A 302 redirect is a temporary HTTP status code that tells web browsers and search engines that a webpage has moved to a new location, but only for a short period. Unlike a permanent (301) redirect, a 302 signals that the original URL will be used again in the future.

Common use cases for a 302 redirect include:

• A/B testing different versions of a page.
• Temporarily sending visitors to a maintenance page or a special promotional landing page.
• Directing traffic during a short-term site reorganization.

Key Impact on SEO: Search engines typically preserve the ranking power of the original page when they encounter a 302 redirect. They understand the move is not permanent and will continue to index and rank the original URL. This is the primary technical difference from a 301 redirect, which transfers ranking equity to the new URL.

To implement a 302 redirect, you can use:

• A .htaccess file on Apache servers (using Redirect 302 /old-page /new-page).
• Server configuration files (like Nginx).
• Plugins or settings within your Content Management System (CMS).

Always test your redirects after setting them up to ensure they work correctly and serve the intended purpose.