Changing Your Site’s Protocol to HTTPS Can Improve Its Ranking
It should come as no surprise that sites that make an effort to boost security for visitors will likely rank better. A common way to accomplish this goal is with HTTPS (hypertext transfer protocol secure). HTTPS is a set of encrypted protocols designed to hide personal information from other online users as data is transferred. Since 2014, HTTPS has also been a Google ranking factor, and it’s even more of a big deal today. The experts at Saba SEO, one of the premier firms offering San Diego web design, take a look at how changing your website’s protocol to HTTPS can affect its ranking.
Your Site Won’t Be Labeled as “Not Secure”
Google already gives privileged positioning to secure sites, and for a while now, Chrome has been using a green color and a lock to mark sites with HTTPS as secure. As of July 2018, Chrome also marks websites as “Not Secure” when they have no HTTPS protocol. Google has also announced plans to do this soon on all pages served over HTTP vs. HTTPS.
HTTPS Could Influence Searchers’ Behaviors
Your website’s ranking may not take a serious nosedive solely because of a lack of HTTPS. However, your ranking could still be impacted by searchers’ behaviors. An analysis of a million search results showed a connection between HTTPS and better first-page rankings on Google. If you make the switch to HTTPS, you might also notice:
- Lower bounce rates and more conversions
- Increased online visibility for your site
- Positive word of mouth from visitors
- Increased time per session if searchers feel more comfortable on your site
Cost is one of the main reasons some website owners still choose not to make the switch to HTTPS protocol. Also, if an HTTPS migration isn’t done correctly, it could result in SEO penalties. It’s possible to obtain an SSL certificate for a reasonable price (some of them are even free). With migration, update your site map and register your new domain on Google’s Search Console. Wrap things up by adapting your rel=canonical tags, confirming your URLs are responding with the “correct and positive” response code, and checking your URLs for duplicate content.
If you need help making sure your website’s security protocol helps its ranking, turn to Saba SEO. We’re a leading web design company in San Diego, and our experts can create a web design strategy for your business that is sure to result in increased conversion rates and more traffic. We have over ten years of experience in search engine optimization, content development, and paid marketing. To schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable web designers, call us today at 858-277-1717.