How HTTPS Impacts SEO: The Importance Of Secure Connections

How HTTPS Impacts SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial part of digital marketing. Website owners must consider various factors that impact their website’s search engine rankings. One of the factors that search engines like Google consider is website security. Websites that use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) encryption are more secure than those that use HTTP. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why HTTPS is essential for SEO and how it can impact your website’s search engine rankings.

  1. HTTPS uses encryption to protect data transmitted between a website and its visitors. It ensures that no unauthorized person can intercept or access this data. HTTPS is especially crucial for websites that require users to submit sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal details. By protecting user data, websites can build trust with their users and enhance their reputation, which can boost their SEO rankings.
    • Website Security – Websites that use HTTPS are less vulnerable to hacking, phishing, and other malicious activities. HTTPS encrypts data transmitted between a website and its users, making it difficult for hackers to intercept and steal this data. HTTPS also ensures that users are communicating with the intended website, preventing man-in-the-middle attacks. By improving website security, HTTPS can help website owners avoid penalties from search engines, which can lower their SEO rankings.
    • Boosts SEO Rankings – Search engines like Google prioritise websites that prioritise user security. Google has been pushing website owners to adopt HTTPS encryption for several years now. Websites that use HTTPS encryption are more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) than those that use HTTP. Google has confirmed that HTTPS is a search engine ranking factor. By using HTTPS, website owners can improve their website’s SEO rankings leading to increased traffic and conversions.
    • Enhances User Experience – Website visitors are more likely to trust and engage with websites that use HTTPS encryption. HTTPS ensures that the website they are visiting is authentic and trustworthy. It will show the padlock in the web browser address bar instead of a “Not Secure” warning. Additionally, HTTPS encryption can improve website speed and performance, which can enhance the user experience. By providing a seamless user experience, website owners can improve their website’s SEO rankings.

    In conclusion, HTTPS is essential for SEO. By encrypting data, improving website security, boosting SEO rankings, and enhancing user experience, HTTPS can help website owners build trust with their users and improve their website’s reputation. Website owners should prioritise HTTPS adoption to avoid penalties from search engines and improve their SEO rankings. You can view our SSL certificate guide if you wish to set this up on your hosting.