Does HTTPS and SSL Improve SEO?
What is HTTPS? It stands for Hypertext Transport Protocol Security. It protects a connection to a site by the use of encryption and authentication. When included on a web server, an SSL certificate initiates the padlock as well as the https protocol, permitting secure connections between a browser and a web server.
Warrington web design provides the following critical layers of securing information when using HTTPS:
- Data integrity: This layer of security allows transferring of files without being corrupted or modified anyway.
- Data Encryption: It is responsible for the conversion of files into a non-human form to ensure a user’s information or activity is not stolen or tracked.
- Authentication: HTTPS also helps to prove the validity of information and prevents attacks as well as boosting user trust.
What is SSL? SSL initials stand for Secure Socket Layer. It is a standard security technology which creates an encrypted connection between a browser and a web server. This connection makes sure that any transfer of information between the browser and the web server is kept private and secure.
How does HTTPS and SSL benefit SEO rankings?
Warrington web design – a company that specializes in modern web programming and design, has compiled critical benefits of HTTPS and SSL in SEO rankings as follows:
SEO Benefits of HTTPS
- Privacy and Security: HTTPS increases security features for your SEO targets and website in the following ways:
- It encrypts all transfer of data, URLs included something that protects browsing history as well as credit card numbers.
- HTTPS does verification and validation of the website a server wants to connect.
- It prevents any third party from illegally tampering with information.
- HTTPS also protects your website making it secure, and this allows visitors to develop trust.
- Raises rankings: HTTPS boosts SEO rankings, Google confirmed this in a recent report. In 2014, Google updated algorithms that were in favour of HTTPS websites, which led to a slight increase in the ranking of the HTTPS sites.
- Increased Traffic: As discussed above, HTTPS leads to better SEO ranking. When this happens, the classification ensures more users see your website. Additionally, after a search, users tend to look for a secure site and click on it.
SEO Benefits of SEO
- Boosts Search Engine ranking: Google confirmed that, sites that are secured using an SSL certificate have a preference over those that are not encrypted and secured using SSL in a case where other SEO factors are kept constant. For instance, Cloudtec underwent almost double SEO rankings when they changed their site from HTTP to HTTPS
- Promotes User Experience-leading to SEO ranking: Undoubtedly, an SSL certificate increases user experience. For instance, if a user searches a website and lands on your site, when he tries to fill a form, a Google Chrome alert appears warning that the site is unsecured, the user will quit immediately.
Conclusion
For you to achieve your SEO targets, you must, among other factors ensure that your website is secured and encrypted using HTTPS and SSL certificate. These two are essential when it comes to SEO ranking.