301 Redirect vs 302 Redirect
SEOAlso: Permanent Redirect · Temporary Redirect · HTTP Redirect
Quick definition
A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines a page has moved permanently, and passes most of its ranking authority to the new URL. A 302 redirect signals a temporary move and tells search engines to keep the original URL indexed. Both send visitors to a new address, but they mean different things to Google.
How it varies across Australia
Redirect misuse is one of the most common technical faults we find auditing Australian sites, particularly after a replatform or rebrand. Sites that leave 302s in place for months after a permanent change typically see slower recovery in organic traffic than sites that correct them early.
See technical SEO health across Australian industries →301 vs 302 at a glance
Use when a page has moved for good. Passes ranking authority to the new URL.
Old URL drops from the indexUse when a page will return, such as during maintenance or a limited-time swap.
Old URL stays indexedWhat it actually means
Think of a 301 as filing a permanent change-of-address with the post office. Everything that used to go to the old address, including the reputation attached to it, now goes to the new one. A 302 is more like a note on the door saying 'back next week, leave mail here for now.' The mail still gets delivered, but the post office doesn't update its permanent records.
That distinction matters enormously for SEO. A 301 tells search engines to transfer ranking signals, including backlinks and search console history, from the old URL to the new one. A 302 tells search engines the old URL is still the canonical version, so it keeps that URL indexed and doesn't consolidate signals onto the destination.
The practical fallout shows up during site migrations, domain changes and URL restructures. Teams under time pressure often reach for whichever redirect their CMS defaults to, without checking which type it actually is. Get it wrong and a rebrand can quietly bleed organic traffic for months while everyone assumes the migration went fine.
A 302 left in place for a year isn't a temporary redirect anymore. It's a permanent mistake wearing a temporary label.
How it shows up
Redirect type shows up in Search Console as 'Page with redirect' status, and in a crawl tool as the HTTP status code returned by the URL. It also shows up indirectly in ranking data. A permanent move done with a 302 often results in the old URL staying indexed while the new one struggles to rank, because search engines haven't been told to transfer authority. Teams usually spot this weeks after launch, when someone finally asks why organic traffic hasn't recovered.
The Australian context
Australian businesses migrating between platforms, particularly moving off legacy CMS builds onto Shopify or Webflow, are the group we see get this wrong most often. Agencies handling the technical migration sometimes default to 302 redirects during a staged rollout and forget to switch them to 301 once the new site goes live permanently. If your business has been through a rebrand or platform change in the last two years, it is worth auditing every redirect type rather than assuming the developer set it up correctly.
Where people get this wrong
Related terms
Common questions
Does a 301 redirect hurt my SEO?
A properly implemented 301 causes minimal ranking loss and usually recovers fully within a few weeks. It's the standard, expected way to move a page permanently. The damage comes from using the wrong redirect type or building long redirect chains, not from 301s themselves.
How long should I keep a 301 redirect in place?
Indefinitely, if possible. Search engines can take months to fully process a permanent move, and some visitors and backlinks will keep pointing at the old URL for years. Removing a 301 too early breaks any link still pointing at the old address.
Can I use a 302 redirect for an A/B test?
Yes, that's exactly the use case a 302 is designed for. You want search engines to keep the original URL indexed since the variant page is temporary. Switch to a 301 only if the test result becomes a permanent change.
How do I check which redirect type my site is using?
Any browser developer tools panel or a crawling tool will show the HTTP status code returned. A 301 shows as status code 301, a 302 shows as 302. Free online redirect checkers do the same job without needing technical tools.
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About New Rebellion
New Rebellion is a marketing intelligence consultancy. We build tools, score Australian businesses on how their marketing actually performs, and publish Debrief every day. This dictionary is part of how we work in the open.
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