What it means
On a 302 the client follows the Location header but should keep using the original URL in future. Browsers generally don't cache a 302 permanently. As with 301, the browser may change POST to GET; 307 exists to preserve the method.
Most common causes
- A temporary promotion or maintenance on a specific page.
- Redirecting to the login page when the user isn't signed in.
- Language or geo-based redirects.
- A misconfiguration where a permanent 301 was intended.
What you can do as a visitor
- Usually no action is needed.
- If a site keeps sending you back to the login page, check your cookies and that you are actually signed in.
What the site owner or developer should do
- For permanent moves use 301 or 308, not 302.
- Don't redirect Googlebot differently from users.
- Make sure temporary redirects are actually removed once they're no longer needed.
Impact on SEO and Google
With a long-lived 302, Google may eventually pick the target URL as canonical anyway, but the signal is weaker and slower. Use 301/308 for migrations.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 302 bad for SEO?
Not if the redirect really is temporary. For permanent changes it's the wrong choice.
What's the difference between 302 and 307?
307 guarantees the HTTP method and request body are preserved; 302 doesn't.