In August of 2014, Google made the announcement that switching your website from HTTP to HTTPS would give your site a minor boost in rankings as HTTPS was made a ranking indicator in search engines.
Sure, it’s almost been a full two years, and while it’s a seemingly simple change many companies have not yet made the switch. It’s essential to understand fully how (and why) to make the switch, as well as any SEO concerns.
SSL Explained
At its core, this all comes down to security – and of course, a safe internet experience includes solid encryption, trusted third parties, and other safety measures in place. The HTTPS is known as the ‘secure http’ (Secure HyperText Transfer Protocol), and allows secure transactions while preventing unauthorized access. While they are separate communications, HTTPS is very similar to HTTP – in its focus on how information is presented to the user, or how it establishes its connection – though the HTTPS has an extra layer of security, as it utilizes an SSL in order to transfer data. This SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is really the difference that Google is looking for (thus that rankings bump!).
Of course, sites that are secure, trusted, and certified are certainly preferred by everyone. With the SSL, users know that the site is encrypting their information. Getting certified, the next component that allows for higher rankings, can be an intricate (but worthwhile) task. By obtaining a certificate, the issuer now becomes a trusted third party. Then, when Google recognizes a secure site, it utilizes the certificate’s information to verify the site – giving the user confidence and the site credibility.
Better Security = Better SEO Rank
Security is obviously a priority for Google, and security layers of data encryption, data integrity, and site authentication with HTTPS are what they are looking for. Further, making this change sooner rather than later is paramount. While it is currently a lightweight ranking signal, Google has indicated that it will potentially strengthen it in looking to make everyone as safe as possible on the internet.
That safety for your site, as well as for the visitors to your site, is most important in making the switch from HTTP to HTTPS.
Want to learn more about the value of adding a SSL Certificate to your website? Click here to learn more.
