Technical SEO
302 Redirect
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What is 302 Redirect?
A 302 redirect is an HTTP status code indicating a temporary redirect from one URL to another. It signals to search engines that the move is temporary and that the original URL should remain in the index and retain its ranking signals. The "302" HTTP response code is distinct from the 301 in its implication: Google generally does not pass link equity through 302 redirects in the same way as 301s.
Appropriate uses of 302 redirects include A/B testing pages, temporary promotional landing pages, and maintenance redirects where the original URL will be restored. Using a 302 when a permanent redirect is intended — a common mistake — can cause the original URL to retain index presence even after it should have been consolidated, leading to duplicate content and split authority issues.
Why it matters for SEO
Misusing 302 redirects instead of 301s for permanent URL changes is one of the most common and costly redirect errors in SEO. It prevents the proper transfer of link equity and can lead to index duplication issues that are difficult to diagnose and resolve after the fact.
Example
An online shop temporarily sends visitors from /winter-coats to a /clearance-sale page for a two-week promotion, using a 302 redirect so the original page stays indexed. The mistake would be leaving that 302 in place for a permanent URL change months later. For a permanent move, a 301 (or 308) tells search engines to index the new URL instead.
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