301 vs 308 Redirects: When the Difference Actually Matters

301 and 308 solve a similar problem

Both status codes tell clients that a URL has permanently moved. For most SEO audits, they are functionally close because both communicate a permanent redirect signal.

Where 308 is different

The important technical difference is that 308 preserves the original HTTP method. That matters more for APIs, forms, and non-GET requests than for ordinary page migrations.

Practical rule

For normal content URLs, 301 is still the default most teams expect. Use 308 when method preservation is intentional and supported across your stack. Whatever you choose, keep the chain short and the destination final.