Have you ever noticed those first four or five letters at the beginning of a web address: HTTP or HTTPS? Many people don’t give these letters a second thought, but they actually have a huge influence on the security and visibility of your website.
The ‘S’ in HTTPS stands for secure. When your URL contains this letter, it means your website has an extra layer of security through authentication and encryption, which keep your customers’ information safe. Around 80% of people won’t even visit a website without HTTPS, making it a vital component of your website.
At Gauge Digital Media, we can help ensure your website’s security through HTTPS—call us today.
What is HTTPS?
HTTPS stands for “Hypertext Transport Protocol Security.” Having these letters at the beginning of your web address indicates that your website is protected against hackers.
To create this level of protection, you will need an SSL certificate on your web server. Getting an SSL certificate is one of the first steps to increase your web traffic.
HTTPS includes three layers of security: encryption, data integrity, and authentication. Encryption ensures that your customers’ information is protected so that it can’t be traced or stolen by hackers. Data integrity prevents their data from being corrupted as it is transferred over, and authentication prevents hackers from impersonating customers.
Websites that don’t have an SSL certificate will have “HTTP” at the beginning of their URL. Google will mark these sites as “Not Secure” in red letters next to the URL, making it easy for people to identify that the webpage isn’t trustworthy. This “Not Secure” signal often leads customers to immediately exit the site in fear of having their information stolen.
Why is HTTPS Important for SEO?
HTTPS is an essential aspect of SEO because, without it, your website will be deemed untrustworthy.
With those five little letters, you are communicating to users that you provide a trustworthy experience on your site, that they don’t have to worry about their information being stolen, and that they should choose your site over those that are less secure.
Overall, the importance of HTTPS can be broken down into the following factors:
1. HTTPS Increases Customer Trust in Your Website
Plain and simple, HTTPS promotes trust. Websites add a barrier of communication between your business and your client that isn’t present in face-to-face interactions, and the last thing you want is for your website to hinder a customer’s trust.
When customers see HTTPS in your web address, they know that they can safely browse your website and make purchases with the same level of security that they could physically browse through your store.
Your website becomes a vehicle to enhance their shopping or browsing experience rather than a hindrance that leads them to exit your site.
Many people have begun viewing the internet as a scary place, and stories about stolen information and hacked bank accounts discourage users from making online purchases. HTTPS is a simple yet effective way to show your customers that you value their trust and have several layers of protection in place to keep their information secure.
2. HTTPS Encourages Online Purchases
Seeing HTTPS at the beginning of your company’s URL gives customers the go-ahead to make safe, secure purchases.
Studies have shown that online shopping promotes instant gratification. Giving customers the option to purchase your products or order your services online allows them to make a quicker, more impulsive buying decision.
If your website doesn’t contain this extra level of security, customers will be much more likely to abandon your site and spend their money on a website that does offer them protection.
Modern customers want a quick and easy shopping process, and when there are dozens of other businesses that could meet their demands just as well as yours, they won’t have a problem switching to another business.
HTTPS encourages customers to make a quick buying decision, eliminating any barriers that may cause them to turn away.
3. HTTPS Promotes the Visibility of Your Site
Google recently changed their algorithm to increase the visibility of HTTPS websites over HTTP ones. That means that implementing SSL certification may position your website higher in customers’ search results, making them more likely to click on your site and, in turn, make a purchase.
As Google continues to implement new processes that weed out unsecure websites, HTTP sites could eventually be eliminated from search results altogether. Getting an SSL certificate will ensure that your website remains visible to customers.
Contact Gauge Digital Media Today
HTTPS is a vital component of any successful website, and Gauge Digital Media is here to ensure your business’s site is secure. Schedule a free consultation today by calling (410) 376-7709 to learn how your website ranks in terms of security.
