HTTPS, short for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure, is the secure version of HTTP, the protocol over which data is sent between your browser and the website you are connected to. In HTTPS, the ‘S’ stands for ‘Secure’ which means that all communications between your browser and the website are encrypted, thus providing a layer of protection from activities such as spying and tampering by attackers.
One of the key elements to a successful SEO strategy is ensuring a secure and accessible website. This is where the impact of HTTPS on SEO can be seen. HTTPS is basically a way to make your website secure and user-friendly. This has a direct link to SEO as Google uses security as one of its ranking factors. Google prefers websites that are trustworthy, and a key factor in determining this is whether or not a website uses HTTPS.
There are a few technical reasons as to why HTTPS could be beneficial from an SEO perspective:
1. Improved Rankings: Google has confirmed that HTTPS is a ranking factor. Although it is a minor one, every little bit helps when it comes to SEO. A Google Webmaster Central Blog post reads: “We’ve seen positive results, so we’re starting to use HTTPS as a ranking signal.”
1. Referrer Data: When traffic passes from an HTTPS site to a non-HTTPS site, the referral data is lost. This doesn’t happen when traffic passes through HTTPS sites. This is important for understanding where your traffic is coming from.
1. Trust and Credibility: Most web browsers provide visual cues such as a lock icon or a green bar to help visitors know when their connection is secured. This is supposed to indicate that HTTPS protects the user’s connection and should help breed trust.
1. Better Performance: HTTPS websites, especially those that support HTTP/2, can load faster than their HTTP counterparts. Even though speed is not that big of a ranking signal, it still contributes to a better user experience.
1. Future Proofing: Google has said that HTTPS is a signal that will increase in strength over time. As they want to make the web safer, it’s a good idea to get ahead and switch your site to HTTPS sooner rather than later.
Making the switch from HTTP to HTTPS is a fairly technical process, and it is recommended to involve a professional who is experienced with this task.
Sources:
(1) Chaffey, Dave. “Google confirms HTTPS as a ranking signal.” Smart Insights, Aug 8, 2014, www.smartinsights.com/search-engine-optimisation-seo/seo-analytics/comparison-of-google-ranking-factors/.
(2) Muret, Paul. “Moving towards a more secure web.” Google Security Blog, Feb 8, 2018, security.googleblog.com/2018/02/a-secure-web-is-here-to-stay.html.
(3) Enge, Eric. “The HTTPS as a ranking factor study.” Stone Temple, July 24, 2017, www.stonetemple.com/https-seo-ranking-boost/.
(4) Barry Schwartz, “Google Starts Giving A Ranking Boost To Secure HTTPS/SSL Sites”, Search Engine Land, Aug 7, 2014, searchengineland.com/google-starts-giving-ranking-boost-secure-httpsssl-sites-199446.
