Ever heard a developer mention a "301" or "302 redirect" and felt your brain turn into scrambled eggs? It’s okay. You aren't supposed to know this stuff—that’s what we’re here for. These numbers sound like secret agent codes, but they are actually just simple street signs for search engines like Google. Think of your website as your house. A redirect is simply the note you leave on the front door when you aren't home. The only question that matters is: Are you moving out forever, or just popping out to Woolies?

A 301 redirect is the digital equivalent of selling your house, packing up everything (even that weird gnome in the garden), and officially telling the post office: "Forward all my mail to my new beach house in Plett. Forever. The old address is dead to me." It is a permanent move. There is no going back. But What About My Popularity? (The SEO Part) Imagine your webpage has "street cred." In the SEO world, we call this "Link Juice" (which sounds like a smoothie that makes you famous, but bear with us). When you use a 301 redirect, you are telling Google: "Hey, all the popularity points my old page earned? Give them all to the new one." It’s like when a rockstar leaves a band to go solo—they take their fans with them. Google forwards almost 100% of this "juice," so your new page isn't starting from scratch.

A 302 redirect is the complete opposite. This is like going on a two-week holiday to the Kruger Park. You leave a note on the door that says: "Gone on a little adventure! Be back on the 18th. Please don't forward my mail permanently—I'm definitely coming back to this address." It is a temporary detour.

Nope, because you're telling Google this is just for now. With a 302, you're saying: "Hey Google, ignore this temporary page. All my popularity points and my official spot in your search results belong to my original home address. This other page is just a stand-in." ⚠️ A quick warning: If your "two-week holiday" turns into six months, Google might get suspicious and think you've secretly moved out. Make sure your temporary detours are actually temporary!

Choosing between 301 and 302 isn't some dark art. It’s just about honesty. - Moving out forever? Use a 301. - Just taking a short trip? Use a 302. By using the right sign, you keep your visitors happy and your hard-earned popularity points safe. And if you still "Don't Know" which one to pick? Well, that's what we're here for.