Why SSL and HTTPS Are Important For SEO

Why SSL and HTTPS Are Important For SEO. In July 2018, Google announced they would start making all the websites without Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certification as “not secure.” This tells website users whether their details are safe and secure while browsing internet sites.

When an SSL certificate is present on a website, the site’s URL will show as ‘HTTPS,’ and you will see a green lock icon next to the words Secure in the URL.

HTTPS shows that the website protects user data and assures the user is connected to a genuine site.

What is an SSL Certificate?

SSL is a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). SSL is a security protocol that lets encrypted communication between a web server and an internet browser. It encrypts all data transmitted between the web server and the user using an encryption key on the server. In layman’s terms, an SSL certificate guarantees that the data being relayed between the web server and browser is only visual to the user and the site.

When someone navigates to your protected site, your site transmits the SSL certificate to the visitor’s browser with the key required to start a secure session. This initiates the SSL “handshake” and allows for the safe transfer of details between your website and browser.

SSL certificates contain the following information:

Name of the certificate holder
The certificate’s serial number and end date
A duplicate copy of the certificate holder’s public key
The digital signature of the certificate-issuing authority

A secure connection can’t happen if your website doesn’t have an SSL certificate. This means that the data transmitted is not connected to a cryptographic key. This affects a visitor’s confidence in your business and may even prevent them from ordering from you (if you are an eCommerce site).

In addition, ranking on Google without a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate is extremely difficult.

You could be doing everything right regarding SEO, but without an SSL certificate, your ranking possibilities are extremely small.

What is HTTPS?

HTTPS is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. HTTPS is an extension of HTTP. The protocol is used for internet communication between the user’s computer and the website. If your site is protected, it will have “https://” in front of the web URL instead of “http://”. When your website is secure with an SSL certificate, HTTPS will occur in your website’s address.

Google Says HTTPS and SSL are Necessities

Secure Socket Layer certificates have been a ranking factor since 2014, but as time goes on and Google works toward a safer internet, their significance has grown.

This is a good thing for your website, as it gives you a competitive benefit against businesses that do not have an SSL certificate on their website.

In July 2018, Google started showing the connection’s security in the address bar of Chrome on all website pages, marking all HTTP pages “Not Secure”.

This “Not secure” message is visual to visitors and again, does not inspire trust.

The Cost of an SSL Certificate

The price of an SSL certificate will depend on your site’s hosting provider, who they buy it through, and the type of certificate they purchase. SSL certificates have three classifications:

Single Domain – This SSL certificate is only valid on a single domain URL.
Multi-Domain – Multi-Domain is also called a Universal Communication Certificate (UCC). This secures many domain names and multiple host names within a domain name. You can set a primary domain and then add up to 99 additional Subject Alternative Names (SANs) in one certificate. This is excellent for businesses with multiple sub-domains and website URLs for different services, product lines, or geographic locations.
Wildcard – This SSL certificate is for securing all the subdomains you may have for a single domain.

When choosing your SSL Certificate, it’s best to consult your web host, marketing agency, or IT department to ensure you’re selecting the right option for your entire business.

The Process of Switching from HTTP to HTTPS

Switching from HTTP to HTTPS can be precarious. There are a couple of potential issues that can happen, which is the reason this isn’t viewed as a speedy DIY project. The following are a couple of things that need to end up changing your site from HTTP over completely to HTTPS:

Find the right SSL certificate for your website
Install the certificate on your website
Update the configuration of your website to highlight HTTPS rather than HTTP
Redirect all pages for your HTTP website to the area of the HTTPS site
Re-check responsibility for a website in Google Search Console and update the sitemap area
Update your web property’s configuration in Google Analytics
Test and confirm that the change was effective

As we said, this is certainly not a fast DIY project. Make the process simpler by making us your web host and letting us handle the work!

Secure Your Website with an SSL Certificate

Getting your website is an unquestionable necessity if you have any desire to be serious on the web and fabricate trust with your customers. Doing the switch in the near future will just help your website and business.

More organizations understand the worth of computerized showcasing and that your SEO procedure should be something other than the essentials to contend with online. Focusing on SSL could permit your site to rank higher.