“What happens when a webpage changes its location temporarily?”
In the realm of web management, not all the redirects are made equal. A 307 Redirect signals a “Route Diversion Ahead”.
This tells the visitors and search engines “This is only temporary and stay tuned for the original destination”.
But here the browsers and the bots need to interpret the change correctly. Otherwise the SEO efforts and user experience will get hindered along the way.
So, when should you use this 307 Redirect and how does it impact SEO?
Let’s dive in detail….!
What is 307 Redirect?
An HTTP status code that signals a temporary redirect from one URL to another is called a 307 Redirect.
It is a component of the HTTP/1.1 protocol. It is exceptional because it maintains the original request method such as GET or POST.
This means when a user submits a data, it remains intact when they are redirected.
It says, “The content has temporarily moved to a different URL, but will come back to the original one in the future.” This will provide a smooth user experience.
For Example – A website moves its sales page temporarily due to high traffic. But it intends to revert to the original URL soon.
Now the users visit the original sale page. Without altering the type of request, they are redirected to another page.
If they use POST to submit a form, it remains intact throughout the redirect.
Temporary vs Internal 307 Redirect:
The 307 redirect includes ,
- Temporary 307 Redirect
- Internal 307 Redirect
Let us understand this now….
| Temporary 307 Redirect | Internal 307 Redirect |
|---|---|
|
This is used when the change is short term.
The original URL will shortly be restored.
It is regarded as a “temporary move” by the browser. So it will not save the new URL as the permanent location.
|
This type is invisible to users.
It preserves the original request mechanism.
This happens when a web server temporarily redirects traffic to another URL within the same server.
The reason will be, because of load balancing or server modifications.
|
|
Example – The URL “example.com/sale” is redirected to “example.com/backup-sale” with a 307 HTTP status.
Now when the user visits they will be automatically redirected to the 2nd URL. The search engines will not consider this new URL as permanent. |
Example – The URL “example.com/checkout” redirect the traffic internally to “server1.website.com/checkout-temp” to manage server load.
The server handles it as a temporary shift internally and the users stay on “example.com/checkout”
|
So, it is clear to us that in both the cases,
- The primary URL for the future is still the original one.
- The request type is not altered by the redirect.
- It makes submitting forms and sensitive data beneficial.
Why to use 307 Redirect?
Well, now we know exactly what a 307 redirect is and the forms it can be.. Now you will be thinking why this redirect is implemented.
Put simply, these redirects are ideal for situations in which you plan to return to the original URL after a limited time. This will not have a long-term effect on SEO results.
Since the traffic is routed temporarily, it will not pass any link authority to the destination page. So the SEO value of the original page will not get affected.
Let’s get into the reasons to use a 307 Redirect:
- For a temporary resource move. This shows that the URL has been moved temporarily. So the original URL will not be altered permanently.
- To enhance user experience. The users should be rerouted smoothly. 307 Redirects prevents broken links or confusion to the users.
- For the compliance with standards. It guarantees compatibility with contemporary browsers as clearly stated in HTTP/1.1.
- To preserve the SEO. It maintains the indexing and ranking of the original URL in search engines.
- To retain the HTTP request method. It ensures proper request handling by maintaining the HTTP method like POST or GET.
- For Analytics Tracking. For actions like form submissions or transactions, it retains accurate tracking.
SEO Impact of 307 Redirect:
A 307 redirect plays a key role in maintaining SEO rankings, a critical focus area for any Technical SEO Agency.
As you read earlier, a 307 redirect will not transfer the SEO value. The search engines know this redirect is temporary. Therefore it will not transfer the link authority from the original page to the redirected one.
So the key points here to consider are,
- The 307 redirect should not be left in place for too long. If so, it will impact the user experience and bounce rate.
- The search engines keep the original URL indexed and will not replace it in the search results.
- Since this redirect does not pass the link equity, the authority of the original page remains intact.
- The 307 redirect should not be misused for permanent changes. It will confuse search engines and harm rankings.
How does a 307 Redirect Work?
Here is the step by step explanation of how does a 307 redirect work?..
1.A user via a browser or search engine via a bot requests a URL.
2.Now the server responds with the HTTP status code 307 which is a temporary redirect.
3.This response also has the location header which provides the temporary URL for the resource.
4.During the redirection, the HTTP method and the request body remain unchanged.
5.Now the browser or bot redirects the user automatically to the temporary URL specified in the header.
How does 307 Redirect differ from other Redirect Types?
For better clarity, let us now comprehend how 307 redirects differ from other redirects.
| Redirect Types | Purpose | SEO Impact | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
|
307 Redirect |
1.Temporary Redirection
2.It preserves the original HTTP method like POST or GET.
|
1.It will not transfer SEO equity.
2.Search engines treat the original URL as Canonical.
|
1.Temporary URL Changes.
2.Form Submissions
3.Testing
|
|
301 Redirect |
1.Permanent Redirection.
2.It indicates the URL has moved permanently.
|
1.It transfers the link equity to the new URL.
|
1.URL Structure changes.
2.Merging Pages
3.Permanently moving content.
|
|
302 Redirect |
1.Temporary Redirection
2.It does not specifically maintain the HTTP method.
|
1.It will not transfer SEO equity.
2.It is similar to 307, but less specific about method preservation.
|
1.For Temporary moves where HTTP method preservation is not critical.
|
|
308 Redirect |
1.Permanent Redirection
2.It preserves the HTTP method like a permanent version of 307
|
1.It will transfer the SEO equity to the new URL.
|
1.For Permanent moves, where HTTP method preservation is necessary.
|
When to use 307 Redirect over other Redirects?
Let’s get into some scenarios when the 307 redirect is implemented.
- When a temporary site maintenance is done. The visitors are rerouted to the maintenance page. The original URL is kept intact for future usage.
- When you are performing A/B testing. Redirect traffic to a different version of a page. But here the SEO of the original URL should not be permanently affected.
- In the situation of Content Updates. While the original content is being revised, send users to an updated or alternative page.
- In the event of testing new URLs. This means new URL structures or designs are tested temporarily. The users are redirected to a beta version of a page to collect feedback. But the long term URL structure should not get altered.
- For a seasonal or short term promotion. The users are redirected to a campaign-specific page. For eg. holiday sale. They are reverted to the original URL after the event.
- When your site requires submission of forms. When redirecting after a form submission, keep the POST request intact. This maintains the integrity of data.
How to Implement a 307 Redirect?
To implement a 307 redirect, you need to configure your server or application to temporarily direct traffic from one URL to another. But retain the original HTTP method.
Let’s see detailed steps for different platforms and scenarios:
1.Using Apache (.htaccess)
You can configure the 307 redirect in the .htaccess file, if your server uses Apache.
Redirect 307 /old-page https://www.example.com/new-page
- In the root directory of your website, locate the “.htaccess” file.
- Now add the above rule. This means replace “/old-page” and “https://www.example.com/new-page” with your specific paths.
- Save the File.
- Test the Redirect.
2.On WordPress
In WordPress, you can use a plugin like “Redirection” to set up a 307 redirect.
Follow the below steps to implement this:
- Install and activate the “Redirection” plugin.
- After that, go to Tools → Redirection in the WordPress Dashboard.
- Now add the source URL which is the old page and Target URL which is the new page.
- Select “307 Temporary Redirect”as the redirection type.
- Save the changes.
3.On Other CMS Platforms
Most of the Content Management Systems (CMS) have built-in tools or plugins to handle redirects.
In the CMS platform, you are using,
- Look for the redirect settings
- Select “307 Temporary Redirect”
- Specify the source and target URLs
- Save and test the redirect.
4.Server-Side Frameworks (Node.js, Django etc.,)
For the server-side frameworks like Node.js, Django..etc implement the below 307 redirect rule.
For Node.js:
app.get('/old-page', (req, res) => {
res.redirect(307, 'https://www.example.com/new-page');
});
For Django:
from django.http import HttpResponseRedirect
def temporary_redirect(request):
return HttpResponseRedirect('https://www.example.com/new-page', status=307)
5.In PHP
The 307 redirect will be implemented directly in your PHP Scripts.
header("Location: https://www.example.com/new-page", true, 307);
exit();
- Insert the above code at the top of your PHP script for the old URL.
- Now, replace “https://www.example.com/new-page” with your destination URL.
6.Using Nginx
Add the below 307 redirect rule to your configuration file for Nginx.
location /old-page {
return 307 https://www.example.com/new-page;
}
- Open the Nginx configuration file. It will be “nginx.conf” or the relevant server block file.
- Next, add the “Location” block for the URL you are going to redirect.
- Save the configuration.
- Now, reload Nginx using “sudo nginx -s reload”.
Conclusion
In Conclusion, one of the effective approaches to control short-term modifications to your website is 307 redirect.
Put it simply, the 307 redirect,
- Preserve the value of the original URL,
- Will not compromise SEO integrity or user experience,
- Handle the HTTP methods delicately,
But, knowing when to use this redirect is crucial to their effectiveness.
So, Do your redirects create confusion or are they conveying the correct information to users and search engines?
Choose your choice carefully, because the path across your website is shaped by each redirect.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A 307 Redirect is an HTTP status code which indicates a temporary redirect.
It instructs the browser to temporarily request the new URL. But for future requests, to continue using the original URL.
The way that 302 and 307 redirects handle request methods is where they diverge.
Both the redirects indicate a temporary redirect. The request method can be changed with a 302 redirect. For eg. from POST to GET.
On the other hand, a 307 redirect demands the original request method to be retained.
No. If the 307 Redirect is correctly used for temporary changes, it is not bad for SEO.
However, a 301 redirect is better for SEO for permanent moves. Because it passes more ranking signals to the new URL.
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