is what causes problems.

How long should I keep a 301 redirect in place?

Indefinitely, if possible. Removing it before Google fully updates its index can cause the old URL to show a 404 error to visitors who still have it bookmarked or linked.

Can I use a 301 redirect for my entire website?

Yes. This is standard practice during domain migrations, where every old URL is mapped to its corresponding new URL.

What happens if I don’t redirect a deleted page?

Visitors and search engines hit a 404 error. Any ranking value that page had is lost, and it can hurt user experience.

Need help auditing your site’s redirects during a migration or cleanup? BizClick Digital’s SEO services can help you get it right the first time.