302 Redirect

What is a 302 Redirect?

A 302 redirect indicates that the requested resource has been moved to another URL temporarily.

The 302 Found HTTP response code sends the browser users to a new URL and informs the search engine crawlers that the redirection is temporary. 

There are several ways to redirect users and search engines to a different URL, the two main ones being the 301 and 302 redirects. While from the user’s standpoint, there’s virtually no difference between the two, search engines interpret these redirects differently. 

Since the type of redirect you use can severely impact your SEO, you must choose the appropriate one based on whether the move to a new URL is permanent or temporary. 

You can add a 302 redirect and define the new URL by including the following bit of code in your .htaccess file (found in your website’s root directory): 

Redirect 302 /old-page.html /new-page.html

In WordPress, you can use the Redirections plugin.

How is 302 redirect different from 301? 

Given that the 301 and 302 redirects both take the user to a different URL, the user’s experience is no different. In other words, on the website visitor’s end, there will be no difference between these two types of redirects. 

However, from the search engines’ standpoint, there is a major difference between the two since it interprets and handles the URL redirects differently. 

Here’s an example: 

If you use a 301 redirect, you’re implying that a page has been moved permanently - and that you do not intend to bring it back at any point. This permanent redirect tells the browser that the desired webpage no longer exists at that URL. 

In other words, it is no longer relevant to Google; the search engine will update its database and index the new URL instead, transferring link equity onto the new page.

But when you use a 302 redirect, you signal to Google that the move is temporary and that the initial URL will be used again at some point. So, there’s no need for Google to index the new URL, meaning you get to keep your traffic, rankings, and authority. 

However, you should note that Google will treat any long-term 302 redirects as 301 redirects.

When to use the 302 redirects? 

Considering that the 302 redirect implies that the redirection is temporary, it should only be used in cases where you intend to return the original URL soon. 

For example, a 302 redirect should be used when:

• You are doing A/B testing of a page to assess its functionality and design 
• You want to gather client feedback on a new page but don’t want to impact the website’s current ranking 
• You are updating a particular webpage but want to keep the user experience consistent
• You are dealing with a broken webpage but still want to provide a good user experience while you work on resolving the issues
• You are running a promotion and want to redirect users to a temporary sales page

The main point is that the 302 redirect is a temporary one. It should not be used for permanent redirection.