If you’ve been doing some online searches (scoping out your competition, perhaps? Looking for a company If you’ve been doing some online searches (scoping out your competition, perhaps? Looking for a company to remodel your kitchen?), you’ve probably noticed both HTTP and HTTPS sites. What is the difference between the two, and is it important in terms of online marketing?
Glad you asked! We recently wrote a blog post about reasons your site should be HTTPS, but this post goes into more details, especially related to the effect website security has on SEO.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally written in 2017. A lot has changed since then, so we’ve updated it to reflect the newest updates.
What Is HTTPS?
Let’s start with the basics. The “s” at the end of the “http” part of a URL means the website is secure. HTTPS (Hypertext Transport Protocol Security), or secure, sites include the SSL 2048-bit key and can protect a site connection through authentication and encryption. When installed on a web server, an SSL certificate activates the padlock and the https protocol and allows secure connections from a web server to a browser.
Secure websites can protect a user’s connection by securing information in three layers:
Encryption ensures that a user’s activity cannot be tracked or their information stolen
Data integrity prevents files from being corrupted as they’re transferred
And authentication protects against attacks and builds user trust
But how do SSL certificates affect search rankings?
How Does SSL Help with SEO?
How does SSL help with SEO? Here’s a visual for some quick facts about secure sites, but keep reading for more details!
More than just onsite content can have a positive impact on your rankings, traffic, and, potentially, conversions. One of these factors is website security.
Rankings
Back in 2014, Google rolled out updated algorithms across the board in favor of HTTPS websites. Then, it was a lightweight component within the overall ranking algorithm and HTTPS sites experienced only minor ranking increases. But Google indicated that they may strengthen the signal in the future.
In 2015, Google stated that their HTTPS ranking boost may serve as a tie breaker if the quality signals for two different search results are equal in everything else. Meaning, if your website is equal to your competitor’s website in terms of speed, title tags, content freshness, etc. but your competitor’s website is HTTPS and yours isn’t, Google will most likely rank theirs ahead of yours.
What does it look like today? About 55% of all websites are secure, and 40% of Google’s page one organic search results feature an HTTPS site. Google has encouraged webmasters to make the migration to a secure site for a while now and has been giving an increasing amount of weight in ranking boosts to websites that are HTTPS. (Keep in mind, those sites ranking on page one of Google are also likely following many other best practices in order to get on page one real estate!)
Interestingly, in a study conducted by Brian Dean, SEMRush, Ahrefs, SimilarWeb and MarketMuse, a moderate correlation between HTTPS and higher search rankings was found. Other studies have found minor correlations as well—but combined with other factors and reflecting what Google had already confirmed (it would act as a tie-breaker, not a major ranking factor).
As Neil Patel mentions in this article, Moz also found a slight correlation between HTTPS and higher search rankings but combined with other factors and reflecting what Google had previously stated—it would act as a tie-breaker, not a major ranking factor.
Website Traffic
Better rankings can lead to more traffic (the more people see your site, the more visitors you’ll get). Also, when users are looking at the search results, they may see a secure site as a signal of trust and authority and click that website over another, non-secure site, thus improving your site’s click-through-rate.
Conversions
Users trust secure connections more—it’s a fact (and sites that follow best practices for user experience are more likely to rank better in Google search results). According to a GlobalSign survey, 84% of users would abandon a purchase if data was sent over an insecure connection, and 82% of people won’t browse an unsecured website at all.
If a customer came into your store and voiced a concern about something, you would do everything you can to alleviate that concern and create not only a loyal customer but a raving fan.
Why shouldn’t it be the same online—where an overwhelmingly large majority of users shop and search for home services? Make your customers and prospects feel safe and give them peace of mind, whether it’s in your store or on the internet.
Chrome Now Labels Non-HTTPS Sites As Not Secure
Also, get this: Chrome makes it really obvious when a website isn’t secure.
Right now, the URL bars of HTTP sites look like either this:
Or this:
Pretty obvious, right?
If I’m on a website with that indicator, especially an eCommerce site, you better believe I’m not staying! Would you? I’m willing to bet not, and other users will most likely feel the same way.
Bottom Line: Having a Secure Website Matters for SEO. Get an SSL Certificate ASAP
So while at this current moment the SSL SEO impact isn’t overwhelmingly negative (having a secure site won’t make or break your rankings), things seem to be moving in that direction. Google’s Webmaster Blog hints at a fully secure web in the future: “As migrating to HTTPS becomes even easier, we’ll continue working towards a web that’s secure by default.” That’s from a post a couple months ago! Be proactive about website security rather than reacting to it later down the road when you’re already behind the competition because it’s the new norm.
What You Get When You Host Your Website with Blue Corona:
SSL – Includes FREE SSL certificate yearly subscription
WordPress Optimized – Designed specifically for WordPress websites to provide optimal load times, easy updates and basic security measures
Backups – Daily full site backups (for last 30 days)
Development Support – Staging server with one click “push-to-live”
Security – Secure FTP protocol (SFTP) with server-side firewalls included
Extra Speed – Content Delivery Network (CDN) included for enhanced site load times by storing files at multiple locations across the server so that the user receives the files from the nearest source.
Storage Space – 10 GB of server storage space for website files
Alanna is the Quality Assurance Manager in Blue Corona's Maryland office. When she's not triple-checking websites and content for errors and consistency, you can find her at the gym with her twin sister or urban exploring with her husband.
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What does it look like today? About 55% of all websites are secure, and 40% of Google’s page one organic search results feature an HTTPS site. Google has encouraged webmasters to make the migration to a secure site for a while now and has been giving an increasing amount of weight in ranking boosts to websites that are HTTPS. (Keep in mind, those sites ranking on page one of Google are also likely following many other best practices in order to get on page one real estate!)
Interestingly, in a study conducted by Brian Dean, SEMRush, Ahrefs, SimilarWeb and MarketMuse, a moderate correlation between HTTPS and higher search rankings was found. Other studies have found minor correlations as well—but combined with other factors and reflecting what Google had already confirmed (it would act as a tie-breaker, not a major ranking factor).
As Neil Patel mentions in this article, Moz also found a slight correlation between HTTPS and higher search rankings but combined with other factors and reflecting what Google had previously stated—it would act as a tie-breaker, not a major ranking factor.
Or this:
What does it look like today? About 55% of all websites are secure, and 40% of Google’s page one organic search results feature an HTTPS site. Google has encouraged webmasters to make the migration to a secure site for a while now and has been giving an increasing amount of weight in ranking boosts to websites that are HTTPS. (Keep in mind, those sites ranking on page one of Google are also likely following many other best practices in order to get on page one real estate!)
Interestingly, in a study conducted by Brian Dean, SEMRush, Ahrefs, SimilarWeb and MarketMuse, a moderate correlation between HTTPS and higher search rankings was found. Other studies have found minor correlations as well—but combined with other factors and reflecting what Google had already confirmed (it would act as a tie-breaker, not a major ranking factor).
As Neil Patel mentions in this article, Moz also found a slight correlation between HTTPS and higher search rankings but combined with other factors and reflecting what Google had previously stated—it would act as a tie-breaker, not a major ranking factor.
If a customer came into your store and voiced a concern about something, you would do everything you can to alleviate that concern and create not only a loyal customer but a raving fan.
Why shouldn’t it be the same online—where an overwhelmingly large majority of users shop and search for home services? Make your customers and prospects feel safe and give them peace of mind, whether it’s in your store or on the internet.
Or this:
