Secure your website with SSL – HTTPS
Two years have passed since Google announced that website security would become a ranking signal, influencing the position of pages shown in search engine results.
When a website uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) security, information sent between the user’s browser and the hosting server is encrypted and therefore less likely to be intercepted or exploited. With SSL security you’re providing your customers with a safe and secure environment on your website.
All browsers vary but typically, if you’re viewing a web page with SSL security, you’ll notice some of the following indicators:
- A padlock symbol
- A web page address beginning ‘https’ rather than ‘http:’ (the extra ‘s’ = Secure)
- A green (safe) coloured address bar
- A message saying ‘secure’
Google’s own highly popular Chrome browser is showing this more prominently with each new version:
With many hosting servers offering free SSL Encryption using Let’s Encrypt technology, there’s never been a better time to make the switch.
Read more…
- HTTPS as a ranking signal (Official Google Webmaster Central Blog)
- Chrome is stepping up its war on the unencrypted web (The Verge)
- Google Starts Giving A Ranking Boost To Secure HTTPS/SSL Sites (Search Engine Land)
- Google Gives SSL-Secured Sites Search Ranking Boost (DigiCert Blog)
- Google Will Soon Shame All Websites That Are Unencrypted (motherboard.vice.com)