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Use a 301 redirect when a WordPress URL has moved permanently and the new URL should replace it in search results. Use a 302 redirect when the move is temporary and the original URL should remain the primary indexed address. Choosing the wrong status can leave search engines uncertain about which URL to show, prolong outdated links, or make a temporary test look like a permanent site restructure.
This guide explains the difference, covers common WordPress scenarios, shows implementation options, and gives a testing checklist for avoiding chains, loops, and incorrect canonical signals.
301 and 302 redirects at a glance
Both status codes tell a browser that the requested URL has another destination. The important difference is the intended lifetime of the move and the search-engine signal attached to it.
| Question | 301 (Moved Permanently) | 302 (Found) |
|---|---|---|
| How long is the move? | Permanent; the old address should no longer be the main URL. | Temporary; the old address is still the intended long-term URL. |
| Which URL should Google normally index? | The destination, assuming it is relevant and technically accessible. | The original URL generally remains the primary candidate. |
| Can you reverse it? | Yes, but browsers, caches, links, and search systems may have already learned the permanent signal. | Yes; it is designed for a return to the original address. |
| Typical WordPress use | Renamed slugs, permanent replacements, HTTPS or domain migrations, and duplicate-URL consolidation. | Maintenance pages, short campaigns, temporary routing, and redirect-based tests. |
| Request-method behavior | Not unambiguously method-preserving for every client; use 308 when preserving a non-GET method is required. | Not unambiguously method-preserving for every client; use 307 when preserving a non-GET method is required. |
Google Search Central recommends a permanent server-side redirect when a page’s URL needs to change in search results. A redirect is only useful when the destination is a genuine replacement or clearly relevant alternative; sending unrelated URLs to the home page is not a substitute for a proper destination.
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What a 301 redirect means
A 301 communicates that the resource has moved permanently. For a WordPress site, that means visitors, crawlers, and links pointing at the old address should be directed to the replacement, and the replacement should become the canonical search result when the content relationship is clear.
Use 301 for a renamed slug
If /old-product/ becomes /new-product/ and the page is still the same product, redirect the old slug with a 301. Update menus, internal links, canonical tags, XML sitemaps, and campaign URLs so they point directly to /new-product/ rather than relying on the redirect.
Use 301 for a permanent replacement
When a page is removed but a substantially equivalent page takes its place, a 301 is appropriate. If no relevant replacement exists, returning an accurate 404 or 410 can be better than redirecting visitors to an unrelated page.
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An HTTP-to-HTTPS move, a permanent domain change, or a consolidation of duplicate hostnames calls for permanent redirects from every old URL to its corresponding final URL. Preserve the path and, where appropriate, the query string; avoid routing every old page to one generic destination.
What a 302 redirect means
A 302 communicates that the alternate destination is temporary. The original URL remains the intended long-term address, so a search engine should not treat the temporary target as a permanent replacement. A 302 is not automatically harmful to SEO; it is the correct signal when the move really is temporary.
Use 302 during maintenance
For a short outage or maintenance window, send visitors to a status or maintenance page with a 302. Remove the redirect when the original page is available again. If the maintenance lasts long enough that the site structure has changed permanently, reassess the status instead of leaving an indefinite temporary redirect.
Use 302 for a temporary campaign or event
A seasonal landing page, event page, or short-lived promotion can use a 302 when the normal URL must return afterward. Keep the original URL as the durable address and make the campaign destination clearly temporary.
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Use 302 for redirect-based testing
Google explicitly recommends a 302, not a 301, when users are redirected from an original URL to a test variation. The temporary status helps keep the original URL in search while the experiment runs. A 301 could cause the variation to be treated as the permanent replacement before you have made that decision.
Use 302 for reversible routing
Geo-based, device-based, or other conditional routing can use a 302 when users may later return to the original experience. Make sure the rule is genuinely temporary or reversible; a routing policy that has become the permanent architecture should be replaced with a permanent strategy and corresponding canonical links.
How redirects affect WordPress SEO
Permanent redirects provide a canonical signal
A 301 tells search engines that the destination should replace the old URL. That signal works best when the content is equivalent, the destination returns a successful response, and the site’s own links and sitemap agree with the redirect. A 301 does not guarantee a ranking outcome, and it cannot make an unrelated destination a valid replacement.
Temporary redirects preserve the original address
A 302 tells search engines that the original URL is still the preferred long-term location. This is why it is suitable for tests and maintenance. If a 302 remains in place for an extended period without a clear temporary reason, crawlers and users receive an ambiguous architecture signal; decide whether the move has actually become permanent.
Server-side redirects are the most reliable option
Google’s guidance favors server-side redirects whenever possible. A response generated by the web server or edge is sent before the page body loads and is consistently visible to crawlers and browsers. Meta-refresh and JavaScript redirects can be useful only when server configuration is unavailable, and they are less direct signals for a URL change.
WordPress also normalizes URLs
WordPress uses the redirect_canonical() function to redirect an incoming URL to the site’s proper URL based on the configured site address and content structure. This built-in normalization does not run in several contexts, including administration screens, previews, searches, feeds, robots.txt, favicon.ico, and POST requests. A custom rule that appears correct on a public GET request may therefore behave differently for an administrator, a preview, a feed, or a form submission.
Choosing the status code by situation
| Situation | Recommended status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| A slug, page, domain, or protocol moved for good | 301, or 308 when method preservation is required | Tell search engines that the destination is the canonical replacement. |
| Short outage or maintenance page | 302 | Keep the original URL as the intended result while the alternate page is temporary. |
| A/B or redirect-based SEO experiment | 302 | Google recommends a temporary redirect so the test URL does not replace the original in indexing. |
| Geo or device routing that may be reversed | 302 | Signal that the alternate experience is conditional or temporary. |
| POST or another method-sensitive request | 307 for temporary moves; 308 for permanent moves | These codes have unambiguous method-preserving semantics under RFC 9110. |
301 versus 302 for common WordPress changes
Changing a post or page permalink
Use a 301 from the old permalink to the new one. Change every internal reference you control, regenerate or update the XML sitemap, and check canonical tags. Test the old URL from an anonymous browser and with a header request before announcing the change.
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Deleting a page
If a replacement answers the same user need, use a 301 to that page. If no close replacement exists, let WordPress return a useful 404 or 410 instead of creating a misleading redirect. A home-page redirect for a large set of unrelated pages can produce a poor experience and weak search signals.
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Configure permanent redirects for the HTTP versions of your URLs, then update the WordPress site URL, canonical tags, internal links, sitemap, and external campaign links to use HTTPS directly. Verify that the final HTTPS URL returns the expected page without a redirect chain.
Changing domains
Map each old domain URL to its matching new-domain URL with a 301. Keep the path structure where possible, avoid a blanket home-page rule, and retain the redirects long enough for users and crawlers to discover the new addresses. Check both hostnames and all important query-string variants.
Running a design or content experiment
Use a 302 when the original URL should remain the stable search address. Keep the test target relevant, monitor the experiment separately, and remove the temporary rule when the test ends. If the variation wins and becomes permanent, replace the 302 with a carefully mapped 301 and update the site’s direct links.
Where to configure a WordPress redirect
Web server or edge configuration
A rule at Apache, NGINX, or a hosting edge is normally the preferred implementation because it executes before WordPress loads. The exact syntax depends on your host, server, document root, and whether the rule is placed in a virtual-host configuration or an Apache .htaccess file. Adapt paths and domains rather than copying an example unchanged.
Redirect permanent /old-path https://example.com/new-path
Redirect temp /maintenance https://example.com/statusFor NGINX, an illustrative server-block rule is:
location = /old-path {
return 301 https://example.com/new-path;
}
location = /maintenance {
return 302 https://example.com/status;
}These examples show the status and destination only. Your host may require a different context, escaping for special characters, or a separate rule for a trailing slash and query-string behavior.
WordPress redirect tools
A trusted WordPress redirect tool is convenient when editors cannot change server configuration. Confirm that it emits the intended 301 or 302, preserves or removes query strings as planned, and supports exact path matching. Review its logs for loops and chains, especially after changing permalink settings or importing a large redirect list.
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PHP or theme-level redirects
Application-level code can work when server access is unavailable, but it runs later and may be affected by plugins, caching, authentication, or WordPress execution errors. If you must use it, send the status and Location header before output and stop execution immediately. A server-side rule is preferable for a straightforward URL move.
Meta refresh and JavaScript
Use these only as a last resort. They require a page to load first, can fail when scripts are blocked, and do not communicate the URL change as cleanly as an HTTP response. They are especially unsuitable for a permanent migration where every crawler should receive the same direct signal.
Step-by-step checklist for a permanent move
- Define the mapping. Record each old URL and its genuinely equivalent final URL. Decide whether any URL has no relevant replacement and should return 404 or 410.
- Choose 301 or 308. Use 301 for ordinary page navigation. Choose 308 only when the request method must be preserved across a permanent move.
- Install the rule at the earliest reliable layer. Prefer the web server or edge; otherwise use a redirect tool that you have verified.
- Update direct references. Change menus, body links, canonical tags, XML sitemaps, feeds where applicable, advertising links, and campaign URLs to the final destination.
- Check destination relevance. Confirm that the replacement answers the visitor’s intent and returns the expected 200 response.
- Test representative variants. Check trailing-slash forms, uppercase or lowercase variants where relevant, query strings, mobile requests, cached responses, and logged-in versus anonymous behavior.
- Monitor errors and logs. Look for repeated hits to old URLs, redirect loops, 404 responses, and unexpected destinations, then correct the mapping rather than adding another hop.
Step-by-step checklist for a temporary move or test
- State the end date or reversal condition. A 302 should have a clear temporary purpose, such as a maintenance window or experiment.
- Confirm the original URL remains valid as the long-term address. Keep its content and internal references coherent even while traffic is redirected.
- Configure a 302 at the server, edge, or verified WordPress tool. Do not substitute a 301 merely because the alternate page is easier to configure.
- Test the variation and the return path. Verify that removing the rule restores the original URL without a chain or cached stale response.
- End or convert the rule deliberately. Remove a finished temporary redirect. If the destination becomes permanent, replace it with a mapped 301 or 308 and update all direct links.
How to test a redirect before publishing it
Inspect the first response
Use a header checker or a command-line request against the old URL:
curl -I https://example.com/old-pathThe first response should show the intended status and a Location header containing the correct destination. A permanent move should begin with 301; a temporary move should begin with 302.
Follow the complete chain
curl -I -L https://example.com/old-pathReview every hop and confirm that the final response is the expected page, normally a 200 response. A direct old-to-final redirect is preferable to old-to-intermediate-to-final chains, which add latency and make maintenance harder.
Test real WordPress conditions
- Use an anonymous session as well as a logged-in administrator session.
- Check a cold and a warm cache if your host or CDN caches redirects.
- Test mobile and desktop requests when routing rules differ by device.
- Include important query strings and confirm whether they should be retained, changed, or discarded.
- Check previews, feeds, searches, and POST forms separately because WordPress’s canonical normalization intentionally excludes several of those contexts.
Redirect loops, chains, and other failures
Loop between HTTP and HTTPS
A loop often occurs when the server forces HTTPS while WordPress or a proxy believes the request is still HTTP. Check the proxy’s forwarded-protocol setting, the WordPress site URL, and whether two layers each redirect the same request in opposite directions.
Loop caused by trailing slashes or hostnames
Normalize one policy for trailing slashes, www versus the bare hostname, and uppercase paths. Make sure the destination already satisfies that policy so the redirect does not trigger another normalization hop.
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Unexpected 302 where a 301 was intended
Inspect the actual response rather than the redirect tool’s label. A plugin rule may be overridden by another plugin, a host-level rule, or WordPress’s canonical function. Place the permanent rule at a higher, earlier layer or remove the conflicting rule.
Unexpected 301 during a test
Clear relevant caches, inspect server and plugin configuration, and verify that no old migration rule matches the test path. A cached 301 can continue to appear after the configuration is corrected, so test from a separate network or cache-bypassing request when appropriate.
Redirect reaches the wrong content
Review the mapping and query-string handling. Do not keep adding redirects to compensate for an incorrect destination; change the original rule so the old URL points directly to the relevant final page.
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For ordinary WordPress page visits, requests are usually GETs, so 301 and 302 cover most navigation changes. The distinction becomes important for forms, APIs, webhooks, and other requests that use POST or another method.
RFC 9110 defines 307 and 308 to provide unambiguous method-preserving semantics: 307 is the temporary counterpart to 302, and 308 is the permanent counterpart to 301. Use them when the receiving endpoint must get the same method and request body. Confirm that the client, proxy, and application support the chosen code before deploying it.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using 301 for a temporary test. This can make the variation look like the permanent search destination; Google recommends 302 for redirect-based tests.
- Leaving a permanent change as 302. A long-lived temporary signal can keep the old URL primary and delay consolidation of the new address.
- Redirecting every deleted page to the home page. Redirect only to a relevant replacement; otherwise return an honest 404 or 410.
- Creating chains. Map the first old URL directly to the final URL and update internal links.
- Ignoring query strings. Decide whether tracking, filter, and pagination parameters should pass through and test both parameterized and clean URLs.
- Relying on JavaScript alone. Prefer a server-side response that crawlers and clients can process consistently.
- Forgetting WordPress’s special contexts. A rule that works for a public GET request may not run for administration, previews, searches, feeds, robots.txt, favicon.ico, or POST requests.
- Failing to verify the final status. A redirect is not complete until the destination returns the expected content and status without another unexpected hop.
Decision rule
Ask one question: Should the new URL replace the old URL as the permanent address? If yes, use a 301 for normal page navigation, or a 308 when preserving the request method is essential. If no, use a 302 for normal navigation, or a 307 when method preservation is essential. Configure the response at the server or edge when possible, keep the destination relevant, update direct links and canonical data, and verify the complete response chain before making the change public.
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