HTTP 303 status code and page rank: does it pass SEO value or not
By Maya Collins Updated 9 min read
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On this page (8 sections)
In short: A 303 redirect generally does not pass page rank or link equity like a 301 redirect does. Search engines treat 303 as a temporary redirect, similar to 302, so it usually does not transfer SEO value fully.
Part of our guide on choosing seo software
Understanding the SEO impact of a 303 redirect helps you avoid losing valuable page rank and link equity on your website.
| Redirect type | Temporary (303) |
|---|---|
| Page rank passed | No (usually) |
| 301 redirect | Permanent, passes link equity |
| 302 redirect | Temporary, limited link equity |
| Use case | Post-redirect GET after POST |
The short version
- 303 redirect signals a temporary redirect to search engines.
- 303 redirects do not typically pass page rank or link equity fully.
- Use 301 redirects for permanent SEO-friendly redirects.
- Improper use of 303 may hurt SEO by losing link equity.
- Understand redirect types before implementing them on your site.
What a 303 status code means
A 303 status code is an HTTP response that tells the client the resource has been replaced or should be retrieved from another URL using a GET request. It is called 'See Other' and is designed for web applications to redirect after a POST request to avoid resubmitting data.
Unlike 301 or 302, which indicate permanent or temporary redirection while preserving the original method, 303 instructs the client to perform a GET request on the provided Location header.
This status code is mainly used to prevent users from accidentally resubmitting form data when refreshing or bookmarking a page that was initially a POST request.
The 303 status code is defined in RFC 7231 and specifies that the redirected request should always use the GET method, regardless of the original request method. For example, if a client sends a POST request, the 303 response tells it to retrieve the resource using GET at the specified Location. This behavior is crucial for preventing issues like duplicate form submissions. It helps to understand how to analyze visitor behavior on multiple sites before going further.
In practice, a 303 redirect is often used in web applications after processing a form submission. Once the server receives the POST data and processes it, it responds with a 303 redirect pointing to a confirmation or status page. This ensures that if the user refreshes the confirmation page, the browser does not resubmit the form data, avoiding unintended duplicate actions or purchases.
How 303 redirects differ from 301 and 302
301, 302, and 303 are all HTTP redirect codes but serve different purposes and behave differently for browsers and search engines.
A 301 redirect is permanent. It tells search engines the URL has moved permanently and passes almost all page rank and link equity to the new URL. People in this spot often ask about easy seo progress tracking as well.
A 302 redirect is temporary. It suggests the original URL will return soon, so search engines usually do not pass full link equity or update their indexes immediately.
The 303 redirect specifically instructs to change the request method to GET. It's designed for client applications after POST requests, unlike 301 or 302 which do not alter the HTTP method.
Search engines treat 303 most similarly to 302 (temporary) although its primary role is in web application flow rather than SEO. We go through SE Ranking or Moz for rank tracking step by step elsewhere on the site.
Another key difference is how user agents handle caching. While 301 redirects are generally cached aggressively by browsers and search engines, 303 redirects are treated as non-cacheable because they indicate a temporary redirection in the context of a specific client interaction. Therefore, 303 redirects do not create persistent URL mappings like 301 redirects do.
To illustrate, if a URL permanently moves from /old-page to /new-page, a 301 redirect tells browsers and crawlers to update their records and direct users to /new-page in the future. Conversely, a 303 redirect after a form submission only applies to that particular request cycle, ensuring the user receives the correct confirmation page without changing the canonical URL in search engine indexes.
| Redirect Code | Meaning | Method Changed | Passes Page Rank | SEO Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | Permanent Redirect | No | Yes, nearly all | SEO-friendly URL changes |
| 302 | Temporary Redirect | No | Usually no or limited | Temporary moves or testing |
| 303 | See Other (Post-Redirect-Get) | Yes (to GET) | Usually no | Redirect after POST requests |
- 301 passes full SEO value
- 303 avoids POST resubmission
- 302 useful for temporary content
- 302 and 303 do not pass link equity well
- 303 rarely suitable for SEO redirects
- Improper redirects confuse crawlers
Does a 303 status code pass link equity or page rank
Search engines like Google treat 303 redirects as temporary, similar to 302. This means that 303 redirects generally do not pass page rank or link equity fully to the redirected URL. There is more on availability of lifetime subscriptions in a separate guide.
Page rank passing depends heavily on whether the redirect signals permanence (301) or temporariness (302/303). Since 303 is designed to redirect POST requests to GET, its SEO function is limited.
In practice, using a 303 redirect on URLs important for ranking or link building risks losing the SEO value those links carry. Search engines may continue to index the original URL or fail to credit the new destination properly.
Some SEOs argue 303 might pass some limited link equity, but this is neither guaranteed nor considered best practice.
While 303 redirects generally do not pass full page rank, there can be exceptions depending on search engine algorithms and the context of the redirect. For example, if a 303 redirect is implemented on a high-authority URL temporarily, some link equity might trickle through during the redirect period but this cannot be relied upon for SEO strategies.
A worked example: suppose a page A with a page rank score of 5 redirects via 303 to page B. Since 303 is temporary, search engines typically keep page A indexed and do not transfer the rank to page B. If the redirect instead used 301, page B would inherit nearly all of page A’s rank, improving its SEO value significantly.
Practical SEO implications of using 303 redirects
Using 303 redirects on your site for SEO-critical URLs can cause your link equity to dissipate, harming rankings. Google may treat the redirected URL as a separate page with no inherited authority.
If your site uses 303 to redirect after POST requests (for example, form submissions), this is fine and expected, as these pages usually do not rank or accumulate links.
However, if you mistakenly use 303 for permanent URL changes or canonicalization, your SEO will suffer due to loss of link equity and indexing confusion.
Carefully audit your redirects to ensure 303 status codes are reserved for POST-to-GET workflows, and implement 301 redirects for any permanent moves or URL consolidations.
Regular SEO tools or audit platforms can detect redirect types and chains to help fix inappropriate 303 redirects.
If your site has mixed redirects, such as both 301 and 303 for the same URLs, this can confuse search engines and dilute link equity. Redirect chains involving 303 redirects may result in slower indexing and ranking delays because search engines need to interpret the temporary nature of 303 before deciding how to treat the destination URL.
In some complex web application flows, 303 redirects are essential despite their SEO drawbacks. To mitigate negative SEO impact, ensure that important SEO URLs use 301 redirects and reserve 303 strictly for transactional flows like form submissions. This separation preserves both user experience and search engine clarity.
- Audit your website redirects using an SEO tool or manual HTTP header check.
- Identify URLs responding with 303 redirect codes.
- Determine if these redirects are for POST-to-GET scenarios or permanent URL changes.
- Replace 303 redirects with 301 redirects if used for permanent URL changes.
- Test the redirects to confirm proper HTTP status codes and update internal links if necessary.
How to check and fix 303 redirects on your site
To diagnose if your site uses 303 redirects, use tools like browser developer tools, curl command with -I flag, or SEO crawlers that report HTTP status codes.
If you find 303 redirects on URLs that should signal permanent moves, change your server or CMS settings to output 301 redirects instead.
For sites running web applications with form submissions, confirm that 303 redirects only appear after POST requests and not on general links or content pages.
If you want a semi-automated approach, tools like Writecream can generate content quickly but do not assist directly with redirect management. For link tracking and management, Switchy can help monitor and analyze links but not the status codes.
Manual checking combined with a robust redirect management plugin or server configuration is your best bet to resolve 303 redirect issues affecting SEO.
- Use curl or browser dev tools to verify response status codes.
- Check server or CMS redirect rules for 303 usage.
- Replace non-post related 303 redirects with 301.
- Monitor changes with SEO auditing tools regularly.
Does a 303 status code pass page rank
The core query: does a 303 status code pass page rank? The answer is no, not in normal SEO terms. Since 303 acts as a temporary redirect telling search engines to treat the destination as a separate GET request, it does not transfer page rank or link equity like a 301.
This means that any links pointing to a 303-redirected URL will not benefit the destination URL's ranking power. Google and other search engines prefer 301 redirects to consolidate link value.
If your SEO strategy relies on passing authority between URLs, avoid 303 redirects except for their intended web app use after POST requests.
Understanding this distinction helps you optimize your redirect setup and avoid accidental ranking drops caused by improper status codes.
An important nuance is that some older or less common search engines may treat 303 redirects differently, sometimes following them as temporary and sometimes ignoring them, which can cause inconsistent SEO outcomes. This variability in behavior means relying on 303 redirects for SEO purposes is risky and unpredictable.
To confirm whether a redirect passes page rank, you can use SEO tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to analyze link equity flow. These tools often show how redirects affect link juice passing and indexing status, helping to verify that 303 redirects do not consolidate authority effectively.
Questions people still ask
Can I use 303 redirects to permanently move a page?
No, 303 redirects are meant for temporary redirection, typically after a POST request. For permanent moves, use 301 redirects to ensure SEO value is passed.
Do search engines treat 303 and 302 redirects the same?
Mostly yes. Both are temporary redirects, and search engines generally do not pass full link equity through them. However, 303 is specifically for redirecting POST requests to GET.
Will changing a 303 redirect to 301 improve SEO?
If the URL change is permanent and SEO value matters, switching to a 301 redirect ensures that link equity and page rank are passed to the new URL.
Does a 303 redirect affect user experience?
No significant effect on user experience. It ensures clients use GET after a POST, preventing form resubmission issues.
How can I find where my site uses 303 redirects?
Use browser developer tools, curl commands, or SEO audit tools to check HTTP response headers and identify any 303 redirects in place.