What is 302 Redirect?

302 redirects exist for a specific reason: temporary moves. The problem is most URL changes aren't temporary. When you use 302 for a permanent change, Google hesitates to transfer SEO value because it's waiting for the original page to come back.

The real-world impact: A site migration using 302s instead of 301s can see rankings stall for months. Google keeps the old URLs in its index, waiting. Meanwhile, the new URLs struggle to rank because they're not receiving the link equity they should inherit.

When 302s make sense:

• A/B testing where you'll restore the original
• Maintenance pages that last hours or days
• Geographic redirects that vary by user location
• Seasonal content that cycles annually

If you're asking "should this be a 301 or 302?" the answer is almost always 301. True temporary redirects are rare.

302 redirects work the same way as 301 Redirects technically. The browser requests the old URL, gets a "302 Found" status with the new location, and follows the redirect.

The difference is what Google does with that signal:

With a 301: Google transfers ranking signals to the new URL and eventually removes the old URL from its index.

With a 302: Google keeps the old URL in its index and doesn't fully transfer ranking signals. It's waiting for the original to return.

This is why accidental 302s cause problems. Google is doing exactly what you told it: treating the move as temporary when it's actually permanent.