Redirect Choice Shapes Which URL Google Keeps in Search

Which Redirect Should You Actually Use?

Google's Gary Illyes and Cherry Prommawin explain that permanent and temporary redirects both help Google connect related URLs, but they signal different intentions about which address should represent a piece of content in Search. Their core point is that a 301 passes ranking signals to the new URL and makes it the canonical, while a 302 tells Google the move is temporary, so the old URL usually stays visible. They also reframe what SEOs call content cannibalisation as a clustering and canonicalisation process, with the real causes of non-indexing usually being thin or duplicate content.

For brand builders, this matters during migrations, rebrands and site rebuilds, where a wrong redirect can quietly leave the wrong page in results. The discussion also covers 307 and 308 redirects, which preserve form data during a failover, and why server-side redirects beat meta refresh or JavaScript. Developers, SEO leads and anyone planning a domain or URL change should read it before the launch checklist is signed off.