When you move a web page, you need a way to tell both web browsers and search engine bots where the page went. How you redirect that page determines how much link equity (historically called PageRank) gets passed from the old URL to the new one.
Think of link equity like “SEO points” or “reputation.” Over time, your old page accumulates trust, backlinks, and authority from around the web. When you redirect it, you want to transfer as many of those SEO points to the new page as possible without losing them along the way.
Here is how a 301 Redirect, a 302 Redirect, and a Canonical Tag handle this transfer, explained in detail and simple words.
1. The 301 Redirect: The “Permanent Move”
A 301 status code is a permanent HTTP redirect. It tells search engines: “This old URL is dead forever. We have permanently moved to a new home. Please transfer everything to the new address.”
Link Equity (PageRank) Transfer: ~95% to 100%
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How Google Handles It: Google passes virtually all of the old page’s link equity to the new destination URL.
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The Indexing Behavior: Google removes the old URL from its index completely and replaces it with the new URL in search results.
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Caching: Browsers and search engines “cache” (remember) 301s heavily. When a user or bot tries to visit the old URL, the browser doesn’t even check the old server anymore—it skips straight to the new page.
Analogy: You submitted a permanent Change of Address form with the Post Office. The Post Office stops delivering mail to your old house, forwards every letter to your new home, and updates everyone’s address book.
2. The 302 Redirect: The “Temporary Detour”
A 302 status code is a temporary HTTP redirect. It tells search engines: “We are doing maintenance or running a temporary test. Send users to this temporary page for now, but keep our old page saved because we will be right back.”
Link Equity (PageRank) Transfer: 0% initially, but 100% over time (if misused)
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How Google Handles It: Because you told Google the move is temporary, Google initially keeps all the link equity attached to the old URL. The new URL gets no permanent PageRank transfer at first.
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The Indexing Behavior: The old URL stays in Google’s index, and search results will still show the old link.
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The “302 Fallback Rule”: If you leave a 302 redirect live for a long time (months or years), Google’s algorithms will eventually assume you made a mistake. Google will automatically start treating your 302 as if it were a 301, transferring the link equity to the new page anyway.
Analogy: You go on a 2-week vacation and stay at an Airbnb. You ask your neighbor to hold your mail until you get back. Your official home address doesn’t change, and your credit card bills still go to your permanent house.
3. The Canonical Tag: The “Soft Redirect” (Not a True HTTP Redirect)
First, a quick clarification: A Canonical tag (rel="canonical") is technically a suggestion, not a server redirect.
When you use a Canonical tag, the old page remains live and accessible to human visitors. However, you place a hidden tag in the HTML code of the old page pointing to a new page, telling Google: “Hey, both of these pages are live, but Page B is the main ‘hero’ version. Please give all search credit to Page B.”
Link Equity (PageRank) Transfer: ~90% to 100% (If accepted by Google)
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How Google Handles It: If Google agrees with your canonical tag, it consolidates nearly all link equity from the secondary page into the canonical page.
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The Soft Nature: Unlike a 301 (which forces browsers to redirect), a Canonical tag is a hint. If Google decides the two pages are too different, it will ignore your canonical tag and split the link equity between both pages.
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The Indexing Behavior: The secondary page might still be crawled and visited by users, but Google will generally show only the primary canonical URL in search results.
Analogy: An author publishes a book in hardcover and paperback. The story is identical. The publisher tells bookstores, “If you list our book in your catalog, credit all reviews and awards to the Hardcover edition.”