Redirect (301 / 302)

301 Redirect

Signals that the old URL has permanently moved to a new location. Search engines transfer most of the ranking equity (link juice, authority) from the old URL to the new one. Use for: page migrations, slug changes, domain moves, and retiring old content while preserving SEO value.

302 Redirect

Signals that the move is temporary — the original URL will return. Search engines do not fully transfer ranking equity. Use for: A/B testing, maintenance pages, geo-targeted redirects, and seasonal content swaps. Misusing 302s when you mean 301s is a common SEO mistake that prevents equity transfer.

Redirect Chains and Loops

A redirect chain (A → B → C → D) slows page load, wastes crawl budget, and dilutes ranking equity with each hop. Redirect chains should be collapsed: A → D directly. A redirect loop (A → B → A) breaks the page entirely. Both are caught in a Technical SEO Audit.

PR Application

When restructuring a website's content architecture, communications teams must ensure that earned media links pointing to old URLs are 301-redirected to new destinations. A press placement link that 404s is both a wasted backlink and a broken user experience.