In a video for Google Search Central and during a related conversation on X/Twitter, John Mueller, the Google Search Advocate, addressed common misconceptions about different redirect types.
This discussion aimed to clarify any lingering confusion regarding how Google handles these various redirect methods.
We put the rumors to rest! 🤫
Find out what redirect type gives your website maximum PageRank. pic.twitter.com/ZfuuwuM8bf
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) August 31, 2023
Redirect Types Don’t Impact PageRank
The discussion began when Mueller tackled a widely debated subject within the realm of SEO: the choice between employing a 301 or 302 redirect to optimize PageRank.
What he recommended was to select the redirect that aligns with your specific circumstances, whether it’s temporary, permanent, or any other relevant factors.
“The good news is it doesn’t matter. Use the technically correct redirect type.”
He further emphasized that alternatives such as 307 and 308 remain valid options, given that search engines have been proficient in handling redirects since their inception.
For those who may have reservations about this guidance, it’s advisable to consult Google’s comprehensive documentation on HTTP status codes, along with informative videos available from Google Search Central.
No Fixed Time Frame For Temporary Redirects
During an engaging discussion, Lyndon NA inquired of Mueller about the time-related aspect of 302 and 307 redirects.
Mueller responded by mentioning that there isn’t a specific set duration, which places SEO experts in their typical predicament of having to patiently observe the outcomes following a redirect modification or removal.
How long is a 302/307 safely temporary?
Does G start transferring values immediately with 301/308?
(How long till it does?)Can people get G to reverse the value assignment?
🙂
— Darth Autocrat (Lyndon NA) (@darth_na) August 31, 2023
Permanent Redirects Can Be Reversed
In contrast to the common misconception that permanent redirects are unchangeable, Mueller surprised SEO experts by revealing that permanent redirects can, in fact, be altered.
(I appreciate the response though :D)
— Darth Autocrat (Lyndon NA) (@darth_na) August 31, 2023
This insight shifts the paradigm on how professionals should consider the “permanence” of certain SEO decisions.
Technical SEO Still Matters
Yigit Konur, another contributor to the conversation, claimed that technical SEO was becoming less significant daily.
Mueller opposed this view, stating that technical SEO “continues to be the foundation of everything built on the open web.”
Technical SEO is becoming less important every day.
There are a lot of myths about it and people approach it in an unnecessarily rigorous way. There are spiders collecting data for search engines, there are consultants approaching it as if they are way behind the technology.…
— Yiğit Konur (@yigitkonur) August 31, 2023
Shedding Light On The Effects Of Redirects
This conversation has effectively unraveled the layers of myths and misconceptions surrounding redirect types and HTTP status codes, empowering SEO experts to craft strategies rooted in concrete knowledge instead of relying on unfounded assumptions.
For more such tips, updates and learning resources, stay tuned to Insitebuild Blog.
