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ANYTHINGSEO. WORDPRESS.C OM
https for SEO
Security is a crucial aspect of SEO. It can make or break a brand’s performance. Google believes that all internet communications should be secure by default. Since 2014, Google has urged websites to migrate to HTTPS for the sake of security. With the growing number of issues surrounding cybersecurity and data privacy today, brands should begin migrating to HTTPS. This blog has created a site migration checklist before. You can check it out for more information if you are considering changing your domain name or implementing HTTPS. For now, let’s discuss HTTPS. What is HTTPS? According to Google, HTTPS or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is an internet communication protocol. It is often referred to as HTTP over TLS. It aims to protect the integrity and confidentiality of data between the user and the site. Transport Layer Security or TLS secures the data sent using HTTPS with three layers of protection: encryption, data integrity, and authentication. Why is HTTPS important? HTTPS is critical when it comes to web security not only for users but also for brands. Google officially acknowledged HTTPS as a ranking signal in 2014. HTTPS migration can increase organic search visibility, traffic, conversion, and ranking. It protects sensitive data from unwanted access. It can increase trust in your brand because users, your potential customers, feel safer visiting your website.
Firefox started marking all HTTP sites as ‘not secure’ since the beginning of 2017. Google has announced that it will also do the same starting July 2018. Another reason to migrate to HTTPS is that it is also one of the requirements for many new browser features like progressive web apps and geolocation API. HTTPS is the future of web security. How to migrate from HTTP to HTTPS? You can read a step-by-step guide for HTTP to HTTPS migration that was created by Search Engine Watch. You can learn everything from getting a security certificate to changing your default URL there. After migrating, you have to make you avoid the common pitfalls listed by Google. Conclusion As an SEO expert, you should remember that consumers should always be your priority. They would value your brand more if they feel safe interacting with you. If you have not yet migrated your site from HTTP to HTTPS, you should consider doing it as soon as possible. Changes are happening. More and more people are putting great importance on cybersecurity. Don’t get left behind.