What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?

• 301 Permanent Redirect: Tells search engines the move is permanent. Passes most (if not all) ranking signals to the new URL. Essential for migrations, HTTPS moves, or retiring old pages.

  
  

• 302 Temporary Redirect: Tells crawlers the redirect is short-term. Ranking equity isn’t fully transferred. Useful for A/B testing, seasonal promos, or content you plan to restore.

Using 302 instead of 301 during a migration can severely harm rankings. Always map redirects carefully to maintain SEO equity.