301 or 307 redirect: which to choose?

301 or 307 redirect: which one to choose?

A redirect is a redirection of one URL to another URL. When a user types a specific URL into their browser or clicks a link with that URL, they are automatically redirected to the target URL. For example, if you had “oldcontent.com” and you want users to go to “newcontent.com”, you can set up an automatic redirect from the first URL to the second URL.

Technically, all short links are redirects because a short URL simply redirects to a long URL.

Typically for SEO, two redirects are used: 307 (temporary redirect) and 301 (permanent redirect). The number 301/307 represents the HTTP code.

307 redirect

A 307 redirect is a temporary redirect and although it is often not considered useful for SEO, such a redirect can be useful for short links. A 307 code is sent when a document is temporarily available at a different URL. It tells search engines that this redirect may change in the future, so you should not index the link and should always check the most recent content.

A 307 redirect is useful if you think the target URL might change at some point. For example, you might have a link to a site where the content giveaway changes monthly. Or a link to a discount page that changes as different promotions are launched. Since the targeted content changes periodically and the original URL remains the same, it makes sense to use a 307 redirect.

301 redirect

is a permanent redirect from one URL to another that transfers SEO rankings to the redirected page. They are called “permanent” because search engines like Google expect your target URL to never change, so they may cache the URL.

🤔 Which redirect to choose?
There is no right answer here. Start by defining your goals and then choose the type of referral that will help you best you achieve them.

↪If SEO is a high priority, choose 301 redirects for your links. 301 redirects are generally considered the best for SEO and page rankings. For gluing dropped domains, for redirects from www to non-www and other technical redirects for SEO ALWAYS use 301 redirect!

↪ If accurate click tracking is more important than SEO and you plan to change your URL periodically, a 307 temporary redirect is a suitable option.

For accurate click tracking, it is best to use 307 redirects in channels that don’t involve SEO, such as Twitter, email, ads, any website that requires a login, and links on your social media profile pages.

The most important thing to remember is that there is no single right answer. Start by defining your goals and then choose the referral type that will help you achieve them in the most effective way. 

FAQs

1. What is a 301 redirect?
   • A permanent redirect that passes most of the link equity to the new URL.
2. What is a 307 redirect?
   • A temporary redirect that doesn’t pass link equity.
3. How do I implement a 301 redirect?
   • You can use .htaccess files, plugins, or server configurations.
4. How do I implement a 307 redirect?
   • Typically done through server-side scripts.
5. Which is better for SEO?
   • A 301 redirect is generally more SEO-friendly because it passes link equity.