Switch to HTTPS for Better SEO & Google Rankings

In the past, websites primarily relied on the standard HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) for transmitting data between the web server and the user's browser. However, as the internet landscape evolved, so did the need for heightened security measures.

This led to the emergence of HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Security), an encrypted server protocol that creates a secure website connection, ensuring the protection of sensitive data like passwords and credit card information. While HTTPS was initially reserved for securing only critical data, it has now become a vital component of web security and SEO best practices.

Is HTTPS Good for SEO?

When Google announced that it would favor websites using HTTPS encryption with a boost in search results, many began to reevaluate their sites' security policy. So, recent polls have shown that 24 percent of site owners plan to switch to HTTPS for enhanced website security and SEO benefits.

HTTPS Benefits for SEO

Once upon a time, adding HTTP Secure to your website required risk, cost, and technical know-how. However, today, it's as easy as making a quick selection in your web hosting control panel.

Today, there's no reason not to have the benefits - more security, improved referral data, and an HTTPS Google rankings boost – can make it worth the effort.

Check out our Inbound Website Assessment Tool

1. SEO Benefits of Switching to HTTPS

Besides increased security, switching to a secure HTTP encryption offers SEO benefits. These include:

• Increase search rankings
• Preserves referrer data
• More secure & private

Increase Search Rankings

The obvious one: As stated, Google has confirmed the slight ranking boost of HTTPS sites. Like most ranking signals, it is very hard to isolate on its own, but this is still something to keep in mind. On the plus side, the value of switching to HTTPS is very likely to increase over time.

Preserves Referrer Data

Typically, traffic that passes through an HTTP Secure site to a non-encrypted HTTP website is stripped of its referral data. An HTTP Secure analytics report will show the data as “Direct.” The problem is that you won’t know where the traffic originated.

When traffic passes to an HTTP Secure site, it retains referral data. As more websites switch to the secure protocol, this becomes quite important for marketers.

More Secure & Private

HTTPS adds an extra layer of security which helps your website and SEO goals in many ways:

• It verifies the website's identity.
• It prevents third-party tampering.
• It secures your site for visitors.
• It encrypts all site data, including URLs, browsing history, and credit card numbers.

2. Google HTTPS SEO

Google has offered boosted HTTPS search engine rankings for those making the switch to encryption. While the company has confirmed the ranking boost, recent studies have shown that HTTP Secure may not provide any significant advantages in terms of site rankings.

It’s important not to rely on HTTP Secure as your sole method for increasing your site’s ranking. If you're concerned about your search HTTPS placement, here are a few things you can do to make a larger impact:

• Run competitive analysis
• Improve your SEO meta tags
• Eliminate crawl errors
• Correct duplicate content
• Audit the website
• Create engaging content
• Optimize the site for speed

More Security & Privacy

Some analysts have argued that HTTP Secure is only effective if your website uses sensitive passwords. This isn’t exactly true – even simple content websites can benefit from HTTP over SSL encryption. HTTP over SSL encryption secures your website in several ways:

• The encryption verifies that the website is the one the server should be “talking” to
• It prevents tampering from third parties, stopping “man-in-the-middle” attacks
• It secures all communication, protecting browsing history and credit card information

3. The Challenges of Switching to HTTPS

Switching your website to HTTP over SSL encryption can be complicated. Here are some things to consider throughout the process.

Website Errors

You may run into a few issues when switching to HTTP Secure. Some of them include:

• Blocking important URLs in robots.txt
• Pointing canonical tags at the wrong HTTP URL
• Your website is displaying browser bars that frighten people, like security warnings

Some webmasters have seen their HTTPS search engine rankings and conversions drop after installing HTTP Secure. Most of the time, these technical issues are easily fixed, but it’s important to be prepared for the worst.

Slower Speeds

HTTP Secure requires more communication between servers, which might slow down your website. Speed can affect your search HTTPS ranking, especially with mobile. Fortunately, you can prevent speed issues by following best practices when implementing HTTP over SSL encryption.

Higher Costs

SSL certificates can cost approximately $100-$200 a year, a significant cost for small websites. However, switching to HTTP Secure can be free, saving you money on website maintenance.

With benefits like boosted search rankings and more reliable security, switching to a secure HTTP encryption is well worth the investment.

Growing Pains

Some websites may not be advanced enough for HTTP Secure. Older web apps can have difficulty processing HTTP Secure URLs. In addition, websites that run AdSense may experience a drop in earnings. Google restricts these ads to those that comply with SSL.

4. The Number of Sites Using HTTPS

While many websites use HTTP over SSL encryption, most of them limit their usage to checkout and registration pages. In fact, only 4.2 percent of the top 10,000 sites redirect visitors to HTTP Secure by default. This percentage drops to 1.9 percent for the top million websites.

5. HTTPS & SEO Best Practices

What are the SEO implications of switching to an HTTP over SSL encryption? We’ll explore the topic in this section.

What Type of SSL Certificate is Best?

There are thousands of SSL certificate options to sift through, which can lead to confusion. The two major types of SSL certificates include:

• Standard Validation SSL: These certificates provide a basic level of validation. The cost usually runs between $0-$100.
• Extended Validation SSL: These certificates offer a higher level of validation, but they typically are more expensive than the standard type, costing between $100-$500.

In terms of HTTPS Google rankings, the certificate you choose makes no difference. From the user’s perspective, the certificate type can have an impact. The green bar that signifies extended security often fosters trust among website visitors.

6. Preserving Your Search Engine Rankings

These tips will help you receive the best SEO results from your HTTP Secure encryption.

• Ensure each element of your site uses HTTP Secure.
• Use 301 redirects to point all HTTP URLs to HTTP Secure.
• Make sure all canonical tags point to the HTTP Secure version of your URL.
• When possible, use relative URLs.
• Make sure all hard-coded internal links point to HTTP Secure.
• Register the HTTP Secure version of your website in Google Search Console and Bing.
• Update all sitemaps to reflect the new URLs and submit them to Google Search Console.
• Be sure that your robots.txt file is updated so it won’t block any important web pages.
• Update your analytics tracking code if necessary.
• Implement HSTS or HTTP Strict Transport Security. This allows users only to access HTTP Secure pages even when directed to HTTP pages.

Facebook and LinkedIn all transfer over their social share counts. However, Twitter, Google shares, and Pinterest do not. To preserve these counts, you must alter the code of your social buttons.

Altering the code will only display social shares from the URL you dictate. This will not show any new social shares that your buttons have earned. While this can be fine for older blog posts, it may be worth it to let your numbers update naturally if you expect your content to gain additional shares.

9. Taking the Leap

You may wonder if it’s time for your website to make the leap to HTTPS. Many SEO agencies, marketing consultants, and webmasters are being rewarded as its popularity grows. Your brand and website’s needs will determine if HTTP Secure is the right choice.

10. FREE SSL Certificates

Typically, you can expect to pay $39-$150 per year for a standard SSL certificate for your website. Meticulosity is now offering FREE SSL Certificates to our WordPress Hosting customers. No hooks, no catches, no special terms... just free! Contact us to get yours today.

Understanding HTTPS and Its Importance:

HTTPS functions by employing SSL (Secure Socket Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) certificates to encrypt the data exchanged between the user's browser and the web server. Once installed on the web host, the SSL certificate is represented by a green padlock icon in the browser's address bar, indicating that the connection is secure.

The shift to HTTPS is not solely about protecting sensitive information; it also plays a crucial role in improving a website's credibility and trustworthiness. Users who see the green padlock icon are more likely to trust the website, leading to increased user engagement and a positive user experience.

The Impact of Google's Push for HTTPS:

Google, being a dominant force in the world of online search, has played a significant role in shaping internet practices. In 2014, the search giant announced that websites utilizing HTTPS encryption would receive a boost in search result rankings. This announcement prompted website owners and administrators to reevaluate their security policies and consider transitioning to HTTPS.

The Move Towards HTTPS:

Over time, the adoption of HTTPS has gained tremendous momentum. Recent polls indicate that a staggering 76 percent of websites on the internet are now utilizing HTTPS, indicating a significant shift in web security practices. The ease of implementation and the numerous benefits associated with HTTPS have contributed to this rapid adoption.

HTTPS and Its Impact on SEO:

The correlation between HTTPS and improved search engine rankings cannot be overlooked. As Google rewards secure websites with higher rankings, SEO professionals and website owners have embraced HTTPS as a vital aspect of their optimization efforts.

Enhanced Website Security:

HTTPS ensures that data transmitted between the user and the web server remains encrypted and secure, making it considerably more challenging for malicious actors to intercept sensitive information. This heightened security protects user data and safeguards the website from potential cyber threats.

Improved Referral Data:

The referral data is often lost when traffic is directed from a secure HTTPS website to a non-secure HTTP site. However, when both websites are HTTPS-enabled, the referral data remains intact, providing valuable insights into user behavior and traffic sources.

SEO Ranking Boost:

Google's preference for secure websites translates into higher search engine rankings. By implementing HTTPS, website owners can potentially improve their visibility in search results, attract more organic traffic, and ultimately, enhance their online presence

Conclusion

In conclusion, the internet landscape has evolved, and so has the need for robust security measures. HTTPS has emerged as the gold standard for ensuring a secure and trustworthy connection between websites and users.

With Google's backing and the numerous benefits it offers, including improved SEO rankings, website owners have no reason to ignore HTTPS's importance.

The time has come for all websites to make the switch and embrace the secure and encrypted future of the internet. So, if you haven't already, now is the perfect time to join the rapidly growing community of HTTPS-enabled websites. Reach out to our experts for more information!