A 301 redirect is permanent, indicating that a page has moved to a new URL, while a 302 redirect is temporary. For local Essex sites, using the correct redirect can maintain both search equity and user experience. If you permanently change a page’s URL—say you rename “services” to “our-services”—a 301 tells search engines to update their listings, transferring most of the link juice to the new URL. A 302, however, suggests the old page might return, so search engines typically don’t pass full ranking signals to the new URL. Incorrectly using a 302 when you meant 301 can lead to lost SEO value, as search engines may not treat the new page as authoritative. Periodically check your redirects to ensure they’re set correctly, especially if you reorganise local landing pages or rename old blog posts that highlight Essex-based content or events.