Published February 2026
301 vs 302 Redirect — Which Should You Use for Short Links?
If you shorten URLs, share links on social media, or manage any kind of web redirect, you need to understand the difference between 301 and 302 redirects. Picking the wrong one can silently tank your SEO.
What Is a Redirect?
A redirect is an HTTP response that sends a browser (or search engine crawler) from one URL to another. When you visit https://trim.link/abc, the server responds with a status code and a Location header pointing to the destination URL. Your browser then automatically follows it.
The status code in that response is what matters. It tells both browsers and search engines how to treat the redirect — is it permanent or temporary? That distinction has real consequences for SEO, caching, and link equity.
What Is a 301 Redirect? (Permanent)
A 301 redirect tells browsers and search engines: "This URL has permanently moved to a new location." It is the HTTP status code for Moved Permanently.
SEO Implications
- Passes full link equity. Google has confirmed that 301 redirects transfer 100% of PageRank to the destination URL. Any backlinks pointing to the old URL benefit the new one.
- Search engines update their index. Over time, the old URL gets replaced by the new URL in search results.
- Browsers cache aggressively. Once a browser sees a 301, it may skip the redirect entirely on future visits and go straight to the destination. This makes subsequent visits faster.
When to Use a 301
- You moved a page to a new URL permanently
- You changed your domain name (e.g., old-brand.com to new-brand.com)
- You consolidated multiple pages into one
- You are running a URL shortener where short links permanently map to destination URLs
- You switched from HTTP to HTTPS
Example: A server response for a 301 redirect looks like this:
HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently Location: https://example.com/full-destination-url
What Is a 302 Redirect? (Temporary)
A 302 redirect tells browsers and search engines: "This URL has temporarily moved. The original URL will be back." It is the HTTP status code for Found (previously called Moved Temporarily).
SEO Implications
- Link equity stays with the original URL. Search engines keep the original URL in their index and do not transfer PageRank to the destination.
- The original URL stays indexed. Google continues to show the original URL in search results, expecting it to return.
- Browsers do not cache. Each visit goes through the redirect server, which adds latency but gives you flexibility to change the destination.
When to Use a 302
- A/B testing where you temporarily redirect to a variant
- Maintenance pages shown while a site is being updated
- Geolocation-based redirects that change per user
- Promotional pages that will be removed later
- Any redirect you plan to reverse in the near future
Example: A server response for a 302 redirect looks like this:
HTTP/1.1 302 Found Location: https://example.com/temporary-page
301 vs 302 Redirect: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | 301 (Permanent) | 302 (Temporary) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Permanent | Temporary |
| SEO link equity | Passes 100% to destination | Stays with original URL |
| Search index | Destination URL replaces original | Original URL stays indexed |
| Browser caching | Cached (faster repeat visits) | Not cached (always redirects) |
| Can change destination? | Difficult (browsers may cache old destination) | Easy (no caching issues) |
| Best for | Domain migrations, URL shorteners, HTTPS upgrades | A/B tests, maintenance, geo-redirects |
| HTTP version | HTTP/1.0 and HTTP/1.1 | HTTP/1.0 and HTTP/1.1 |
Which Redirect Should URL Shorteners Use?
The answer is clear: 301 redirects.
When someone creates a short link like trim.link/launch that points to their blog post, that mapping is permanent. The short link will always go to that destination. A 301 redirect is the semantically correct choice.
More importantly, using 301 redirects benefits the link creator. When other people share and link to the short URL, the SEO value (link equity, PageRank) passes through to the destination page. With a 302, that value would be lost — it stays on the short URL that nobody is actually trying to rank.
TrimLink uses 301 redirects for all short links.
Every link you create on TrimLink uses a 301 permanent redirect. This means your destination pages get full SEO credit from any backlinks pointing to your short URLs. Your short links work for you, not against you.
Some URL shorteners use 302 redirects instead, often because they want to retain the ability to change analytics tracking or because they want to keep control of the link equity themselves. If SEO matters to your business, make sure your URL shortener uses 301s.
Other Redirect Types You Should Know
While 301 and 302 are the most common, there are a few other redirect types worth knowing about:
307 Temporary Redirect
The modern HTTP/1.1 version of a temporary redirect. The key difference from 302 is that a 307 strictly preserves the HTTP method. If the original request was a POST, the redirect will also be a POST. With a 302, browsers may change POST to GET. For simple link clicks (GET requests), 302 and 307 behave identically.
308 Permanent Redirect
The modern HTTP/1.1 version of a permanent redirect. Like 307 is to 302, 308 is to 301 — it preserves the HTTP method strictly. A 308 guarantees that a POST request stays a POST after the redirect. For URL shorteners handling GET requests, 301 and 308 are functionally the same.
Meta Refresh
Not a true HTTP redirect. Instead, it uses an HTML <meta http-equiv="refresh"> tag to redirect after a delay. This is slower, does not pass SEO value reliably, and is generally considered a bad practice. Avoid it for anything important.
Redirect Best Practices
Whether you are managing redirects for a website migration, running a URL shortener, or setting up marketing campaigns, follow these best practices:
- Use 301 for permanent moves. If the URL change is forever (domain migration, URL restructuring, short links), always use 301. This ensures search engines transfer link equity properly.
- Use 302 only when the redirect is truly temporary. A/B tests, maintenance pages, and seasonal promotions are valid 302 use cases. If you are not sure the move is temporary, default to 301.
- Avoid redirect chains. A redirect chain is when URL A redirects to URL B, which redirects to URL C. Each hop adds latency and can dilute SEO value. Keep it to one redirect whenever possible.
- Avoid redirect loops. If URL A redirects to URL B and URL B redirects back to URL A, the browser will show an error. Always test your redirects after setting them up.
- Monitor your redirects. Use tools like Google Search Console to check for redirect issues. Broken redirects (pointing to 404 pages) waste link equity and frustrate users.
- Do not use meta refresh redirects for SEO. They are slow, unreliable for passing link equity, and provide a poor user experience. Always use server-side redirects (301 or 302).
- Update internal links. After setting up a redirect, update any internal links on your site to point directly to the new URL. This reduces unnecessary redirects and improves page speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?
A 301 redirect is permanent and tells search engines the original URL has moved forever, passing full SEO value (link equity) to the new URL. A 302 redirect is temporary and tells search engines the original URL will come back, so SEO value stays with the original URL.
Which redirect should a URL shortener use: 301 or 302?
URL shorteners should use 301 redirects. Since the short link permanently maps to the destination URL, a 301 tells search engines to pass SEO value through to the destination. This benefits the person sharing the link because their destination page gets the link equity.
Does a 301 redirect hurt SEO?
No, a 301 redirect does not hurt SEO. Google has confirmed that 301 redirects pass full PageRank to the destination URL. In fact, using a 301 redirect is the recommended way to move a page permanently while preserving its search rankings.
Can I change a 302 redirect to a 301 later?
Yes, you can change a 302 to a 301 at any time by updating your server configuration. However, it is better to use the correct redirect type from the start. If the move is permanent, use a 301 immediately so search engines begin passing link equity right away.
What is a 307 redirect and how is it different from a 302?
A 307 redirect is the HTTP/1.1 version of a temporary redirect. The key difference is that a 307 strictly preserves the HTTP method (POST stays POST), while a 302 may change POST requests to GET. For most URL shortener use cases involving simple GET requests, 302 and 307 behave the same way.
TrimLink Uses 301 Redirects for Every Short Link
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