I’ve been reading about different types of redirects and their impact on SEO. There are 301s, 302s, JavaScript redirects, and so many others! Can anyone explain which redirects are best for SEO and how to use them? I’m especially curious about when to use permanent vs temporary redirects.
Yeah, permanent (301) redirects are the best when you’re moving a page or switching domains. They tell search engines the move is permanent, and you pass along the link equity to the new URL. Google treats it as a strong canonical signal, so all the SEO value is consolidated at the new location.
@jordansmith
Exactly. A 301 is ideal for merging pages or moving to HTTPS too. All the backlinks and signals go to the new page, but I’ve seen people mess up by using 302s when they meant to use 301s.
BacklinkBandit said:
@jordansmith
Exactly. A 301 is ideal for merging pages or moving to HTTPS too. All the backlinks and signals go to the new page, but I’ve seen people mess up by using 302s when they meant to use 301s.
What’s a 302? I thought all redirects were basically the same.
@Juneta
A 302 is a temporary redirect. It tells search engines that the move is only temporary and to keep the original URL in the index. You’d use it if you’re running a short-term promotion or A/B testing something.
@BacklinkBandit
But sometimes Google treats 302s like 301s, right? I’ve heard that if a 302 stays long enough, Google might start treating it as a permanent move.
SeriousSEOTalker said:
@BacklinkBandit
But sometimes Google treats 302s like 301s, right? I’ve heard that if a 302 stays long enough, Google might start treating it as a permanent move.
Yep, you’re right. If the 302 stays up for a while, Google may start treating it as permanent and consolidate the signals. It can take weeks or months though, and it’s unpredictable.
@jordansmith
What about JavaScript redirects? I’ve used them before but didn’t know if they’re good for SEO.
BrianClark said:
@jordansmith
What about JavaScript redirects? I’ve used them before but didn’t know if they’re good for SEO.
JavaScript redirects can be risky for SEO. They’re client-side, meaning they only fire when the page is loaded in the browser. Google can render them, but it’s less reliable than server-side redirects like 301s or 302s.
@SEOSteveSays
Makes sense. I’ll stick with 301s then. What about meta refresh redirects? Are they similar?
BrianClark said:
@SEOSteveSays
Makes sense. I’ll stick with 301s then. What about meta refresh redirects? Are they similar?
Meta refresh redirects are also client-side, and they’re usually not recommended. They can hurt user experience, especially if there’s a delay, and Google might not handle them as smoothly as a 301 or 302.
One thing to watch out for is redirect chains. Google follows up to 10 redirects, but it’s best to avoid chaining them. If you’re moving a page multiple times, it’s better to update the redirect to go directly to the final destination.
@BrowserBoss
What’s a redirect chain exactly? Like multiple pages redirecting to each other?
YukiJane said:
@BrowserBoss
What’s a redirect chain exactly? Like multiple pages redirecting to each other?
Exactly. It’s when URL A redirects to URL B, which then redirects to URL C, and so on. It slows down the user experience and search engines can get lost in the chain. Plus, it wastes crawl budget.
@BrowserBoss
Yeah, I’ve had this issue before. It’s better to keep the redirect simple and straight to the point.
And don’t forget about redirect loops! They’re even worse because they can trap users and bots in an infinite loop. You’ll see a ‘too many redirects’ error in the browser when this happens.
BacklinkBandit said:
And don’t forget about redirect loops! They’re even worse because they can trap users and bots in an infinite loop. You’ll see a ‘too many redirects’ error in the browser when this happens.
I’ve run into that before! It’s super frustrating, especially for visitors. How do you even fix that?
@Juneta
You need to find the loop in your redirect setup and either stop one of the redirects or point it to the correct final URL. Using tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs’ Site Audit can help you spot the loop quickly.
@BacklinkBandit
GSC has been a lifesaver for me when dealing with these. You can also test individual redirects to see where they’re going wrong.
If you’re doing a big migration, make sure you redirect all content, including images and PDFs. It’s easy to forget those and lose the traffic they were generating.