301 vs 302 Redirect Guide

Problem

You are using redirects but are not sure whether 301 or 302 is the right status code.

Symptoms

• HTTP Check shows repeated 301 or 302 hops.
• You need to clean up canonical URL behavior but are unsure whether the move is permanent.
• Search, cache, or browser behavior does not match your expectation.

Top 3 Causes

1. No clear permanent vs temporary policy - Redirect codes are chosen by habit or framework defaults.
2. Temporary redirects became long-lived - Campaign or testing redirects were never cleaned up.
3. Too many hops accumulated - The redirect chain itself became the main problem.

Diagnose with DechoNet

• HTTP Check to inspect hop count and the exact redirect status codes in the chain.

Resolution Checklist

• Use 301 only when the URL move is truly permanent.
• Use 302 for temporary campaigns, tests, or short-lived operational changes.
• Reduce unnecessary hops regardless of which redirect code is used.
• Make sure canonical links, internal links, and sitemap entries point to the final URL.
• Re-run HTTP Check and confirm both the hop count and redirect codes are correct.

When to Escalate

• If marketing, SEO, and application teams all manage redirects independently, unify the redirect ownership model first.