When a user clicks a link on your website and lands on a blank page with a 404 error, it creates a poor user experience and could cost you valuable sales. If you have a relevant page, why not redirect the user there instead? This is where 3xx redirects come into play.
3xx status codes are important for anyone involved in SEO. These codes tell search engines and browsers where to find your content, and how they’re implemented can significantly impact your site’s search rankings and traffic, especially if the website is large (more than 10k URLs).
You will learn all the types of 3xx status codes, what they do, and their impact on SEO.
What are 3xx status codes
3xx status codes are HTTP response codes that indicate that the request has been successfully received, understood, and accepted, but further action is required to complete the request. This typically involves redirecting the client to a different resource.
List of all 3XX Status Codes
| HTTP Status Code | Name | Description |
| 300 | Multiple Choices | The server can provide various options for the requested resource. |
| 301 | Moved Permanently | The requested resource has been permanently moved to a new location(new URL). |
| 302 | Moved Temporarily | The requested resourceis temporarily available at a different URL. |
| 303 | See Other | The requested resource is available at another URL. |
| 304 | Not Modified | The resource has not been modified since the last request. Old content. |
| 305 | Use Proxy | The requested resource is temporarily available at a different URL. |
| 307 | Temporary Redirect | The requested resource is temporarily located at a different URI, the request method should not be changed when reissuing the request. |
| 308 | Permanent Redirect | The requested resource has been permanently moved to a new URI, all future requests should use the new URI, similar to 301 but maintain the request method. |
Common 3xx Status Codes and their impact on SEO
301 Permanent Redirect
Indicates a permanent move of the resource to a new location.
Example: If you have decided to change your old URL for whatever reason like better SEO and user experience(usually people add keywords to URL) and you want Google to index your new page without losing any link equity then it will be like this. domain.com/old-url —> domain.com/new-url
Impact on SEO: Search engines interpret a 301 redirect as a signal that the original URL is no longer relevant. They will update their indexes to point to the new URL, effectively transferring the link equity and SEO value from the old URL to the new one.
- Helps maintain search engine rankings and organic traffic
- Passes link equity from old URL to new URL
- Tells search engines to remove the old URL from their index and index the new one.
- Backlinks to old URL are not wasted and the link equity is passed to new URL
- Can be useful for consolidating duplicate content or simplifying URL structures.
302 Temporary Redirect
This indicates a temporary redirect, suggesting that the resource is currently available at a different URL but may be moved back to the original location in the future.
Example: If you want to redesign the landing page and you want to temporarily send users to a related page then this is the best option. This way you will keep your old URL in the search engine’s index. domain.com/old-url –> domain.com/new-url (after sometime, when you decide to remove the 302 redirect) –> domain.com/old-url
SEO Impact: Search engines treat 302 redirects as temporary and may not update their indexes immediately. This can lead to inconsistent search results and potentially impact SEO if the redirect becomes permanent.
- Useful for temporary situations like A/B testing or server maintenance.
- Does Not Update Search Engine Indexes. It Can be used for temporary changes without affecting SEO rankings.
- Can Be Used for Load Balancing. Helps distribute traffic across multiple servers to improve performance.
Implementing 3xx redirects correctly can make or break your SEO strategy. You can consult an SEO Specialist to ensure your site maintains its rankings and provides a seamless user experience. They can guide you on the best practices for redirects, helping you avoid common pitfalls and maximize your site’s performance.
FAQs
What is a 3xx link?
A 3xx link is a URL that triggers a 3xx status code, indicating that the requested resource has been redirected to another location.
How do I fix a 3xx redirect?
To fix a 3xx redirect error, check for issues like redirect loops or chains. Ensure the redirect points to the correct and final destination URL.
How to fix a 3xx page that receives organic traffic?
Let’s suppose for whatever reason, you have to change the URL of the page that is already receiving traffic or has multiple backlinks. It is completely safe to add a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new URL. It will retain its link equity from the backlinks and should have no traffic loss.
How do I fix links with the 3xx status code?
Review and update links that trigger 3xx codes, ensuring they point directly to the final destination. Replace outdated URLs with the updated target URLs to avoid unnecessary redirects.
Ayima’s redirect path is the best free browser extension to check if the page was redirected or its HTTP status code.
