HTTPS and SEO: Is HTTPS a Google Ranking Factor?

Yes, HTTPS is a Google ranking signal, but a lightweight one. Google announced it on 7 August 2014, saying it affected fewer than 1% of global queries and carried less weight than signals such as high-quality content.

Google’s page experience guidance still lists secure (HTTPS) pages as one thing to get right. Below: why to switch anyway, how to migrate with 301 redirects, and what to check afterwards with the Redirect Checker.

What Is HTTPS?

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is an extension of HTTP, the protocol for transferring web data. It ensures secure communication by encrypting the data between the user’s browser and the website’s server. HTTPS uses SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) certificates to establish this encryption, preventing third parties from intercepting or tampering with sensitive information, such as passwords or payment details.

HTTPS is crucial for protecting privacy and security. For search, Google treats it as a lightweight ranking signal.

HTTP vs. HTTPS: How Are They Different?

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) are protocols used for transferring data over the web, but they differ in security.

1. Security: The primary difference between HTTP and HTTPS is that HTTPS encrypts the data exchanged between the user’s browser and the website, making it secure, while HTTP does not. HTTPS uses SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) certificates to encrypt the connection, protecting sensitive data, such as passwords, credit card information, and personal details, from being intercepted by malicious actors. In contrast, HTTP sends data in plaintext, which can be vulnerable to attacks like man-in-the-middle.
2. Trust and Authentication: HTTPS ensures authenticity by verifying the website’s identity with a digital certificate issued by a trusted certificate authority (CA). This verification helps users trust that they are communicating with the correct website. HTTP does not offer such a guarantee, making it easier for attackers to create fraudulent websites.
3. SEO and User Trust: Google uses HTTPS as a lightweight ranking signal, so do not expect it to lift rankings on its own. Modern browsers also warn users about insecure HTTP pages, which can reduce trust.

What Is The Relation Between HTTPS And SEO?

Yes, but only lightly. Google announced on 7 August 2014 that it had started using HTTPS as a ranking signal. It called the signal very lightweight, affecting fewer than 1% of global queries and carrying less weight than signals such as high-quality content, and said it might strengthen it over time. Here is how HTTPS relates to SEO:

1. Security and User Trust:

Google prioritizes user security, and HTTPS helps ensure encrypted data between the user and your website. Websites that use HTTPS are seen as more secure, which enhances user trust.

2. Referral Data:

When traffic is sent from an HTTPS site to an HTTP site, referral data is lost, meaning the traffic source won’t be reported in analytics. On the other hand, if both sites use HTTPS, the referral data is passed along, allowing for more accurate data tracking. This can help analyze traffic sources and optimize your marketing strategy.

3. Rankings:

Google’s 2014 announcement describes HTTPS as a very lightweight signal. Its current page experience guidance lists secure (HTTPS) pages among the things to check, while saying there is no single page experience ranking signal. Expect little or no ranking change from switching alone.

How Does HTTPS Work?

HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) encrypts the data between a user’s browser and the website’s server to ensure a secure connection. It establishes an encrypted link using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how HTTPS works:

1. Establishing a Connection:

When a user tries to visit a website with HTTPS (e.g., https://example.com), the browser sends a request to the server for the website’s content.

2. SSL/TLS Handshake:

The first part of HTTPS involves the SSL/TLS handshake, which establishes a secure, encrypted connection. The handshake involves the following steps:

• Client Hello: The browser (client) sends a message to the server indicating it wants to start a secure session.
• Server Hello: The server responds by selecting a cipher suite from the list provided by the client. It also sends its SSL/TLS certificate, including the server’s public key and another random number.

3. Authentication:

The server’s certificate, issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA), is proof of the website’s identity. The browser verifies the certificate to ensure it hasn’t expired or been tampered with and that a trusted CA issues it. If not, it will display a warning message to the user.

4. Key Exchange:

Once the server’s certificate is validated, the browser and the server perform a key exchange. The client generates a “pre-master secret” (a random value) and encrypts it using the server’s public key. This encrypted pre-master secret is sent to the server. Only the server with the corresponding private key can decrypt the pre-master secret.

5. Data Encryption:

The client and server can now communicate securely with the session keys that have been established. Any data exchanged between them is encrypted using symmetric encryption, ensuring that they cannot read it even if someone intercepts the data.

6. Secure Communication:

From this point onward, all data transmitted between the browser and the server is encrypted.

7. Closing the Session:

When the session ends (i.e., the user finishes and closes the browser or navigates away from the site), the browser and the server close the secure connection.

Roles of SSL Certificates For HTTPS

SSL certificates enable HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) on a website. These certificates secure the connection between a user’s browser and a website by encrypting data during transmission, ensuring privacy and security. Here’s how SSL certificates are integral to HTTPS:

1. Encryption of Data

SSL certificates provide the encryption necessary for HTTPS. When a user visits a website with HTTPS, the SSL certificate ensures that all data exchanged between the browser and server is encrypted.

2. Authentication and Trust

SSL certificates authenticate a website’s identity. When a site uses SSL, it proves to the user that it’s genuinely the site it claims to be, not an imposter. The certificate includes information about the website’s owner and the certificate authority (CA) that issued it.

3. Ensuring Integrity

SSL certificates ensure the integrity of the data being transferred between the server and the browser.

4. Improving SEO and User Confidence

HTTPS is a lightweight Google ranking signal. Its bigger benefit is protecting visitors’ data and avoiding browser security warnings.

How Will You Get an SSL Certificate?

Here’s how you can acquire and install an SSL certificate for your site:

1. Choose a Certificate Authority (CA)

The first step is to choose a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). These organizations issue SSL certificates after verifying the legitimacy of your site. Some well-known CAs include:

• Let’s Encrypt: Free SSL certificates are ideal for smaller websites or personal blogs.
• Comodo: A popular provider offering affordable SSL certificates with various validation levels.
• DigiCert: Known for high-level security and trusted certificates.
• GoDaddy: A popular option with various SSL certificates for different needs.

2. Determine the Type of SSL Certificate You Need

SSL certificates come in different types depending on the level of validation and the scope of coverage:

• Domain Validation (DV): The simplest and quickest SSL type, suitable for personal or informational websites.
• Organization Validation (OV): Provides higher security and shows that the business behind the website is legitimate.
• Extended Validation (EV): The highest level of validation. It activates the green address bar in browsers, which provides the most trust to visitors.
• Wildcard SSL: Secures a domain and its subdomains (e.g., www.yoursite.com and blog.yoursite.com).

3. Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

After selecting a CA and SSL type, you must generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) from your web hosting provider or server. This step is required to submit to the CA for validation.

4. Submit Your CSR to the CA

Submit your CSR to the CA to start the verification process. Depending on the level of validation required, this process can take anywhere from a few minutes (for DV certificates) to several days (for OV or EV certificates).

5. Install the SSL Certificate

Once the CA has verified your details and issued the SSL certificate, you must install it on your server. Your hosting provider may offer one-click installation for SSL certificates, or you may need to install it manually via your server’s control panel.

6. Test and Activate HTTPS

After installation, it’s essential to test your SSL certificate to ensure everything works correctly. Use online tools like SSL Labs’ SSL Test to check the installation status. Finally, configure your website to use HTTPS by default (redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS) and ensure no mixed-content warnings appear.

7. Renewal

SSL certificates are valid for a limited period, and public ones last roughly a year at most, so turn on automatic renewal. An expired certificate triggers browser security warnings that stop visitors reaching your pages.

How To Switch To HTTPS?

Switching your website to HTTPS is important for securing your site and improving user trust. Google treats HTTPS as a lightweight ranking signal, but the main reasons to switch are security and trust. Here’s a detailed guide on how to switch to HTTPS in 7 steps:

Step 1: Purchase an SSL/TLS Certificate

To switch to HTTPS, you first need an SSL/TLS certificate. This certificate encrypts the connection between your website and the user’s browser. Here’s how to get one:

• Choose a certificate authority (CA): Many trusted CAs are available, such as Let’s Encrypt (free), DigiCert, Comodo, and others.
• Buy or get a free SSL certificate: If you’re starting or working on a smaller project, Let’s Encrypt provides a free SSL certificate. For larger websites, you might opt for a paid certificate that includes more features and higher levels of validation.
• Install the SSL certificate: The installation depends on your web host and server. Many hosting providers offer one-click SSL installation, but if you manage your own server, you might need to follow instructions from your hosting provider or CA to install the certificate manually.

Step 2: Install the SSL/TLS Certificate on Your Server

After obtaining the SSL certificate, the next step is to install it on your server. The method varies depending on the server type, but here’s an outline of the process:

• For Apache: Edit the server’s configuration file to specify the location of the SSL certificate. You may need to enable SSL support and configure a virtual host for HTTPS.

• For Nginx: Add a server block for HTTPS and specify the location of the certificate files. Don’t forget to redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS.

• For Managed Hosting Providers: If you’re using a hosting platform like Bluehost, SiteGround, or GoDaddy, SSL installation is often automated or can be completed quickly through their dashboard.

Ensure that your SSL certificate is correctly installed by visiting your site in a browser with https:// in front of the URL. If the certificate works, the page loads over https:// without a browser security warning.

Check canonicals: after the move, use the Meta Tag Analyzer to confirm each page’s canonical tag points to its HTTPS URL.

Step 3: Update Your Website’s URLs

Once you install the SSL certificate, you must update your website’s URLs to use https:// instead of http://. This can be done in the following ways:

• Update internal links: Go through your website and update all internal links to use HTTPS. This can include links to pages, images, stylesheets, and JavaScript files.
• Update the website settings: If you’re using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, change the site URL in the settings to HTTPS. For WordPress, navigate to Settings > General and update the “WordPress Address” and “Site Address” fields to use https://.
• Hardcoded URLs: For websites with static content, manually update any hardcoded HTTP links in the HTML files to HTTPS. This is crucial for assets such as images, JavaScript, and CSS files.

Test the redirect: the Redirect Checker shows the status code and path from your HTTP URL to the final HTTPS page, so you can spot chains or 302s.

Step 4: Set Up 301 Redirects from HTTP to HTTPS

Set up 301 redirects to ensure that all visitors and search engines are redirected to your site’s HTTPS version. This will automatically redirect users who try to visit your site over HTTP to the secure version (HTTPS).

• For Apache: Open the .htaccess file and add the following code to force HTTPS:

For Nginx: Add the following to the Nginx configuration file:

These redirects will ensure that all traffic is securely routed to the HTTPS version of your site.

Step 5: Update External Links and Resources

If you have external resources linked to your website or are using third-party services, make sure those also point to the HTTPS version of your site. This includes:

• Backlinks: If other websites link to your content, contacting them and requesting that they update the link to HTTPS is beneficial. While the HTTP to HTTPS redirect will handle most of the traffic, updating the external links will reduce potential issues and speed up the transition.
• CDN and API endpoints: If you use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) or third-party APIs, ensure the links and endpoints are set to HTTPS. Many services have a specific configuration to force HTTPS on their endpoints.

Step 6: Update Your Website’s Content and Resources

Sometimes, switching to HTTPS can cause mixed content issues. This happens when your website loads resources (like images, scripts, or stylesheets) over HTTP on an HTTPS page. Mixed content can break your site or reduce its security.

• Find and fix mixed content: Use browser developer tools to identify mixed content errors. You can also use tools like Why No Padlock? to scan your website for mixed content issues.
• Update external resource links: If you are linking to external scripts or media that use HTTP, update them to HTTPS if available. If the external service doesn’t support HTTPS, you may need to find alternatives or host the resources on your server.

Full-site check: run the Website SEO Audit to catch leftover HTTP links, redirect problems and other technical issues.

Step 7: Test the HTTPS Configuration and Monitor SEO

Once you’ve completed all the technical steps, it’s time to test your site thoroughly to ensure everything is working smoothly:

• Check SSL Certificate: Use an SSL checker tool (like SSL Labs) to ensure your SSL certificate is configured correctly.
• Test Redirects: Ensure all HTTP traffic is being properly redirected to HTTPS. Use online tools like Redirect Checker to verify that your redirects are functioning.
• Monitor Your SEO: Check Google Search Console for any crawl errors or issues with the switch. Submit an updated sitemap and monitor your site’s performance. Search Console also has an HTTPS report showing which pages are served securely. Rankings can fluctuate while Google reprocesses your URLs, and recovery is not guaranteed.
• Update Google Analytics: In Google Analytics, update the property settings to reflect the change to HTTPS, ensuring you track data correctly.

Additional Considerations:

• HTTP/2 Support: Most modern servers support HTTP/2 when using HTTPS, which can improve page load speeds due to multiplexing (loading multiple resources simultaneously).
• SEO Impact: Google treats HTTPS as a lightweight ranking signal, so monitor your rankings after the migration but do not expect a boost.

Confirm indexing: use the Google Index Checker to see whether Google has indexed the HTTPS version of a page.

Why is HTTPS Important in SEO?

Here are the main reasons HTTPS matters for SEO and for your visitors:

1. Google’s Ranking Factor

Google confirmed in 2014 that it uses HTTPS as a ranking signal, and described it as lightweight.

2. Improved Website Security

Google prioritizes security, and HTTPS ensures that all communication between the user’s browser and the web server is encrypted. This encryption protects sensitive data like passwords, credit card details, and personal information from being intercepted by malicious third parties during transmission.

3. Better User Trust and Engagement

When users see that a website is secure (indicated by the padlock icon in the address bar), they are more likely to trust it. On the other hand, if a website is not secure (i.e., it uses HTTP), most modern browsers will display a warning message stating that the site is not secure.

4. Referral Data Integrity

When traffic is sent from an HTTPS site to an HTTP site, referral data is stripped away. This means that website owners cannot track where the traffic is coming from. However, when both sites use HTTPS, the referral data is retained, providing more accurate analytics.

5. Compliance with Browser Standards

All major browsers, including Chrome and Firefox, are moving toward stronger security standards. Google Chrome, in particular, marks HTTP sites as “Not Secure” in the address bar, which signals users that they should avoid such sites, especially if they are required to enter personal or payment information.

6. Mobile-First Indexing

Google has moved to mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses a site’s mobile version to evaluate and rank content. Serve your mobile pages over HTTPS too, so visitors on shared networks are protected.

7. Possible Effect on Click-Through Rates

Browsers flag HTTP pages as not secure, which can put visitors off. Google does not document an HTTPS effect on click-through rate, so treat any gain as unproven.

8. E-commerce and Transaction Trust

HTTPS is critical for websites involved in e-commerce or any form of online transaction. Whether users submit payment details, enter personal information, or complete a purchase, HTTPS ensures that the data is encrypted and secure. Websites without HTTPS are likely to see high abandonment rates for transactions due to a lack of trust.

HTTPS is a baseline requirement for any page that handles payment or personal data.

What Did Google Recommend HTTPS as a Ranking Signal?

Google’s decision to recommend HTTPS as a ranking signal stems from its commitment to improving security across the web. Here’s why it’s a critical move for both Google and webmasters:

1. A Priority on Security:

Security has always been Google’s top priority. With services like Search, Gmail, and Google Drive using strong HTTPS encryption by default, Google ensures that the data exchanged remains private and secure.

2. Creating Safer Web Environments:

Google has continuously pushed for a more secure web environment, advocating for HTTPS as a default for all websites. This is part of their effort to make the internet safer for users.

3. Encouraging Adoption of HTTPS:

Over time, more webmasters have adopted HTTPS, and Google sees this as a positive development. HTTPS helps prevent attacks like man-in-the-middle, where attackers could intercept and alter communication between the website and users.

4. Running Tests for Ranking Signals:

To encourage the transition to HTTPS further, Google has tested whether HTTPS should be used as a ranking signal. After running several tests, Google observed positive results. As a result, HTTPS became a lightweight ranking signal in Google’s search algorithms. While it’s still only a tiny factor (affecting fewer than 1% of global queries), Google has been transparent in saying that they may strengthen this signal over time.

5. Long-Term Vision for HTTPS Adoption:

At Google I/O, the company called for “HTTPS everywhere” on the web, showing their long-term commitment to making the internet safer.

Conclusion

HTTPS is mainly a security and trust measure, and a lightweight Google ranking signal. By adopting it, website owners protect visitors’ data and avoid browser security warnings.

FAQs

Is HTTPS a ranking factor in Google?

Yes, but a light one. Google announced HTTPS as a ranking signal in August 2014, saying it affected fewer than 1% of global queries and carried less weight than high-quality content. Its page experience guidance still lists secure HTTPS pages, but there is no single page experience ranking signal.

Will switching to HTTPS improve my rankings?

Do not count on it. Because the signal is lightweight, moving to HTTPS rarely changes rankings by itself. The better reasons to switch are protecting visitors’ data, avoiding browser security warnings and keeping referrer data when linking between secure sites. A well-run migration should at least avoid losing rankings.

Do I need 301 redirects from HTTP to HTTPS?

Yes. Redirect every HTTP URL to its HTTPS equivalent with a server-side 301. Google treats permanent redirects as a signal that the target is the canonical URL. Then update internal links, canonical tags and your sitemap to the HTTPS versions.

How can I check my site is fully on HTTPS?

Use the HTTPS report in Search Console to see which pages are served securely. Check that HTTP URLs redirect once to HTTPS, and look for mixed content, where an HTTPS page loads images, scripts or styles over HTTP, using your browser’s developer tools.