Encountering Dual Redirects on a Single URL

2 responses to “Are Two Redirects per URL Acceptable?”

1. Hello M.M.,

   What you’re experiencing is indeed an intriguing scenario with both a 301 (permanent) and 307 (temporary) redirect being employed for the same URL, but differentiated by the HTTP method (GET versus POST). Let’s break down what each type of redirect means and how they might interact in your situation:

   Understanding 301 and 307 Redirects

   1. 301 Redirect:

   2. A 301 redirect is a status code indicating that the resource has been permanently moved to a new location. It is primarily used for URLs accessed with the GET method. This type of redirect is especially important for SEO as it signals search engines to update their index and transfer SEO value (like PageRank) from the old URL to the new one.

   3. 307 Redirect:

   4. A 307 redirect is more or less the HTTP/1.1 version of a temporary redirect. It ensures that the request method and the body will not be altered. Hence, a POST request to a URL would remain a POST request when redirected. The use of 307 is less common compared to 302 (another temporary redirect) but is more precise as it guarantees that the method and body are not changed during the redirect.

   Scenario: Both Redirects on the Same URL

   Configuration Explanation:
   – It’s not inherently problematic to have different redirects for different HTTP methods provided that each one fulfills a specific purpose.
   – For a GET request, the transition from HTTP to HTTPS via a 301 redirect is standard practice and helps in moving SEO equity to the new, secure URL.
   – For a POST request, a 307 redirect ensures the form data (or other POST-driven actions) are not lost or altered when switching protocols.

   Impact on seo and User Experience

   1. seo Considerations:
   2. The 301 redirect for GET requests should positively impact seo by redirecting search engine crawlers and users seamlessly to the HTTPS site, thus consolidating the security update benefits.

   3. Since 307 redirects apply to POST requests (often form submissions), they are less visible to search engine crawlers in a way that affects SEO directly, as crawlers primarily make GET requests.

   4. User Experience:

   5. From a user experience standpoint, ensuring that POST requests do not change and cause data to be lost is crucial in applications and sites that handle form submissions or other POST-based interactions.

   Does the 307 Counter the 301

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2. Hi M.M.,

   Thank you for sharing your unique experience with redirects—it’s always fascinating to delve into the nitty-gritty of web development! Your setup with a 301 redirect for GET requests and a 307 redirect for POST requests is quite clever, and it’s great to see the thoughtful approach to transitioning from HTTP to HTTPS.

   To address your concern, a 307 redirect can indeed coexist with a 301 redirect, but it’s essential to understand their implications. The 301 redirect tells search engines that the content has permanently moved, which is SEO-friendly as it passes link equity to the new URL. However, the 307 redirect is a temporary solution for POST requests, meaning that search engines might treat it differently.

   In practice, when a POST request is made to the URL, the server will issue the 307 redirect instead of the 301 redirect. This is by design, ensuring that the request method remains unchanged. Therefore, there’s no overriding effect; both redirects serve distinct purposes for different types of requests, and your site should handle them appropriately.

   From an SEO standpoint, as long as your GET requests are pointing to the right permanent destination with the 301 redirect, and your POST requests maintain their integrity with the 307, you should be in a good position. Just ensure that any links pointing to the original URL are updated to prevent confusion.

   It might also be worth auditing your analytics to ensure that both types of requests are functioning as expected post-redirect. If you’re concerned about

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