↪️301 vs 302 Redirects: SEO Impact Explained
The difference between permanent and temporary redirects, how much PageRank each passes, redirect chains, and when to use each type in real-world SEO scenarios.
Redirects tell browsers and search engines that a URL has moved. The HTTP status code determines whether the move is permanent or temporary — a distinction that significantly affects link equity transfer and caching behavior.
The Key Types
| Code | Meaning | Link Equity | Browser Cache | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | Moved Permanently | Full pass (~99%) | Cached permanently | URL changes, domain migrations, HTTPS |
| 302 | Found (Temporary) | Reduced / uncertain | Not cached (re-checked each time) | A/B tests, maintenance pages, geo-routing |
| 307 | Temporary Redirect | Similar to 302 | Not cached | 302 with strict method preservation |
| 308 | Permanent Redirect | Similar to 301 | Cached permanently | 301 with strict method preservation |
How Much PageRank Does a 301 Pass?
Google has stated that 301 redirects pass "essentially the same" PageRank as direct links. In practice, studies suggest a very small loss (< 5%) with each hop. A single 301 is fine. What you must avoid is redirect chains.
Redirect Chains
A redirect chain occurs when multiple redirects are chained: A → B → C → D. Each hop loses a fraction of link equity and slows down the user. Google's crawler may stop following chains after a certain number of hops. Audit your site regularly and collapse chains to a single redirect: A → D.
Using 302 for permanent URL changes is the most common redirect mistake. If Google sees a 302, it keeps the original URL in its index and doesn't pass full equity to the destination. Always use 301 for permanent moves.
Domain Migration Redirects
When migrating to a new domain (old.com → new.com), set up page-level 301 redirects for every URL — not just the homepage. old.com/blog/post-1 → new.com/blog/post-1 preserves the specific page's link equity. A single homepage redirect leaves all internal page equity behind.
Monitoring Redirect Health
Use Google Search Console's Coverage report to spot pages returning unexpected redirect codes. Check for broken redirect destinations (redirects pointing to 404s) and redirect loops (A → B → A). Hugo's Technical SEO category flags pages with non-200 response codes.
References
- [1]Google: Redirects and Google Search — How redirects pass signals and when each type should be used — developers.google.com
- [2]MDN: HTTP redirections — Reference for all HTTP redirect status codes — developer.mozilla.org