SEO Techniques: 3xx Series Redirections
Ever seen those 300, 301 or 302 error messages while browsing websites over the Internet? We, pretty much, find them on every website. Typically, they perform in the background, unnoticed, and implemented with general ignorance, yet useful from the SEO perspective. However, redirects are often misunderstood, contradicted, and there is plenty of misleading information as well as advice available everywhere!
But, then again a 301, 302, or even a 307 redirect can be search engine friendly. While many of you may find this post a tad boring, I suggest you still stay tuned for my explanation on everything related to 3XX series redirections. Once you are done, digg, stumble, reddit, this post before you get to something more interesting! And, thanks in advance…
Redirects are typically a part of the HTTP protocol rather than a part of SEO or search engine practices. In order to clearly understand this aspect of the HTTP protocol, you need to first understand the ground basics of HTTP. There is truth in the fact that search engines have a different take on some of the redirects but if you must use the server sided redirects, you must learn to use them in a way that is beneficial for you.
HTTP 1.0 is pretty much outdated and its time for HTTP 1.1. A 3xx series redirect should be looked upon as a forwarding request. Let me explain that with an example. If you have sent a mail to a friend who may have shifted to a new address, chances are that your mail will either comeback to your address undelivered or then be abandoned by the US mail department. But when you type in a URL for a site that has changed to a new location, you are redirected to the new location by the server.
These type of redirects – 301, 302, 307 etc – instruct the user agent on the manner in which yours and future requests similar to yours need to be performed. But what you must remember here is that, since search engine spiders try to imitate the mannerisms of human traffic with the content requests, you must choose the right type of redirect request for them as well as the end users.
In any case, I am not propounding on the fact that 301 redirect is the best choice here. So let’s take a look at the individual values of these 3xx series redirections as are stipulated for HTTP 1.1.
Note: The reasons listed below are only some of the common recommendations — you CAN change them by the local equivalents in such a way that the protocol doesn’t get changed. Simply said you can translate these reasons as well as rephrase them.
• 300: Multiple Choices
• 301: Moved Permanently
• 302: Found (Elsewhere)
• 303: See Other
• 304: Not Modified
• 305: Use Proxy
• 307: Temporary Redirect
Now coming back to the importance of these redirects in SEO, it must be said that 301 and 302 are important. The 307 redirect that was introduced around the same time as HTTP 1.1 can still confuse search engines, even the likes of Google!
By Jeremy Hermanns | June 30, 2008 | Filed Under SEO Tools
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