What is a 302 Redirect and How to Use It Properly

In the complex world of web development and SEO, HTTP status codes play a crucial role in defining how users and search engines interact with your site. Among them, the 302 redirect is one of the most misunderstood and misused. While it may seem similar to the more popular 301 redirect, the subtle differences between them can have significant implications for both user experience and SEO.

What is a 302 Redirect?

A 302 redirect is an HTTP response status code that indicates a temporary redirection. When a web server returns a 302 code, it tells the client (typically a browser or search engine crawler) that the requested resource has temporarily moved to a different URL.

Here’s the key: unlike a 301 (permanent) redirect, a 302 does not tell search engines to update their index or pass on link equity to the new URL. Instead, the original URL should be retained in search results, as the move is expected to be short-term.

HTTP Response Explained

A typical 302 response looks like this:

HTTP/1.1 302 Found
Location: https://example.com/new-page

The browser (or crawler) will then automatically request the URL specified in the Location header.

When to Use a 302 Redirect

Understanding when to use a 302 redirect — and when not to — is essential for preserving both SEO value and user experience.

✅ Appropriate Use Cases

  • Temporarily redirecting traffic during maintenance
    If you’re performing updates on a page and want to direct users elsewhere temporarily.

  • A/B testing or dynamic content delivery
    If you’re experimenting with different landing pages or serving content variations based on user attributes (like location or device).

  • Seasonal or promotional pages
    If a page is replaced by another just for a campaign, and you intend to bring the original back later.

  • Language or country-based redirection
    When redirecting users to a local version of a site based on IP, assuming the original content remains accessible.

❌ When Not to Use It

  • Permanent URL changes
    If you’ve moved a page or site for good, use a 301 redirect. Misusing 302s can confuse search engines and lead to SEO losses.

  • Site migrations or rebranding
    A 302 here can prevent proper indexing and transfer of ranking signals to the new domain or URL structure.

SEO Implications of a 302 Redirect

From an SEO perspective, using a 302 when a 301 is appropriate is a common mistake that can:

  • Dilute link equity: 302 redirects do not pass PageRank (or at least not in the same way a 301 does, although Google has improved on this in recent years).
  • Confuse crawlers: Search engines may continue indexing the original URL, assuming the change is temporary.
  • Delay indexing: Search engines might delay passing relevance signals to the target page, which can impact rankings.

That said, modern search engines like Google have become more adept at interpreting 302s, and in some cases, will treat them as 301s — but this behavior isn’t guaranteed, and relying on it can still pose risks.

How to Implement a 302 Redirect

Depending on your platform and web server, here are common ways to set up a 302 redirect.

Apache (.htaccess)

Redirect 302 /old-page https://example.com/new-page

Nginx

location /old-page {
return 302 https://example.com/new-page;
}

PHP

header("Location: https://example.com/new-page", true, 302);
exit();

JavaScript (Client-side)

window.location.replace("https://example.com/new-page");

Note: Client-side redirects should be avoided for SEO-critical redirects, as crawlers may not always execute JavaScript.

Best Practices

  1. Always have a clear redirect strategy
    Use 302 only when the change is genuinely temporary.

  2. Communicate with your SEO team
    Developers and SEO teams must be on the same page to avoid accidental misuse.

  3. Monitor with tools like Google Search Console
    Watch how redirects are handled and indexed over time.

  4. Avoid redirect chains
    Multiple redirects (e.g., A → B → C) can degrade performance and SEO value.

  5. Set canonical URLs where applicable
    If you’re temporarily redirecting, but the destination URL is canonical, communicate that to search engines.

** Use 302 redirects when changes are temporary. Misusing them can hurt your SEO. Always monitor, test, and document your redirect strategy for optimal results.

🔁 Redirect Decision Flowchart