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When building and managing a website, you might run into instances where you need to redirect users from one URL to another. For example, you might want to redirect an old product page to an updated URL or redirect users to a login page if they try to access member-only content. Redirects, therefore, are a crucial part of website development and maintenance.
There are two main types of redirects that you can implement to reach your goals: a 301 redirect and a 302 redirect. These numbers refer to the HTTP status codes sent to browsers to trigger the redirect. When a browser receives a 301 or 302 status code, it will automatically redirect the user to the new URL provided.
In this blog, we break down the differences between 301 vs. 302 redirect types to help you better use them to your advantage.
What is a 301 Redirect?
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect which passes between 90-99% of link equity (ranking power) to the new page. Search engines and browsers are instructed to update the URL, which ensures the redirect gets cached for future visits. It signals to both browsers and search engines that the URL for that content has permanently changed. The 301 redirect and new URL will be cached so that all future attempts to access the old URL will be automatically redirected.
301 redirects are ideal when you want to:
- Change a page URL permanently
- Consolidate content from one URL to another
- Migrate a site to a new domain
- Reorganize site content
- Because 301s pass on link equity and caching, they are better for SEO purposes.
What is a 302 Redirect?
A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect that does not pass any link equity to the new page. It is only meant as a short-term redirect for things like:
- Directing users to maintenance or landing pages
- Redirecting based on login status
- Temporary URL changes
302s will not get cached for search engines, so they do not help with rankings. Think of them as short-term redirects for a specific purpose vs. a permanent site change.
Key Differences Between 301 and 302
The key differences between 301 and 302 redirects lie in their longevity and impact on SEO.
301 Redirects |
302 Redirects |
| A 301 redirect is permanent. It passes 90-99% of the link equity or ranking power from the old URL to the new one, and gets cached by search engines so all future visits go to the new page. | A 302 redirect is temporary, so it does not pass any link equity and is not cached. 302 redirects are best suited for short-term, redirect needs that are easy to update later, like maintenance pages or user login pages that vary based on status. Note that search engines will eventually drop pages with 302 redirects from their indexes. For this reason, if you need to make a long-term URL change for better SEO, use a 301 redirect. |
Domain Forwarding with NameSilo
NameSilo provides flexible domain forwarding options to meet different needs. Before enabling forwarding, keep in mind that it changes your domain’s nameservers to NameSilo’s defaults, which can disrupt existing services like websites or email relying on current nameservers. Make sure you understand the effects on your domain and services before using forwarding.
With NameSilo, you can run forwarding reports showing how often your forwarded domain is accessed. They log each visit so you can track popularity. It can take up to 72 hours for new or updated forwarding settings to fully propagate across the internet. If issues persist after 72 hours, try clearing your browser cache and accessing the domain again to resolve propagation delays.
Conclusion
Understanding the differences between 301 and 302 redirects is crucial for website owners. Using the proper redirect code for the situation helps ensure a good user experience and clean website migrations. In this article, we’ll explore when to use each type of redirect and the implications of each. Using the right type of redirect for your needs helps ensure a good user experience and clean site migration. Now that you know the difference between 301 and 302 status codes, you can update your site redirects appropriately.
For more insights and actionable tips, visit the NameSilo blog today.