The difference between 301 vs 302 redirects comes down to permanence. A 301 tells search engines the move is permanent and passes ranking signals to the new URL, while a 302 signals a temporary change and search engines keep the original URL indexed.
When to use a 301
Use a 301 whenever a page has moved for good: after a URL restructure, a domain migration, or merging two pages together, such as the consolidation described in our keyword cannibalization guide.
When a 302 is the right choice
Reach for a 302 during A/B tests, seasonal redirects, or maintenance windows, where you plan to restore the original URL soon. According to the MDN HTTP status documentation, a 302 explicitly signals that the resource resides temporarily at a different URL.
Getting 301 vs 302 redirects wrong is one of the most common findings during an SEO audit checklist review, so it is worth double-checking your redirect rules today.