Have you ever noticed that some of the websites you visit show a little lock icon in your browser? Surely you have noticed the http vs https fight that exist on the Internet. Many websites are switching from http to https, but why?
That little padlock that we were telling you about is https. Now, Google, in addition to that padlock, has added the text “It is safe” before the url in question. This lets you know that you are sending your information over a secure or encrypted connection. Over time, as businesses and consumers seek to protect themselves online, https has become more common, even on sites that don’t handle sensitive information. Let’s take a look at the why of http vs https and what are the reasons you might want to add it to your site.
That little padlock, or HTTPS, lets you know that you are sending your information through a secure or encrypted connection. Over time, as businesses and consumers seek to protect themselves online, HTTPS has become more common, even on sites that don’t handle sensitive information. Let’s take a look at what exactly HTTPS is and why you might want to add it to your website.
What is HTTPS?
HTTP is the standard protocol your web browser uses to communicate with the sites you visit. HTTPS is the secure form of HTTP, which means that the information that is sent between your browser and the site you are visiting is encrypted. If your site is currently using HTTP, you can start the HTTPS setup process by purchasing an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. If you are working with a managed hosting provider, they will be able to help you with setup and may have hosting options that include an SSL.
Http is the standard protocol your web browser uses to communicate with the sites you visit. Https is the secure version of http, which means that the information that is sent and received between your browser and the site you are visiting is encrypted.
If your site currently uses http, you can start the https setup process by purchasing an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. If you are working with a managed hosting provider, they will be able to help you with the installation. And they may have hosting options that include an SSL. If not, we recommend you ask about our hosting service.
Http vs https which one should I have?
Security
There are many security benefits why you should have an SSL. If you are collecting information on your website, be it payment, confidential financial information or simply contact information of visitors, you need it. When transferring information over an insecure http connection, all communications are sent as plain text that could be viewed or modified by a hacker, or an interested third party. A secure and encrypted connection prevents third parties from stealing that unencrypted information about users. And it also prevents them from modifying the information that your server is sending to the visitor’s browser.
SEO
As you have already stated on occasion, Google promotes or prioritizes safe sites. Remember, Google has a vested interest in connecting your customers with useful information from secure sources. If all else is equal, your site should take precedence over a standard http site. In the http vs https battle, the latter wins. This can have a positive long-term effect on your business and search engine optimization. If your site is seen as a relevant service for more visitors, there is a chance that they will find the additional content on your website useful, and it also presents the opportunity for your website to be shared more regularly on social media. These SEO factors they can contribute to the long-term improvement of the web positioning of your page.
Customer Trust
There is no doubt about it, the general public is more cautious and aware than ever when it comes to sharing information on the Internet. Hacks and security have become front-page news. Without going any further, recently you learned about the problems Facebook had with privacy and the transfer of personal data to third parties. As a professional, you want your website visitors to feel safe and their information to be protected. With security in mind of consumers, seeing an insecure http in the browser may be enough to prevent a new customer from sharing any information with you.
Why You Should Have HTTPS – Security Benefits
There are many security benefits to having an SSL and whether you are collecting information on your site, be it payment, sensitive financial information, or just visitor contact information. When transferring information over an insecure HTTP connection, all communication is sent as plain text that could be viewed or modified by a hacker, or really any interested third party. A secure and encrypted connection prevents third parties from stealing unencrypted information about users, and also prevents them from modifying the information that your server is sending to the visitor’s browser.
Why does the SSl certificate improve SEO?
Your site can experience a number of benefits from having an HTTPS connection. Google has already said that it gives a boost or prioritizes safe sites. Remember, Google has a vested interest in connecting its customers with useful information from secure sources. All other things being equal, your site should take precedence over a standard HTTP site. This can have a long-term cumulative effect on your business and search engine optimization. If your site is served in a relevant way to more visitors, there is a chance that they will find additional content useful on your site, and it also presents the opportunity that your site can be shared more regularly on social media. These factors can contribute to long-term improvement in search engine performance.
SSL certificate builds customer Trust
There is no doubt about it, the general public is more cautious and aware than ever when it comes to sharing information on the Internet. Hackers and security have made headlines, most recently with the theft of private information from more than 143 million people in the Equifax data breach. To be clear, the Equifax data breach is not related to HTTP v HTTPS, but it has really sparked an interest in online privacy for many users. As specialists in digital marketing, we want website visitors to feel safe and we want their information to be secure. With security at the forefront of consumers’ minds, seeing insecure HTTP in the browser may be enough to deter a potential new customer from sharing any information with you.
How do I configure https?
Setting up your http is relatively easy if you are familiar with the back end of a website. You can also ask the host of your website to confirm the steps you will need to follow.
- Acquire an SSL certificate and a dedicated IP address.
- Install and configure the SSL certificate.
- Make a full backup of your website just in case.
- Configure any internal link on your website, from http to https.
- Update any code library, such as JavaScript, Ajax, and any third-party plugins.
- Redirect any external links to https, such as directory listings.
Update htaccess applications like Apache Web Server, LiteSpeed, NGinx Config… to redirect http traffic to https.
If you are using a CDN, update your SSL configuration.
- Implement 301 page-by-page redirects.
- Update the links you use in marketing tools.
- Update the Landing Pages and the links of your ads.
- Set up an https site in Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
Keep in mind that for a small website this is quite simple, since some of the above points will not need to be applied. However, for a larger web page, better to have an experienced webmaster commissioned. Once it’s set up, remember to keep an eye on your SSL certificate, as they usually need to be renewed annually. The web maintenance option can be very useful at this point.
What advantages does the HTTPS protocol have for your website?
The term HTTPS is no longer a novelty for people, a few years ago Matt Cutts (former director of the department against spam at Google) announced that “he would very much like to implement the HTTPS protocol to the Google algorithm” a few months later some developers announced their arrival with a conference called “HTTPS Everywhere”
With this Google already announced the importance of the HTTPS protocol for our websites, and many seo companies have considered it a main factor, but a few years after what happened, people still do not know well what HTTPS is and what advantages it has.
What is the HTTPS protocol and what is it for?
The HTTPS protocol has one objective, which is for the web page to encrypt the session with a digital certificate. This causes a guarantee with which the user will be able to exchange information safely with the website, without the information being intercepted or reaching the hands of third parties. This protocol is also known by the name of SSL certificate.
As we have seen, the HTTPS protocol gives us security on our website, but how can we know that a page has the SSL certificate?
Well, it is quite simple, in the navigation bar of search engines (Google Chrome, Firefox, etc …) we can see a green security padlock at the beginning of the url, also if the web also includes the extended validation certificates it will appear the beginning of the url with a green background.
Do you want to get an audit to see the security of your page and correct SEO problems?
Advantages and disadvantages of using https on your website
It is clear that using the HTTPS protocol will have positive advantages for your website
We do not mean that by installing the SSL you will rise positions suddenly, if not that if you comply with the other factors and also your page is safe it will increase in the rankings thanks to the https certificate; But beware, not everything can be beautiful in the internet world. Just as there are advantages, there are also disadvantages which will make you wonder if it is really suitable for your website. Let’s see it!
Advantages of the HTTPS protocol:
Data security: The HTTPS certificate allows us to ” shield ” our information sent.
Identity verification: It guarantees that the information that the user sends reaches the correct destination and is registered as the user has written.
Trust: The HTTPS protocol provides extra confidence to the consumer.
Improves the organic positioning of the web : the website will appear in higher positions if it has the HTTPS security certificate.
It favours sales: This protocol helps to produce higher conversions on your website.
Improves user Satisfaction : By gaining confidence and security, the user will be more satisfied with their experience on the web.
Disadvantages of https:
404 errors: When migrating a website to https, all the urls of the page change, since instead of http will be https. This can be a problem if we don’t redirect the old urls to the new ones.
Migration problems: Migrating is not easy and you need to be attentive to the details. There are many problems when migrating , problems such as: forgetting to block the robot.txt, alert messages on the web, link problems, etc.
Web performance: The HTTPS certificate needs more resources than the HTTP, that is why if our web performance is not good, when implementing https it could be even worse and slow down the web .
Should I switch my website to HTTPS?
Well the answer is it depends. Migration to HTTPS is not an easy task and requires being attentive to the details since the slightest mistake can make our SEO fall or incorrectly implement the SSL certificate.
Another point to analyse is whether your website really needs such a certificate. An e-commerce is not the same as a health blog, e-commerce will surely benefit since with the purchase of products the sending of information must be safe. But for the health blog, it may not be worth doing the hard work of migration, for the few benefits that you will get from it and the possible mistakes that you risk.
The best option is to always put yourself in the hands of an expert, Up Tobe as an online marketing agency can manage the change from http to https protocol in a matter of hours.
In any case, if you have decided to implement it, do not hesitate to contact someone with the necessary knowledge to do it, since it is a complex task. From Up Tobe Marketing we can help you implement your SSL certificate to your website!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, changing from HTTP to HTTPS can positively affect SEO. Google considers HTTPS a ranking factor, and secure sites often rank higher in search results.
HTTP is less secure than HTTPS. It’s advisable to use HTTPS for improved security, user trust, and SEO benefits.
Yes, HTTPS can affect SEO positively. Google favors secure websites, and using HTTPS can lead to higher search engine rankings.
Yes, HTTPS is generally better for SEO as it enhances security and trust, leading to higher search engine rankings.
HTTPS is better than HTTP for security, user trust, and SEO. It encrypts data, providing a safer browsing experience.
HTTP is not secure because it doesn’t encrypt data in transit. This makes it vulnerable to data interception and manipulation.
Risks of using HTTP include data interception, man-in-the-middle attacks, and potential penalties in SEO rankings.
Pros of HTTPS: Security, user trust, SEO benefits.
Cons of HTTPS: Slight performance impact, SSL certificate management.
