{"id":43401,"date":"2018-01-05T04:16:08","date_gmt":"2018-01-05T11:16:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/5-reasons-to-move-your-website-to-https\/"},"modified":"2018-01-05T04:16:08","modified_gmt":"2018-01-05T11:16:08","slug":"5-reasons-to-move-your-website-to-https","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/5-reasons-to-move-your-website-to-https\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons to Move Your Website to HTTPS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you been putting off the move to HTTPS for your website? Even if this chore hasn\u2019t yet made its way to the top of your to-do list, you should probably consider doing it sooner rather than later. <\/p>\n

When a web giant such as Google makes a suggestion, website owners tend to listen. And that\u2019s the case with HTTPS, which does get priority in search rankings and indexing. But that\u2019s not the only reason to move your website to HTTPS. <\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

HTTPS Primer<\/h2>\n
\"https\"<\/div>\n

So, what is HTTPS anyway?<\/p>\n

HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure<\/em> and provides three layers of protection when moving data secured through TLS through the web, according to Google\u2019s documentation<\/a>. <\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Encryption<\/strong>: Encrypting the exchanged data to keep it secure from eavesdroppers. That means that while the user is browsing a website, nobody can \u201clisten\u201d to their conversations, track their activities across multiple pages, or steal their information.<\/li>\n
  2. Data Integrity<\/strong>: Data cannot be modified or corrupted during transfer, intentionally or otherwise, without being detected.<\/li>\n
  3. Authentication<\/strong>: Proves that your users communicate with the intended website. It protects against man-in-the-middle attacks and builds user trust, which translates into other business benefits.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    To make the move to HTTPS, you will need a security certificate and migrate from HTTP to HTTPS, which is a site move and URL change. (It can take a little time to ensure that all URLs are using the correct protocol and redirects, making this the top barrier to switching.) <\/p>\n

    Google has a full guide to making the switch<\/a> that\u2019s probably the best how-to available. <\/p>\n

    1. Google Likes HTTPS<\/h2>\n
    \"https\"<\/div>\n

    We\u2019ll start with Google, since it has been mentioned multiple times already. The top reason to move to HTTPS might be because Google likes it. Seriously. This can impact everything from indexing priority to search ranking. <\/p>\n

    One of the primary reasons Google likes HTTPS is because of security. This can be especially important for websites that transmit any type of sensitive data \u2013 think credit card or payment information. Users want to know that their information is protected. Not only will they look for the small lock icon in the URL bar, but users are likely to leave a site without a secure payment gateway. <\/p>\n

    Elements like this all go into the recommendation from Google to deploy HTTPS. <\/p>\n

    2. It\u2019s Inexpensive Right Now<\/h2>\n

    There aren\u2019t that many website elements that we recommend jumping on because they are cheap \u2013 or free \u2013 but this is one of them. Lots of hosting companies are offering free security certificates to help more website owners make the switch. (Check with your host today!)<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s a deal you want to jump on. It\u2019s unlikely that free (or very inexpensive) security certificate offers will last forever. You should grab them for your domains to make the most of companies trying to encourage the switch. <\/p>\n

    \n

    Pro Tip: Make sure your security certificate is at least 2048 bits and it comes from a reliable certificate authority that provides support. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    3. SEO Benefits<\/h2>\n
    \"https\"<\/div>\n

    Google liking something results in a two-part benefit, and the second is increased search visibility. <\/p>\n

    But don\u2019t expect to see a surge in traffic overnight. While Google will give HTTPS priority over HTTP, it\u2019s probably more of a long game for most smaller website owners. You\u2019ll start building new search credibility now, which can impact rankings down the line. (Changes hurt less when traffic isn\u2019t as robust.)<\/p>\n

    The lesson here for webmasters thinking about HTTPS is that if Google recommends it, you should probably listen. (The search giant has actually been using HTTPS as a ranking factor since 2014, and the transition has been somewhat slow for most sites, which tend to implement HTTPS as part of a redesign.)<\/p>\n

    Using HTTPS also gives you access to HTTP\/2<\/a>, which can make the internet faster. In more technical terms: \u201cThe primary goals for HTTP\/2 are to reduce latency by enabling full request and response multiplexing, minimize protocol overhead via efficient compression of HTTP header fields, and add support for request prioritization and server push.\u201d <\/p>\n

    And faster websites rank higher in search\u2026 and user preference. <\/p>\n

    4. Credibility with Users<\/h2>\n

    Credibility comes in two forms:<\/p>\n