302 redirects are temporary URL redirects. It is an HTTP status code that indicates the type of response a web server will have when it services a particular web page.
They are not used as often as 301 redirects, or permeant redirects. This is because there usually isn’t a need for a temporary solution, though there are some exceptions. So, after learning this information you might be wondering if there really is any advantage of a 302 temporary redirect? Well, there are several benefits. First, a 302 redirect does not permanently pass the credibility and reputation of the original URL to the newly created URL. Because of this, when you go back from the 302 redirect to your original URL you’ll have a better chance of regaining the previous ranking of that URL.
We will look at examples of when a 302 URL could be advantageously used.
Anchor text, whether from external, or internal pages, is very important A website is having technical difficulties can result in loss of traffic, sales and page rank. No one wants this to happen especially because of the time and resources it takes to create a highly ranked website. So a 302 redirect would be perfect here. Instead of traffic leaving due to an unavailable web page, they would be sent to another available web page that might fill their needs. They are happy and so are the search engines.
A company may choose to use a 302 redirect if some of the items on their website are out of stock. This would mean that if a customer is looking for a certain product or type of product they might click on one and be directed to a closely similar product that they could buy immediately.
If a website is redesigning a web page it might choose to use a 302 redirect. Similar to a 301 redirect, a302 redirect lets search engines know that a particular web page has been moved, but only temporarily. A 302 redirect will not give any link value or page rank to the new URL. When you are ready to switch back to the original URL, you can do so, and its condition and page rank should be similar if not identical.
The difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect is sometimes difficult to understand, however, you can not use them interchangeably. making the mistake of using a 302 redirect instead of a 301 can result in a loss of the content on that web page, links, and PageRank. Be careful when choosing which redirect to set up.
Likewise, using a permanent 301 redirect for a temporary move will result in the page rank of the original URL to completely disappear. If you did not want your page rank to be moved to your new URL, you would end up stuck with the new URL with no way of going back without a complete loss of page rank. It is incredibly important to understand the differences before you choose and to understand the potential consequences if you choose wrong.
You can get a free SEO page audit from Rank Secure, a leading SEO marketing company for 20 years. We serve businesses in Toronto, and the GTA, including Mississauga, Brampton, Scarborough, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, and Newmarket. We also have a focus on the southern Ontario region. Our free report on your page will show you what is working and where you can improve. Contact us about it today!
We will not, in any circumstances, share your personal information with other individuals or organizations without your permission, including public organizations, corporations or individuals, except when applicable by law.