Why HTTPS Matters: A Closer Look at Site Security and SEO

If you’re like many entrepreneurs or a new blogger, I know, you may not know what HTTPS is and what the difference between HTTP and HTTPS is.

OK, that’s what you see before the domain name in your browser … It’s also related to the small security padlock…

But did you know that the HTTPS protocol strongly impacts the natural referencing (SEO) of your business site?

HTTPS has become fundamental. Google’s algorithm highlights sites that provide a secure browsing experience for users. So if the site of one of our customers is not under HTTPS, this is one of the first things we ask him to do! It’s simply a way to secure your business by making sure you do not degrade your SEO…

Top, today’s topic is therefore relevant.

A Bit of History about HTTPS to Get Started

Before, Google rewarded websites in HTTPS by providing a slight advantage in search engine results. Today, being in HTTPS is an obligation for all types of sites since October 2017.

In 2018, switch to HTTPS from the creation of a website is essential, at the risk of being penalized.

• What is HTTP?
• What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?
• What are the SEO benefits of HTTPS?
• Why is the HTTPS protocol important for SEO?
• Is this protocol change profitable for my business?
• We answer all these questions in a few minutes!

What Is The HTTP Protocol?

HTTP or Hypertext Transfer Protocol is a system whose main purpose is to transmit and receive information circulating on the internet.

It focuses primarily on the form of information presented to users.

On the other hand, HTTP does not handle the transmission of information between a point A and a point B.

HTTP is commonly used to access HTML pages. This method most often used by websites that do not keep private or confidential information.

Except that for sites of other types, which keep private and confidential data of their visitors, the problem of security arises:

• Can people trust them?
• Is there a risk in providing them with confidential data?

To address these security issues HTTPS protocol has been developed.

What Is HTTPS?

Also known as “secure HTTP,” this protocol is an improved version of HTTP. Its purpose is to allow the authorization and security of online transactions. With millions of transactions every day, the exchange of private and confidential information must be secure.

That is why you see the acronym “https” on the URLs of all online shopping and banking websites. When a site uses the https protocol, the information on your credit card is a priori safe from hackers.

HTTPS works in conjunction with another major protocol known as Security Sockets Layer (SSL) to securely transfer data from point A to point B.

It is important to note that HTTPS and SSL are 2 different things.

To conclude, remember that HTTPS is a more secure protocol. Indeed, it uses the SSL protocol to transfer personal and confidential data.

Why Google Encourages HTTPS Sites?

As you understand, the HTTPS protocol adds an extra layer of security. Outside, it is important to secure the personal data of our users to give them confidence.

Internet users start to take into account the difference between the two protocols, and they tend to trust HTTPS sites more efficiently. It’s a competitive advantage for websites that have already switched to HTTPS.

TLS – Transport Layer Security

Data transferred over the HTTPS protocol is secured through a system known as the Transport Layer Security Protocol.

3 layers of protection including:

• An encryption mechanism to protect the data,
• A mechanism to ensure data integrity by preventing undue changes during data transfer
• An authentication system to ensure that you contact the host of the desired site.

What Are the Benefits of Switching To HTTPS

First up you’ll need to decide which SSL Certificate to buy and what’s the difference between HTTP vs. HTTPS or even TLS, SSL certificate. The idea is quite simple: use of HTTPS, the exchanged data become encrypted, which poses a big problem for the hacker who wants to intercept the data. HTTPS makes your site more secure for people who visit it. It is the primary interest. By using the HTTPS, you limit the risks that a malicious person intercepts the data transmitted by the user on your website and more broadly all the information sent between the browser and the server of your site. The HTTPS is a guarantee against the piracy of personal data. It also helps to ensure the integrity of the data.

That is why the HTTPS protocol is currently mainly used by websites that request confidential or even highly confidential information to their visitors. All sites that support financial transactions have adopted this security protocol. Essentially: e-commerce sites and banking sites.

Apart from the security aspects, there are other advantages to consider when choosing the protocol to use for your site and make the use of HTTPS even more relevant.

1. Increase Your Ranking in Search Results

Trust Google to claim that your site is getting a bonus in the search rankings after switching to HTTPS.

Also, think about the psychological impact of a “secure” mention. Users prefer to navigate on a site called “secure.” It will reinforce their confidence in you, your content and your site.

It also increases the user engagement of your site, another important factor that comes into play in your position on the Google search results pages.

2. Security

By securing your site with HTTPS, you achieve several goals for your business:

Secure your site for your visitors. It will establish a relationship of trust when browsing, buying a product or service online,

• Prevent unauthorized access and hacking attempts,
• Check that visitors communicate with the desired site,
• Encrypt different communications, including URLs, which provides additional protection for collecting personal data.

3. Avoid Having the Label “Not Secure” When Posting Your Website

An “unsecured connection” alert message appears if a visitor wants to access a website in HTTP. A message that scares your visitors, of course!

4. Preserve User Data

Data security allows you to collect more relevant information about your users. Information that you then use to define your target, carry out your emailing campaigns, etc.

So, if you’re still not in HTTPS, think seriously!

Are There Any Apprehensions To Have When Switching To HTTPS?

According to Google, failover presents no difficulty.

We are never too careful. So here are some tips to keep in mind so that migration under https does not negatively impact your traffic:

• Choose the type of certificate you need. It can be standard, multi-domain or wildcard,
• Consider using “relative URLs” within the same domain,
• Use 2048-bit key certificates,
• Allow your robots.txt files to scan your site under HTTPS by search engine robots,
• Make a 301 type of redirection between your site under HTTP and the new version under HTTPS,
• Supervise your https site by declaring it to your statistics tools like Google Analytics and the Google Search Console.

You can also selectively set up the HTTPS on the payment pages of your website and ask for sensitive information from your customers who are calling for a secure connection.

Conclusion

The HTTPS protocol is:

• Its an improved version of the HTTP protocol,
• Preferable regarding security,
• A guarantee of confidentiality for your users,
• Helps in the preservation of user data,
• Required to be considered a “secure” site by Google.

HTTPS has a minor effect on search rankings right now, but it could have a huge impact later on.

Keep in mind that there may be other factors and options to consider. A generic cert, for example, secures your domain name and any number of subdomains, acting as a standard SSL certificate.

Ultimately, if your budget allows, a security certificate will provide you with some comfort while building trust and improving the user experience.

Did you make a change to HTTPS? What are the main challenges you have encountered?

Read more: Update Your Website To HTTPS